As verse 10 talks of verbal activity, this verse talks of action. Turn away from includes the idea of avoiding, not yielding to, ceasing (compare Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “stop doing bad”). Evil is the same word used in verse 10, but this time referring more to action rather than to words. For do good, see the similar concept in 2.12 and 2.15.

A literal rendering of turn away from evil could give the impression that one is trying to escape from evil circumstances or trouble. One can translate turn away from evil as simply “stop doing what is bad” or “refrain from sinning” or “no longer sin.”

The contrast between evil and good must be more carefully marked in some languages, for example, “rather than doing evil, he must do good” or “he must stop doing what is bad and must then do what is good.”

He must strive for peace with all his heart is literally “let him seek peace and pursue it.” “Seek” and “pursue” give the idea of diligent and persistent effort, not only to have something but to continue having it; the Good News Translation has captured this intensity by its translation (compare Barclay “the object of all his endeavor and his search”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “seek peace with all his might”). Peace is a word with many meanings in the New Testament; here it could either be right relationship with people (for example, Barclay “right relationships with his fellowmen”) or messianic salvation, that is, right relationship with God. Both possibilities fit this particular context very well.

In view of the fact that this context indicates a number of interpersonal relations, one may translate he must strive for peace as “he must try very hard to live at peace with others” or “… to live without fighting with others” or “… to live quietly with others.” If one wishes to introduce God as related to the experience of peace, then one may translate “he must try with all his heart to be at peace with God.” One of the difficulties involved in such a rendering is the fact that the act of reconciliation begins with God, and man is the goal of God’s activity.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The First Letter from Peter. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .