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Wives and Husbands

(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 without a word by the conduct of their wives, as they observe your pure conduct with fear. (D)Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on garments; but let it be (E)the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible quality of a lowly and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, (F)who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, (G)calling him lord. You have become her children if you do good, [a](H)not fearing any intimidation.

(I)You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker (J)vessel, 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.

[b]Now to sum up, (K)all of you be like-minded, sympathetic, (L)brotherly, (M)tender-hearted, and (N)humble in spirit; (O)not returning evil for evil or (P)reviling for reviling, but [c]giving a (Q)blessing instead, for (R)you were called for the very purpose that you might (S)inherit a blessing. 10 For,

(T)The one who desires life, to love and see good days,
Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 (U)He must turn away from evil and do good;
He must seek peace and pursue it.
12 (V)For the eyes of the [d]Lord are toward the righteous,
And His ears attend to their prayer,
But the face of the [e]Lord is against those who do evil.”

Suffering for Righteousness

13 (W)And who is [f]there to [g]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 [h]are blessed. (Z)And do not fear their fear, and do not be troubled, 15 but [i]sanctify (AA)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready (AB)to make [j]a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the (AC)hope that is in you, yet (AD)with gentleness and (AE)fear, 16 having a (AF)good conscience so that in the thing in which (AG)you are slandered, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For (AH)it is better, (AI)if [k]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing good rather than for doing wrong. 18 For (AJ)Christ also suffered for sins (AK)once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He might (AL)bring you to God, having been put to death (AM)in the flesh, but made alive (AN)in the [l]spirit; 19 in [m]which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now 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 [n]water. 21 (AT)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—(AU)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal [o]of a (AV)good conscience to God—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.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 3:6 Lit and are not
  2. 1 Peter 3:8 Or Finally
  3. 1 Peter 3:9 Lit blessing instead
  4. 1 Peter 3:12 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Ps 34:15
  5. 1 Peter 3:12 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Ps 34:15
  6. 1 Peter 3:13 Lit the one who will harm you
  7. 1 Peter 3:13 Or do evil against you, cf. 3:9, 10, 11, 12
  8. 1 Peter 3:14 Or would be
  9. 1 Peter 3:15 Set apart
  10. 1 Peter 3:15 Or an argument, an explanation
  11. 1 Peter 3:17 Lit the will of God
  12. 1 Peter 3:18 Or Spirit
  13. 1 Peter 3:19 Or whom
  14. 1 Peter 3:20 The great flood
  15. 1 Peter 3:21 Or for

In like manner, the wives, be ye subject to your own husbands, that even if certain are disobedient to the word, through the conversation of the wives, without the word, they may be won,

having beheld your pure behaviour in fear,

whose adorning -- let it not be that which is outward, of plaiting of hair, and of putting around of things of gold, or of putting on of garments,

but -- the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible thing of the meek and quiet spirit, which is, before God, of great price,

for thus once also the holy women who did hope on God, were adorning themselves, being subject to their own husbands,

as Sarah was obedient to Abraham, calling him `sir,' of whom ye did become daughters, doing good, and not fearing any terror.

The husbands, in like manner, dwelling with [them], according to knowledge, as to a weaker vessel -- to the wife -- imparting honour, as also being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

And finally, being all of one mind, having fellow-feeling, loving as brethren, compassionate, courteous,

not giving back evil for evil, or railing for railing, and on the contrary, blessing, having known that to this ye were called, that a blessing ye may inherit;

10 for `he who is willing to love life, and to see good days, let him guard his tongue from evil, and his lips -- not to speak guile;

11 let him turn aside from evil, and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it;

12 because the eyes of the Lord [are] upon the righteous, and His ears -- to their supplication, and the face of the Lord [is] upon those doing evil;'

13 and who [is] he who will be doing you evil, if of Him who is good ye may become imitators?

14 but if ye also should suffer because of righteousness, happy [are ye]! and of their fear be not afraid, nor be troubled,

15 and the Lord God sanctify in your hearts. And [be] ready always for defence to every one who is asking of you an account concerning the hope that [is] in you, with meekness and fear;

16 having a good conscience, that in that in which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may be ashamed who are traducing your good behaviour in Christ;

17 for [it is] better doing good, if the will of God will it, to suffer, than doing evil;

18 because also Christ once for sin did suffer -- righteous for unrighteous -- that he might lead us to God, having been put to death indeed, in the flesh, and having been made alive in the spirit,

19 in which also to the spirits in prison having gone he did preach,

20 who sometime disbelieved, when once the long-suffering of God did wait, in days of Noah -- an ark being preparing -- in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water;

21 also to which an antitype doth now save us -- baptism, (not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the question of a good conscience in regard to God,) through the rising again of Jesus Christ,

22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone on to heaven -- messengers, and authorities, and powers, having been subjected to him.

Submission to Husbands

Wives, likewise, be (A)submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, (B)they, without a word, may (C)be won by the conduct of their wives, (D)when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. (E)Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be (F)the hidden person of the heart, with the [a]incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, (G)calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

A Word to Husbands

(H)Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, (I)as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, (J)that your prayers may not be hindered.

Called to Blessing

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be [b]courteous; (K)not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary (L)blessing, knowing that you were called to this, (M)that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For

(N)“He who would love life
And see good days,
(O)Let him [c]refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him (P)turn away from evil and do good;
(Q)Let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
(R)And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Suffering for Right and Wrong

13 (S)And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14 (T)But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. (U)“And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But [d]sanctify [e]the Lord God in your hearts, and always (V)be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the (W)hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 (X)having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Christ’s Suffering and Ours

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring [f]us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, [g]when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 (Y)There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (Z)(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, (AA)but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and (AB)is at the right hand of God, (AC)angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 3:4 imperishable
  2. 1 Peter 3:8 NU humble
  3. 1 Peter 3:10 restrain
  4. 1 Peter 3:15 set apart
  5. 1 Peter 3:15 NU Christ as Lord
  6. 1 Peter 3:18 NU, M you
  7. 1 Peter 3:20 NU, M when the longsuffering of God waited patiently