Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 27 Sept 2015
13 And who is the one who will do y’all wrong if y’all become imitators of what is good?
14 However, if y’all suffer on account of
righteousness, you are blessed.
But don’t y’all begin to fear their fear, nor shall y’all be agitated,
15. But y'all must begin to sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord,
ready always for a defense
toward every one who asks of you a word concerning the hope in you,
but with meekness and fear,
16. maintaining a good conscience,
so that in what you are talked down about,
the abusers of your good conduct in Christ might be put down.
17. For it is better to suffer - if the will of God so wills - while doing good, than while doing evil,
Christians have been noticing alarming trends in our country of late. This “new America is declining further and further into secularism and immorality, and is growing increasingly hostile toward Christianity... Marriage: redefined. Religious freedoms: eroding. The church: marginalized.”
· In 2013, Pastor and journalist Paul Dickerson published a book entitled, The Great Evangelical Recession: 6 Factors That Will Crash The American Church... and How To Prepare,
· and then this year, Moody Bible Institute president Paul Nyquist published Prepare: Living Your Faith In An Increasingly Hostile Culture, predicting that “the season of preferential treatment and cultural dominance for America's Christians is coming to an end.” How should we respond to this?
The Apostle Peter wrote his letters in the Bible at another time in history when there was an “increasingly-hostile culture” against Christianity, and he was concerned to prepare Christians for persecution. Now, I haven’t read Dickerson’s or Nyquist’s books – I just saw advertisements for them on World Christian News and Books and thought it was an interesting coincidence – but I do know that Peter gave about 6 instructions for what Christians should do when persecution affected us, and I want us to look together at those instructions here in 1 Peter 3:13-17.
We find the first action point in v.13: “who is the one who will do y’all wrong if y’all become imitators of what is good?”
· On the one hand, we could read this as a rhetorical question, the meaning of which is that if you keep your life clean, you’re not likely to get hurt.
o This recalls the words of comfort God spoke to the Apostle Paul in Corinth Acts 18:9-10 “‘Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.”
· On the other hand, we know that Christians still get hurt and killed unjustly sometimes.
o I vividly remember when Graham Staines, missionary to India, and his two little boys were trapped and burned to death inside their car by a Hindu gang back in 1999. They were doing good, providing medical care to lepers.
o But the kind of people who want to do wrong to someone like that are not reasonable people. When Staines and his sons were murdered so senselessly, the Indians themselves got up in arms and hanged the perpetrator and gave Mrs. Staines the national Padma Shri award in recognition of the family’s distinguished contributions to India.
· So even if you reflect on the literal question of what kind of person is going to harm someone who is doing good, the takeaway is the same: most people aren’t going to, and if you have a reputation for doing good, then anyone who does hurt you will be recognized as evil.
o At the very least, if you’re going to be harmed, make sure it’s not by somebody who was cheated or wronged by you, and you can make sure of that by not cheating or wronging them in the first place!
· I don’t think it’s necessary to go into much detail on the word which I translated “imitators” and which the KJV translated “followers,”
o but let me briefly mention that some ancient Greek manuscripts containing 1 Peter were discovered in the 19th and 20th centuries which had a different word in this verse which could be translated “zealous/eager,” so the newer English versions went with that.
o Variants like this are very interesting to textual critics, but for our purposes, it doesn’t change the application to our lives. God has preserved what is important in His word.
o Call it what you like, “zeal” or “imitation,” what’s important is our attitude toward what is good and our character in doing what is good.
· This follows up on what Peter already mentioned in chapter 2, verses 19 and following: “...this is gracefulness, if, on account of a Godly conscience, someone were to undertake grievous [things], suffering unjustly. For, what [would be y’all’s] reputation if, when you sin, you also were to endure being beaten? But rather if, when you do good you also were to endure suffering, this is gracefulness alongside God. Why, it is for this purpose that y’all were called, because even the Christ suffered on our behalf, leaving behind an example for you in order that y’all might adhere to His tracks...” (NAW) What was applied to slaves specifically in chapter 2 is applied to all Christians in chapter 3.
