Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Not rendering evil for evil (mh apodidontev kakon anti kakou). Mh and the present active participle of apodidwmi, to give back. The same phrase in Romans 12:17 and the same idea in I Thessalonians 5:15. Peter may have obtained it from Paul or both from Proverbs 17:13; Proverbs 20:22, "an approximation to Christ's repeal of the lec talioniv (Matthew 5:38 ff.) which Plato first opposed among the Greeks" (Hart). Common use of anti for exchange.
Reviling for reviling (loidorian anti loidoriav). Allusion to I Peter 2:23 (Christ's own example).
But contrariwise blessing (tounantion de eulogountev). Adverbial accusative and crasis (to enantion) of the neuter article and the adjective enantiov (en, antiov, opposite, Matthew 14:24), "on the contrary." For eulogountev (present active participle of eulogew) see Luke 6:28; Romans 12:14 (imperative eulogeite).
For hereunto were ye called (oti eiv touto eklhqhte). See I Peter 2:21 for this verb and use of eiv touto (pointing to the preceding argument).
That ye should inherit a blessing (ina eulogian klhronomhshte). Purpose clause with ina and the first aorist active subjunctive of klhronomew, a plain reference to Esau, who wanted "to inherit the blessing" (Hebrews 12:17) after he had sold his birthright. Christians are the new Israel (both Gentiles and Jews) and are the spiritual descendants of Isaac (Galatians 4:22 ff.).
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing 1 Peter 3:9:
1 Timothy 5:14
1 Peter 3:10
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.