Peril in Transporting the Ark

13 Then David consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, with every leader. ² David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is from the Lord our God, ^[a]let us send word everywhere to our kinsmen who remain in all the land of Israel, and to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they meet with us; ³ and ^[b]let us bring back the ark of our God to us, ^(A)since we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” ⁴ Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for ^[c]this was right in the eyes of all the people.

^5 (B)So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamath, ^(C)to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. ^6 (D)David and all Israel went up to ^(E)Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the Lord ^(F)who is enthroned above the cherubim, where His name is called. ⁷ And they ^[d]carried the ark of God on a new cart from ^(G)the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. ⁸ David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, ^(H)with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.

⁹ When they came to ^(I)the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly overturned it. ¹⁰ But the anger of the Lord burned against Uzza, so He struck him ^(J)because he had put out his hand toward the ark; ^(K)and he died there before God. ¹¹ Then David became angry because ^[e]of the Lord’s outburst against Uzza; and he called that place ^[f]Perez-uzza as it is to this day. ¹² David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” ¹³ So David did not take the ark with him to the city of David, but took it aside ^(L)to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹⁴ And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house for three months; and ^(M)the Lord blessed the family of Obed-edom and all that he had.

Godly Living

3 ^(A)In the same way, you wives, ^(B)be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be ^(C)won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, ² as they observe your pure ^[a]and respectful behavior. ^3 (D)Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; ⁴ but it should be ^(E)the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For in this way the holy women of former times, ^(F)who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(G)calling him lord; and you have proved to be her children if you do what is right ^[b](H)without being frightened by any fear.

^7 (I)You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with ^[c](J)someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

^8 [d]To sum up, ^(K)all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, ^[e](L)loving, ^(M)compassionate, and ^(N)humble; ^9 (O)not returning evil for evil or ^(P)insult for insult, but giving a ^(Q)blessing instead; for ^(R)you were called for the very purpose that you would ^(S)inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For,

^13 (W)And who is ^[f]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should ^(X)suffer for the sake of righteousness, ^(Y)you ^[g]are blessed. ^(Z)And do not fear their ^[h]intimidation, and do not be in dread, ¹⁵ but ^[i]sanctify ^(AA)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready ^(AB)to make a ^[j]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the ^(AC)hope that is in you, but ^(AD)with gentleness and ^(AE)respect; ^16 [k]and keep a ^(AF)good conscience so that in the thing in which ^(AG)you are slandered, those who disparage your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷ For ^(AH)it is better, ^(AI)if ^[l]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. ¹⁸ For ^(AJ)Christ also ^[m]suffered for sins ^(AK)once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might ^(AL)bring us to God, having been put to death ^(AM)in the flesh, but made alive ^(AN)in the ^[n]spirit; ¹⁹ in ^[o]which He also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ who once were disobedient when the ^(AO)patience of God ^(AP)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of ^(AQ)the ark, in which a few, that is, ^(AR)eight ^(AS)persons, were brought safely through the water. ^21 (AT)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—^(AU)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God ^[p]for a ^(AV)good conscience—through ^(AW)the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ^22 (AX)who is at the right hand of God, ^(AY)having gone into heaven, ^(AZ)after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.