· So the first thing when you are being persecuted is to be zealous to imitate what is good. The second thing you must do is “don’t begin to fear their fear, neither be agitated”
· The last word in that verse ταράσσω (tarassō) is an interesting one to me. Thayer’s lexicon defines it: “to agitate, trouble, cause inward commotion, take away calmness of mind, disturb... render anxious or distressed, perplex the mind of one by suggesting scruples or doubts.” Have any of you ever struggled with feelings like that? I sure do!
o This could be due to some physical threat, such as happened in Matthew 2:3 when the Magi informed King Herod of a child born King of the Jews and, “Herod the King was agitated – and all Jerusalem with him” (NAW). Why was all Jerusalem agitated? Because Herod was known for executing people when he got angry!
o Or maybe it is the physical threat of religious persecution like Paul faced in Thessalonica in Acts 17. Some of the Jews didn’t like Paul preaching about Jesus in their synagogue, so they rounded up a bunch of rabble-rousers and started attacking some of the Christians in their homes and accusing Christians of criminal behavior. Yeah, we’ve seen some of that these days!
o But it is not always physical and legal trouble. Sometimes it comes as troubling words and thoughts: In Acts 15:24, Paul called out the Judiazers for saying that the Greeks had to do all the little Old Testament ceremonies in order for God to love them. It would indeed be troubling to be told that God’s salvation is not freely available but that you have to be super religious to earn it. In Galatians 1:7, Paul used the same word at the end of 1 Peter 3:14 to say, “there are some who trouble[agitate] you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” (NKJV).
o But Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled/agitated; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you... 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:1-2, 27, NKJV)
· Now, Peter, in v.14 appears to be quoting Isaiah 8:12, “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; don’t be terrified, Jehovah of hosts: Him hallow, He your fear, Him dread” (NAW).
o Back in Isaiah’s day, the country of Syria had allied its army with the northern kingdom of Israel and was planning to overthrow the southern kingdom of Judah. This was understandably upsetting to the King of Judah, whose name was Ahaz.
o Although Isaiah encouraged King Ahaz to trust God for deliverance, Ahaz wouldn’t listen. Instead, he placed his hope in man. He paid off the king of Assyria in hopes of an alliance that would neutralize the military threat he was facing. But instead, two more nations joined in attacking his country, the Edomites and the Philistines.
o Ahaz didn’t want Isaiah criticizing him for trusting in the Assyrian army instead of trusting in God, so he called Isaiah’s prophecy a treasonous conspiracy. But Isaiah came back to King Ahaz and said, “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; don’t be terrified, Jehovah of hosts: Him hallow, He your fear, Him dread.”
· This is faith. Taking God at His word and acting on it. Not fearing what everybody else fears, because God has commanded us not to be afraid of those things.
· What is it that can change fear to triumph like this? Is it another treaty with Iran? Is it a new business plan? Is it a new app? A new friend? A new doll? No! It is hope in Immanuel/God with us. Jesus is our source of hope and consolation. Our fear evaporates when we know that our God is with us and is big enough to handle any threat that comes our way.
· “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39, NASB)
· I love this quote by Matthew Henry: “Christians have no reason to be afraid of the threats or rage of any of their enemies. Your enemies are God's enemies, His face is against them, His power is above them, they are the objects of His curse, and can do nothing to you but by His permission; therefore trouble not yourselves about them. Instead of terrifying yourselves with the fear of men, be sure to sanctify the Lord God in your hearts... Fear not those that can only kill the body, but fear him that can destroy body and soul (Luke 12:4-5)... An awe-filled sense of the divine perfections is the best antidote against the fear of sufferings; did we fear God more, we should certainly fear men less.”
