妻子與丈夫

同樣,你們做妻子的,要服從自己的丈夫。這樣,即使有不肯信從這話語的丈夫,他們也會被感化[a]過來,不是因著妻子的話語,而是因著妻子的品行, 因為看見了你們懷有敬畏之心的貞潔品行。 你們的美麗之處不應該是外在的,如編頭髮、戴金飾、穿華服, 而應該是心裡面內在的人,帶著不朽壞的品性[b],出於謙和、安靜的靈;這在神面前是極其貴重的。 實際上,從前盼望神的那些聖潔婦女,也是這樣裝飾自己,服從自己丈夫的; 就像撒拉順從亞伯拉罕,稱他為主那樣;當你們行善而不怕任何驚擾的時候,就成為撒拉的兒女了。

同樣,你們做丈夫的,要按情理與妻子同住,將女性當做比較軟弱的器皿而尊重她們,也當做是生命之恩的共同繼承人。這樣,你們的禱告就不會受攔阻。

不要作惡

總而言之,你們大家都要心思一致,互相同情,相愛如弟兄,心存憐憫,滿有謙卑[c] 不要以惡報惡,以辱罵還辱罵,反要祝福,因為[d]你們是為此蒙召的,好使你們繼承祝福。

10 要知道,「那願意愛惜生命、
願意見到好日子的人,
要停止舌頭出惡言,
不讓嘴唇說詭詐的話;
11 要遠離邪惡,要行美善,
要尋求和睦,要竭力追求;
12 因為主的眼睛看顧義人,
主的耳朵垂聽他們的祈禱;
但主的臉卻敵對作惡的人。」[e]

為義受苦

13 如果你們是為美善而熱心[f]的人,誰會傷害你們呢? 14 然而,即使你們為義受苦,也是蒙福的。不要怕他們所懼怕的[g],也不要驚慌不安,[h] 15 只要你們心裡尊主基督[i]為聖,無論誰要你們對你們裡面的盼望做個交代,你們都要隨時預備好答覆他; 16 不過要以溫柔、敬畏的心答覆,並且持守無愧的良心,以致誰詆毀你們在基督裡的良好品行,誰就要在你們受到誹謗的事上蒙羞。 17 要知道,即使神的旨意要你們因行善而受苦,也比因作惡而受苦更好,

18 因為基督也曾一次為了贖罪而受苦[j]
就是義的代替不義的,
為要把你們[k]帶到神的面前。
照著肉身說,基督固然被處死了;
但照著靈說,他卻得以復活了。

19 藉著靈,他也曾去傳道給那些被監禁的靈魂, 20 就是從前在挪亞建造方舟的那些日子裡,在神耐心等待的時候那些不肯信從的靈魂。當時進入方舟,藉著水獲救的人很少,只有八個人[l] 21 這水所象徵的洗禮,如今也藉著耶穌基督的復活拯救你們[m],不是清除肉體的汙穢,而是向神懇求[n]無愧的良心。 22 耶穌基督已經升天,就在神的右邊,天使們、掌權的、有勢力的,都服從了他。

Footnotes

  1. 彼得前書 3:1 被感化——原文直譯「被贏得」。
  2. 彼得前書 3:4 品性——輔助詞語。
  3. 彼得前書 3:8 滿有謙卑——有古抄本作「待人友善」。
  4. 彼得前書 3:9 有古抄本附「你們知道」。
  5. 彼得前書 3:12 《詩篇》34:12-16。
  6. 彼得前書 3:13 為美善而熱心——有古抄本作「效法美善」。
  7. 彼得前書 3:14 他們所懼怕的——或譯作「他們的恐嚇」。
  8. 彼得前書 3:14 《以賽亞書》8:12。
  9. 彼得前書 3:15 基督——有古抄本作「——神」。
  10. 彼得前書 3:18 為了贖罪而受苦——有古抄本作「為了贖我們的罪而死」或「為我們的罪孽死了」或「為你們的罪孽死了」。
  11. 彼得前書 3:18 你們——有古抄本作「我們」。
  12. 彼得前書 3:20 人——原文直譯「靈魂」。
  13. 彼得前書 3:21 你們——有古抄本作「我們」。
  14. 彼得前書 3:21 懇求——或譯作「宣誓」。

Wives and Husbands

Likewise, wives, (A)be subject to your own husbands, so that (B)even if some do not obey the word, (C)they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your (D)respectful and pure conduct. (E)Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be (F)the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, (G)calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and (H)do not fear anything that is frightening.

