1 Peter 3:1-7
Contemporary English Version
Wives and Husbands
3 (A) If you are a wife, you must put your husband first. Even if he opposes our message, you will win him over by what you do. No one else will have to say anything to him, 2 because he will see how you honor God and live a pure life. 3 (B) Don't depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewelry or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful. 4 Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.
5 Long ago those women who worshiped God and put their hope in him made themselves beautiful by putting their husbands first. 6 For example, Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her true children, if you do right and don't let anything frighten you.
7 (C) If you are a husband, you should be thoughtful of your wife. Treat her with honor, because she isn't as strong as you are, and she shares with you in the gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers.
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1 Peter 3:1-7
Expanded Bible
Wives and Husbands
3 In the same way [2:18], you wives should ·yield [submit; be subject; Eph. 5:21–24; Col. 3:18; C putting the other person’s interests first] to your husbands. Then, if some husbands do not ·obey [or believe] ·God’s teaching [L the word/message], they will be ·persuaded to believe [won over; L gained] without anyone’s saying a word to them. They will be ·persuaded [won over; L gained] by ·the way their wives live [their wives’ conduct/behavior]. 2 Your husbands will see the pure lives you live ·with your respect for God [L in reverence/fear; C fear in the positive sense of reverence for God; Prov. 1:7]. 3 It is not [L external things like] ·fancy [braided; elaborate] hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should ·make you beautiful [L be your adornment]. 4 No, your beauty should come from ·within you [your inner self; L the hidden/secret person of the heart]—the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit that will never ·be destroyed [fade; perish] and is ·very precious [very valuable; of great worth] to God [Prov. 31:30]. 5 In this same way the holy women who lived long ago and ·followed [L put their hope in] God ·made themselves beautiful [L adorned themselves], ·yielding [submitting; subjecting themselves] to their own husbands. 6 Sarah obeyed Abraham, her husband, and called him her ·master [lord; Gen. 18:12]. And you women are true children of Sarah if you always do what is ·right [good] and ·are not afraid [L fear no fear/intimidation].
7 In the same way [2:18; 3:1], you husbands should live with your wives in an ·understanding [considerate] way [Eph. 5:25–33; Col. 3:19], since they are ·weaker than you [the weaker sex; or the less empowered one; L the weaker vessel; C women are typically physically weaker, but in Greco-Roman and Jewish society, they also had less power and authority]. But ·show them respect [pay/give them honor], because ·God gives them the same blessing he gives you—[L they are co-heirs of] ·the grace that gives true life [or God’s gift of life; L the grace of life]. Do this so that nothing will ·stop [hinder] your prayers.
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