· Be zealous to imitate what is good, don’t fear what they fear, but instead... sanctify/set apart/regard as holy Christ the Lord in your hearts:
This has several implications:
1. Jesus Christ is God. (In theological passages in the New Testament like this one, when you see the word “Lord,” that is the New Testament Greek word used to designate the name of God – Jehovah/Yahweh from the Old Testament.) The first few chapters of the book of Acts describe how Peter made a controversial stand among the Jewish leaders on this point. “...this Jesus whom y'all crucified, God made both Lord Himself and Messiah” (2:36). The Jewish leaders recognized that Jesus had made himself out to be God. They tried Him, found Him guilty of blasphemy, and that’s why they crucified Him. They also understood that Peter was equating Jesus with God, and that’s why they went to criminal lengths to try to silence him too, along with the other Christians in Jerusalem. All the other religions in the world would be happy with us if we would just say that Jesus is “a god” or just a great teacher, but if Jesus is God then they are all wrong and we are all right, and we must cling to that truth.
2. Jesus Christ is Sovereign. If Jesus is Lord, then He has authority over everybody. No other person or thing in the world should be able to make you do anything that is contrary to what Jesus commands. If they do, then we must sanctify Christ as Lord and disobey the lesser authorities in order to obey our higher authority. This may mean suffering punishment from a lesser authority for a time, but we can endure that if we know that we are in line with Jesus who sits at the top of the chain of command and will eventually set things right.
3. We must acknowledge the special place of Divine Lordship that Jesus has by trusting in Him to save us. Other words used throughout Peter's book for this “sanctifying Christ as Lord” include “faith” or “belief” and “hope” - 1:21 through Jesus y'all are “believers in God, the One who raised Him out of the dead and gave to Him the glory so that your faith and hope would be in God.” That’s where it needs to be!
4. Finally, this sanctifying Christ as Lord must be done “in our hearts.”
o Outward actions alone cannot fulfill this call for an internal faith in Jesus.
o So you have in the Lord’s prayer, “Hallowed be Thy name[1].” That prayer should be the number one desire of our heart since it is the number one request that Jesus taught us to pray.
o Going to church, getting baptized, singing praise choruses – whatever religious behavior you do – is not what makes you right with God. When we believe that Jesus really is God and that He really is in charge of our life, then we are right with God, and then all those good things like praying and taking a place of involvement in the community of God's people, flow out of a heart that is in the right place.
· Zealously imitate good, Don’t fear, Sanctify Christ, and...
· Our inward faith must be shared outwardly with the world. That's why v.15 says that when we sanctify Christ as Lord, we will be people who are “ready to make a defense toward every one who asks of you a word/reason/account concerning the hope in you.” This raises a couple of questions:
1. Do you have the hope? Are you right with God?
o Most people place their hope in humans. Conservatives tend to emphasize passing laws against abortion and for a traditional definition of marriage, while progressives tend to emphasize overcoming poverty and sickness and violence. Those agendas all have their place, but every idealist who hopes in the government to fix all our problems is going to get their hopes dashed. Only Jesus can save.
2. If you are placing your hope in Jesus to save the world, does your spiritual hopefulness show?
o I’ve shared before about my summer job in the mid 1980’s when I worked at a pizza restaurant. My manager called me a “fuddy-duddy” because I was too head-down in my responsibilities to bring joy and hope into my work environment. Needless to say, that manager didn't ask me about my faith. If, however, you have a hopeful outlook on life, some people will be interested in hearing about your worldview!
o How do you express hope in God at home and at work? One of the biggest aspects of our hope is found in 1 Corinthians 15:25ff – we believe that Jesus is currently bringing everything that is in rebellion to Him back under subjection to Him. He is fixing everything that is wrong with this world, and there will be a time when everything that is currently wrong will be made right. In the new heavens and new earth[2] that He creates there will be nothing left of what is currently wrong with this world: no death, no sickness, no losses, no poverty, no pain, no war, no injustice.
o Jesus is already using us to begin rolling those things back here and now! And since Jesus is God, He has the power to do this. Can you imagine what Jesus can do through you to roll back the effects of sin and brokenness in your work and in your home? Can you imagine what it will be like in heaven when that process is completed? Think about those things, and hope will show in you!
