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:
Sanctify - honour as holy, enshrining in your hearts. So the Lord's prayer, Matthew 6:9. God's holiness is glorified by our hearts being the dwelling place of His Spirit.
The Lord God. 'Aleph (') A B C, Vulgate, read Christ. х Kurion (G2962) ton (G3588) Christon (G5547)] 'Sanctify Christ as Lord.'
And, х de (G1161)] - 'but,' 'moreover.' Besides inward sanctification of God in the heart, be also ready always to give, etc. So A B; but 'Aleph (') C, Vulgate, omit [de].
Answer - apologetic; defending your faith.
To every man that asketh you. The last words limit the "always." Not to a railer; but to everyone who inquires honestly. A reason - a reasonable account. This refutes Rome's 'I believe it, because the Church believes it.' Credulity is believing without, faith is believing on, evidence. There is no repose for reason but in faith. This verse does not impose an obligation to bring a learned and logical proof of revelation. But as believers deny themselves, crucify the world, and brave persecution, they must be buoyed up by some strong 'hope:' men of the world, having no such hope, are moved by curiosity to ask the secret of it; the believer must be ready to give an experimental account 'how this hope arose in him, what it contains, on what it rests' (Steiger).
With. 'Aleph (') A B C, Vulgate, read 'but with.' Be ready, but with 'meekness:' not with self-suficiency (1 Peter 3:4). The most effective way.
Fear - due respect toward man, and reverence toward God; His cause does not need hot temper to uphold it.