Likewise, (I)husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker (J)vessel, since they are heirs with you[a] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

Finally, all of you, (K)have unity of mind, sympathy, (L)brotherly love, (M)a tender heart, and (N)a humble mind. (O)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, (P)bless, for (Q)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For

(R)“Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
    let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

13 Now (S)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 (T)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. (U)Have no fear of them, (V)nor be troubled, 15 but (W)in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, (X)always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and (Y)respect, 16 (Z)having a good conscience, so that, (AA)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For (AB)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also (AC)suffered[b] (AD)once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, (AE)that he might bring us to God, being put to death (AF)in the flesh but made alive (AG)in the spirit, 19 in which[c] he went and (AH)proclaimed[d] to the spirits in prison, 20 because[e] they formerly did not obey, (AI)when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, (AJ)while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, (AK)eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, (AL)now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but (AM)as an appeal to God for a good conscience, (AN)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and (AO)is at the right hand of God, (AP)with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 3:7 Some manuscripts since you are joint heirs
  2. 1 Peter 3:18 Some manuscripts died
  3. 1 Peter 3:19 Or the Spirit, in whom
  4. 1 Peter 3:19 Or preached
  5. 1 Peter 3:20 Or when

Wives and Husbands

In the same way, wives,(A) submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word,(B) they may be won over(C) without a word by the way their wives live(D) when they observe your pure, reverent lives.(E) Don’t let your beauty consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes,(F) but rather what is inside the heart[a](G)—the imperishable quality of a gentle(H) and quiet(I) spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For in the past, the holy(J) women who put their hope(K) in God also adorned themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, just as Sarah(L) obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and do not fear any intimidation.(M)

Husbands,(N) in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner,(O) showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Do No Evil

Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another,(P) and be compassionate(Q) and humble,[b] not paying back evil for evil(R) or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,(S) since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

10 For the(T) one who wants to love life
and to see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil(U)
and his lips from speaking deceit,(V)
11 and let him turn away(W) from evil
and do what is good.
Let him seek peace(X) and pursue it,
12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against
those who do what is evil.(Y)

Undeserved Suffering

13 Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness,(Z) you are blessed. Do not fear them[c](AA) or be intimidated,[d](AB) 15 but in your hearts regard[e] Christ[f] the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.(AC) 16 Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience,(AD) so that when you are accused,[g] those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer(AE) for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also suffered(AF) for sins once for all,(AG) the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.(AH) He was put to death in the flesh[h](AI) but made alive by the Spirit,[i] 19 in which[j] he also went and made proclamation to the spirits(AJ) in prison 20 who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah(AK) while the ark was being prepared. In it a few—that is, eight people[k](AL)—were saved through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body,(AM) but the pledge[l] of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,(AN) 22 who has gone into heaven(AO) and is at the right hand of God(AP) with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. 3:4 Or rather, the hidden person of the heart
  2. 3:8 Other mss read courteous
  3. 3:14 Or Do not fear what they fear
  4. 3:14 Is 8:12
  5. 3:15 Or sanctify, or set apart
  6. 3:15 Other mss read set God
  7. 3:16 Other mss read when they speak against you as evildoers
  8. 3:18 Or by the flesh, or in the fleshly realm
  9. 3:18 Or in the spirit, or in the Spirit, or in the spiritual realm
  10. 3:19 Or by whom, or in whom, or at that time
  11. 3:20 Or souls
  12. 3:21 Or the appeal

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 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: 16 having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22 who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.