3. A third question is “Are you able to explain that hope to others?”
o
If someone said, “What must I do to
be saved?” Do you know what to tell them?
If so, great! If not, take the time to prepare something you could say.
o Maybe prepare both a short and a long answer. The short one could be, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,” and the longer one could be the story of how you personally came to trust Jesus to save you.
o I hope to equip you further in this area of evangelism and apologetics with next week’s sermon, but for now...
Let’s move on to the 5th thing which you can do when you are persecuted: Be zealous to imitate good, Don’t fear what they fear, Set apart Christ the Lord in your heart, Be prepared to explain your Christian hope, and...
“maintaining a good conscience, so that in what they talk down - as though y’all were evildoers, the abusers of your good conduct in Christ might be put down.”
· Here, the adjective describing the conscience is ἀγαθήν in Greek, which means “good.”
o We need a conscience that is in good working order, not one that balks at what’s right and approves of sin. Our conscience may naturally get some things right, but at other times may be out-of-whack. So part of keeping a good conscience is to orient it to God’s standards of right and wrong laid out in the Bible. As we fill our mind with God’s word, our conscience will work more accurately.
o But in addition to a conscience that is in good working order, we also need to live by the standards that a good conscience supports. We need to actually do what is right and not do what is wrong. We need a “clear” conscience, as the NIV puts it.
· English translations are all over the place on this verse, and I think the KJV did the best job, but they all get the gist across that if you are doing what’s right, generally slander won’t stick to you; instead it will be the people who unjustly criticized you who will have the egg on their face.
o Just a couple of years ago, one of our parishioners was accused of child abuse by a spiteful colleague. The claim seemed pretty ridiculous – that their child had been forbidden to say a single word for three weeks, or something like that, but the state got so worked up about this anonymous phone tip that they sent a special agent straight from Topeka to our parishioner’s house. As the interview progressed, it became more and more obvious that claim was spurious, so the state agent dismissed the matter. But if that parishioner did not have a clear conscience and the accusation were true, things wouldn’t have gone so well, and it would have hurt the reputation of our church. There’s an example of the importance of staying obedient to God and not violating your conscience.
So when you are being persecuted for your Christianity, Zealously imitate what is good, Don’t be afraid of what they’re afraid of, Sanctify Christ the Lord in your heart, Prepare to explain your faith, Keep a good conscience, and finally I’ll lump an idea from v.14 and from v.17 together for one more point:
· “If you suffer on account of righteousness you are blessed... For it’s better to suffer - if the will of God [so] wills - while doing good, than while doing bad”
· When Satan and the world try to change our thinking and behavior with the threat of suffering, we need to remember what is true.
o They want us to think, “If I do what God says is right, I will get hurt and I will be unhappy, but if I do what God says is wrong, I will be rewarded and I will be happy.”
§ “If I kill myself, I won’t feel this pain anymore and I’ll be happy, but if I live on, the rest of my life will be boring and painful.
§ If I buy those clothes on credit, I’ll be fashionable and will be happy. If I wear what I can afford, people will look down on me and that will make me unhappy.
§ If I say some impressive words, people will like me and I’ll be happy, but if I ‘keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking lies,’ nobody will be impressed and I will be unhappy.
§
If I eat one more donut or have one
more drink, I’ll be satisfied,
but if I don’t, I won’t be able to get my mind off of my misery.
§ If I take a stand against immorality, I’ll lose my job and my comfortable lifestyle, but if I compromise, I can keep my personal peace and prosperity.”
o That’s what the enemies of our souls want us to think. They know they can sit back and watch us destroy ourselves if only they can get us thinking that way. That’s why it is so important to remember.
