3:9

This is similar to Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:27–28. If a Christian is treated badly by someone, he must do good to that person. God expects his people to behave like that, and he will bless them if they do.

3:9a

Do not repay evil with evil: The phrase Do not repay evil with evil means “Do not do evil to someone in return for the evil they have done to you.” In some languages it may be natural to translate it as a conditional statement:

If someone does evil to you, do not do evil back to them
-or-
When someone harms you, do not take revenge

3:9b

or: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as or here introduces another thing that believers were not to do. In some languages it may be natural to translate it as:

and

insult with insult: There is some implied information here. The words “Do not repay” from 9a are implied at the beginning of this verse part. The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ⌊Do not repay⌋ insult with insult in this context means “Do not speak evil to someone in return for the evil they have spoken to you.” Some other ways this phrase has been translated are:

Do not pay back…cursing with cursing (Good News Translation)
-or-
Do not repay…abuse with abuse (Revised English Bible)

General Comment on 3:9a–b

In some languages it may be natural to combine verse parts 9a–b after the model of the Contemporary English Version:

Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you.

3:9c

but: The Greek conjunction de that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but introduces what believers were to do instead of returning evil for evil. Here is another way to translate this transition:

Instead (Contemporary English Version)

with blessing: In some languages it may be natural to supply a verb here, probably the same verb that you used in 3:9a and 3:9b. The New Century Version has:

repay with a blessing

In other languages it may be natural to translate the noun blessing as a verb:

bless them (God’s Word)
-or-
bless others (NET Bible)

blessing: There are two ways of interpreting the word blessing here:

(1) It means that Christians should ask God to bless their enemies. See Matthew 5:44.

(2) It means that Christians should do good to their enemies. For example, the Contemporary English Version says:

treat everyone with kindness

(Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version)

Most English versions are ambiguous. If you must choose between these two interpretations, it is recommended that you choose interpretation (1), which has the support of most commentaries.

3:9d

to this you were called: There are two ways to interpret the Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to this you were called :

(1) It refers backward to 3:9c and means “God called you to bless others.” For example:

That is what you were called to do (New Jerusalem Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) It refers forward to 3:9e and means “God called you in order to bless you.” For example:

for a blessing is what God intends you to receive (Revised English Bible)

(New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This agrees with 2:21, where the context is similar.

The phrase to this you were called is passive. God is the one who is doing the calling. In some languages it may be more natural to express this in an active form. For example:

to this God has called you

called: The word called in this context means “invited” or “summoned.” The Contemporary English Version translates this phrase as:

You are God’s chosen ones (Contemporary English Version)

3:9e

so that: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that here introduces the reason/purpose why God called his people to bless others. See how you translated similar expressions in 2:21 (“that”) and 2:24b (“so that”).

you may inherit a blessing: The phrase you may inherit a blessing means “you will receive a blessing.” It is implied that it is God who will give the blessing. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit:

⌊God⌋ will give you a blessing
-or-

⌊God⌋ will bless you

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