What is meant by the comparative “better”?

There are several options as to what Peter means with his use of better.

1. The first possibility appeals to how the comparative better is used in Scripture’s wisdom literature to set one option off against another (sometimes without condemning the worse of the two options). See Psalm 37:16; Psalm 118:8–9; Proverbs 3:14; Proverbs 15:16; Proverbs 16:8, Proverbs 16:19; Proverbs 17:1; Matthew 18:8–9. In this understanding, the reason for doing good in this life is because of the inheritance we’ll receive when Christ returns (1 Peter 1:3–4, 1 Peter 1:13). The expectation of that glorious inheritance mitigates the suffering experienced in this life.

2. Another possibility is to explain the phrase in the light of 1 Peter 2:20: as you suffer for doing good you receive grace from God so as to be able to bear the injustice, and that is an experience far richer—better—than suffering for the evil you did.

3. On its surface, the sentence could be construed to read that it is acceptable to suffer for doing evil but better to suffer for doing good. That, however, clashes with our sense of justice.

The first option makes the most sense in the context. It is certainly better to suffer now for doing good (because of the glory you anticipate at Christ’s return) than suffering eternally because you reject that inheritance (doing evil).