· Remember that if you do what God says is right and you suffer for it, you will be happy. (The Greek word for “blessed” is the same word for “happy.”)
o If you obey God, you will be better off than if you didn’t obey God. Remember what it was like to be trapped in sin? Life was not better then. Don’t forget it. “Sinners, whose love can never forget the wormwood and the gall. Go spread your trophies at His feet and crown Him Lord of all!”
o Even suffering the painful death of a martyr is better than an eternity “where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die.”
o Remember that you are better off with Christ and that you are – and will be – happier with Him.
So there are the six things to do when you experience suffering for the sake of righteousness:
|
Patriarchal text |
NAW |
KJV |
NKJV |
ESV |
NASB |
NIV |
|
13 Καὶ τίς ὁ κακώσων FAP-NSM ὑμᾶς, ἐὰν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ [3]μιμηταὶ NPM γένησθε; ADS-2P |
13 And who is the one who will do y’all wrong if y’all become imitators of what is good?[4] |
13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? |
13 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? |
13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? |
13 Who is there to harm you if you |
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager |
|
14 ἀλλ᾿ εἰ καὶ πάσχοιτε PAO-2P διὰ δικαιοσύνην ASF, μακάριοι. τὸν δὲ φόβον ASM αὐτῶν μὴ φοβηθῆτεAOM-2P μηδὲ ταραχθῆτε APS-2P, |
14 However, if y’all suffer on account of righteousness, you are blessed[5]. But don’t y’all begin to fear their fear, nor shall y’all be agitated,[6] |
14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; |
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "AND DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THEIR THREATS, NOR BE TROUBLED." |
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them X, nor be troubled, |
14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, |
14 But even if you should suffer for [what is] right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; X do not be frightened." |
|
15 Κύριον ASM δὲ τὸν [7]Θεὸν ἁγιάσατε AAM-2P ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, ἕτοιμοι NPM δὲ[8] ἀεὶ ADV πρὸς ἀπολογίαν ASF παντὶ τῳ αἰτοῦντι PAP-DSM ὑμᾶς λόγον περὶ τῆς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐλπίδος [9] μετὰ πρᾳότητος GSF καὶ φόβου, |
15 but set Christ the Lord apart as holy in your hearts and be ready always for a defense toward every one who asks of you a word concerning the hope in you, [yet] with meekness and respect, |
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: |
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; |
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; [yet do it] with gentleness and respect, |
15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, [yet] with gentleness and reverence; |
15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give [the] reason for the hope that you have. [But do this] with gentleness and respect, |
|
16 συνείδησιν ἔχοντες ἀγαθήν[10], ἵνα ἐν ᾧ καταλαλοῦσιν[11] ὑμῶν ὡς κακοποιῶν, καταισχυνθῶσιν APS-3P οἱ ἐπηρεάζοντες PAP-NPM ὑμῶν τὴν ἀγαθὴν ASF ἐν Χριστῳ ἀναστροφήν ASF. |
16 maintaining a good conscience, so that in what they talk down - as though y’all were evildoers, the abusers of your good conduct in Christ might be put down. |
16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. |
16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. |
16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. |
16 [and] keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. |
16 keeping a clear conscience, so
that those who speak maliciously
against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of X the |
|
17 κρεῖττον NSN γὰρ ἀγαθοποιοῦντας PAP-APM, εἰ [12]θέλοιPAO-3S τὸ θέλημα NSN τοῦ Θεοῦ, πάσχειν PAN ἢ κακοποιοῦντας PAP-APM. |
17 For it’s better to suffer - if the will of God [so] wills - while doing good, than while doing bad, |
17 For it is better, if the will of God be [so], that [ye] suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. |
17 For it is better, if [it is] the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. |
17 For it is better to suffer [for] doing good, if [that should] be God's will, than for doing evil. |
17 For it is better, if X God should will
it [so], that you suffer [for] doing what is |
17 It is better, if [it is] God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. |
[1] (Matt. 6:9) Clement of Alexandria brought this out first in his commentary.
