1 Peter 3:15-16

3:15 But set Christ ¹  apart ²  as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. ³  3:16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, ⁴  keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. ⁵ 

[3:15]  ¹ tc Most later mss (P Ï) have θεόν (qeon, “God”) instead of Χριστόν (Criston; “Christ”) here. But Χριστόν is widely supported by excellent and early witnesses (Ì⁷² א A B C Ψ 33 1739 al latt sy co), and as a less common idiom better explains the rise of the other reading.

[3:15]  ² tn Or “sanctify Christ as Lord.”

[3:15]  ³ tn Grk “the hope in you.”

[3:16]  ⁴ tn Grk “but with courtesy and respect,” continuing the command of v. 15. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[3:16]  ⁵ tn Grk “when you are spoken against.”