[2] Isa. 65:17; Isa. 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1
[3] The majority of Greek manuscripts read as above, thus the Geneva & KJV “followers” (or more literally “imitators”), but all of the handful of Greek manuscripts dated older than the 8th century read ζηλωται – “zealous,” thus the reading of the NAS and NIV. The phrase “become imitators” is common (Eph. 5:1; 1 Thess. 1:6; 2:14; Hebrews 6:12), whereas “become zealous” appears nowhere else in the Greek Bible, but the Vulgate translation significantly seems to support the latter. Curiously, the reading of that handful of oldest Greek manuscripts is abandoned by the Critical Texters in the spelling of the following word – the latest editions of Nestle-Aland and the UBS agree with the Majority text which spells genesthe in the Subjunctive mood, whereas it is spelled in the Optative mood by the Vaticanus and in the Indicative mood by P72 and the Sinaiticus, leaving only the Alexandrinus and Ephraemi Rescriptus to support the Byzantine. These variants make no real difference in the application of this verse, however. The omission of the last two words of v.14 by P72 and the Vaticanus is also conveniently overlooked by the Critical Text.
[4] This recalls Acts 18:8b-11a. Could be read as a rhetorical question or as a strategic question.
[5] cf. 2:19ff - What was applied to slaves there is applied to all Christians here.
[6] Due to physical threats (Matthew 2:3, Acts 17:8) or troubling words (Acts 15:24, Galatians 1:7). “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:1-2, 27, NKJV) Peter, in v.14 appears to be quoting Isaiah 8:12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; don’t be terrified, Jehovah of hosts: Him hallow, He your fear, Him dread” (NAW). cf. Romans 8:35-39, Luke 12:4-5).
[7] Although “God” is the reading of the majority of Greek manuscripts, it is not the reading of any Greek manuscript older than the 9th Century. All the manuscripts older than the 9th Century read χριστον (“Christ”), hence the reading of the NAS & NIV. The ancient Vulgate, Syriac, Armenian, and Coptic translations all support the latter reading, and there is a string of Greek manuscripts documented up through the time of the printing press (when manuscripts became less common) in which the latter reading was preserved, so it does seem likely to me that this is the original reading. I can imagine the Majority Texters claiming that heretical scribes conspired in this instance to disconnect Jesus from being God, but the doctrine of His divinity is actually affirmed here, and since “Lord” and “God/Christ” are both in the Accusative case, the grammar of this verse never was a Nominative + Predicate Nominative arrangement (“The Lord is God”) anyway.
[8] The conjunction here is not to be found in the Critical texts, thus it is not in the NAS & NIV, but is in the majority of Greek manuscripts, including one of the oldest - Alexandrinus. It does not change the meaning either way.
[9] The Critical Editions add the word αλλα (“but”) because no manuscript dated before the 9th Century does not have it, and a significant number of manuscripts and translations throughout history have included it. Either way, the practical application of this verse is the same.
[10] Does agathe mean “Clear” (NIV) or “good” as in “in working order”?
[11] The majority of Greek manuscripts (including three of the most ancient: Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, and Ephraemi Rescriptus) spell this verb 3rd Plural Active Subjunctive (“They might utter bad things about”), but Critical Editions read καταλαλεισθε = 2nd Plural Passive Indicative (“You are being trash-talked”) and omit the next three words on the basis of P72, the Vaticanus and a handful of later minuscules. The weight of the ancient translations is overwhelmingly in favor of the majority reading. P72 is not even considered all that reliable by the Critical text since the Critical text does not follow that manuscript in its omission of the “kata-” prefix to the next verb.
[12] The Textus Receptus spells this verb in the more straight-forward Indicative mood (θελει) than in the more rare Optative mood used in the majority of Greek manuscripts and accepted by the Critical Editions here. It makes no difference in English translation however,, especially since both the subject and the verb of this Greek clause are translated using the exact same word. Literally “if the will of God wills...”