1 Peter 3
New International Reader's Version
3 Wives, follow the lead of your own husbands. Suppose some of them don’t believe God’s word. Then let them be won to Christ without words by seeing how their wives behave. 2 Let them see how pure you are. Let them see that your lives are full of respect for God. 3 Fancy hairstyles don’t make you beautiful. Wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes doesn’t make you beautiful. 4 Instead, your beauty comes from inside you. It is the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Beauty like this doesn’t fade away. God places great value on it. 5 This is how the holy women of the past used to make themselves beautiful. They put their hope in God. And they followed the lead of their own husbands. 6 Sarah was like that. She obeyed Abraham. She called him her master. Do you want to be like her? Then do what is right. And don’t give in to fear.
7 Husbands, consider the needs of your wives. They are weaker than you. So treat them with respect. Honor them as those who will share with you the gracious gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers.
Suffering for Doing Good
8 Finally, I want all of you to agree with one another. Be understanding. Love one another. Be kind and tender. Be humble. 9 Don’t pay back evil with evil. Don’t pay back unkind words with unkind words. Instead, pay back evil with kind words. This is what you have been chosen to do. You will receive a blessing by doing this. 10 Scripture says,
“Suppose someone wants to love life
and see good days.
Then they must keep their tongues from speaking evil.
They must keep their lips from telling lies.
11 They must turn away from evil and do good.
They must look for peace and go after it.
12 The Lord’s eyes look on godly people, and he blesses them.
His ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord doesn’t bless those who do evil.” (Psalm 34:12–16)
13 Who is going to hurt you if you really want to do good? 14 But suppose you do suffer for doing what is right. Even then you will be blessed. Scripture says, “Don’t fear what others say they will do to hurt you. Don’t be afraid.” (Isaiah 8:12) 15 But make sure that in your hearts you honor Christ as Lord. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. Be ready to give the reason for it. But do it gently and with respect. 16 Live so that you don’t have to feel you’ve done anything wrong. Some people may say evil things about your good conduct as believers in Christ. If they do, they will be put to shame for speaking like this about you. 17 God may want you to suffer for doing good. That’s better than suffering for doing evil. 18 Christ also suffered once for sins. The one who did what is right suffered for those who don’t do right. He suffered to bring you to God. His body was put to death. But the Holy Spirit brought him back to life. 19 After that, Christ went and made an announcement to the spirits in prison. 20 Long ago these spirits did not obey. That was when God was patient while Noah was building the ark. And only a few people went into the ark. In fact, there were only eight. Those eight people were saved through water. 21 The water of the flood is a picture. It is a picture of the baptism that now saves you too. This baptism has nothing to do with removing dirt from your body. Instead, it promises God that you will keep a clear sense of right and wrong. This baptism saves you by the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. 22 He has gone into heaven. He is at God’s right hand. Angels, authorities and powers are under his control.
1 Peter 3
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.
Suffering for Doing Right
8 Finally, all of you should ·be in agreement [be like-minded; live in harmony], ·understanding each other [sympathetic], ·loving each other as family [L showing brotherly love], being ·kind [tender; compassionate] and humble. 9 Do not ·do wrong to repay a wrong, and do not insult to repay an insult [L repay evil for evil or insult for insult]. But repay with a blessing, because you yourselves were called [C by God] to do this so that you might ·receive [L inherit] a blessing [Luke 6:27–28]. 10 ·The Scripture says [L For],
“·A person must do these things [L The one who wants]
to ·enjoy [L love] life and have many happy days.
He must ·not say evil things [L keep his tongue from evil],
and he must ·not tell lies [L keep his lips from speaking lies].
11 He must ·stop doing [turn away from] evil and do good.
He must ·look for [seek] peace and ·work for [L pursue] it.
12 ·The Lord sees the good people [L The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous]
and ·listens to [L his ears on] their prayers.
But the [L face of the] Lord is against
those who do evil [Ps. 34:12–16; compare Rom. 12:9–17].”
13 If you are ·trying hard [eager; zealous; passionate] to do good, ·no one [L who…?] can really ·hurt [harm; do evil to; mistreat] you. 14 But even if you suffer for ·doing right [righteousness], you are blessed [Matt. 5:10].
“Don’t be afraid of ·what they fear [or their threats/intimidation];
do not ·dread those things [be disturbed/intimidated; Is. 8:12–13].”
15 But ·respect Christ as the holy Lord [L sanctify Christ as Lord; Is. 8:13] in your hearts [C that is, acknowledge his holiness and sovereignty in your life]. Always be ready to ·answer [or give a defense to] everyone who asks you to explain about the hope ·you have [L that is in you], 16 but answer in a ·gentle [humble] way and ·with respect [or with fear/reverence for God]. Keep a ·clear [good] conscience so that ·those who speak evil of [L when you are accused, those slanderers of] your good ·life [behavior; conduct] in Christ will be made ashamed. 17 It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing ·wrong [evil] if that is ·what God wants [the will of God]. 18 Christ himself suffered for sins ·once [or once for all; C only his suffering has the power to redeem others]. ·He was not guilty, but he suffered for those who are guilty [L …the righteous for the unrighteous] to bring you to God. ·His body was killed [L He was put to death in the flesh/body], but he was made alive in the ·spirit [or Spirit; C at his resurrection in a glorified body]. 19 And in the ·spirit [or Spirit] he went and preached to the spirits in prison [C probably either fallen angels, imprisoned by God (see Gen. 6:1–4; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) or the spirits of the people who rejected Noah’s preaching; see v. 20] 20 who refused to obey God long ago in the time of Noah [Gen. 6:1—8:22], when ·God was waiting patiently [L the patience of God waited] while Noah was building the ·boat [ark]. [In this ark; L In it] Only a few people—eight in all—were saved ·by [or through] water. 21 And that water ·is like [anticipates; foreshadows; symbolizes; prefigures] baptism that now saves you—not the ·washing [removal] of dirt from the body, but the ·promise [pledge; appeal; or response] made to God from a ·good [clear] conscience. And this is ·because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead [or through the resurrection of Jesus Christ]. 22 Now Jesus has gone into heaven and is at God’s right side [C the place of honor] ·ruling over angels, authorities, and powers [L with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him].
1 Peter 3
The Voice
Peter calls all believers to humility, submission, and service: everyone to God, citizens to rulers, slaves to masters, wives to husbands, and younger to elders.
3 1-2 In the same way, wives, you should patiently accept the authority of your husbands. This is so that even if they don’t obey God’s word, as they observe your pure respectful behavior, they may be persuaded without a word by the way you live. 3 Don’t focus on decorating your exterior by doing your hair or putting on fancy jewelry or wearing fashionable clothes; 4 let your adornment be what’s inside—the real you, the lasting beauty of a gracious and quiet spirit, in which God delights. 5 This is how, long ago, holy women who put their hope in God made themselves beautiful: by respecting the authority of their husbands. 6 Consider how Sarah, our mother, obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him “lord,” and you will be her daughters as long as you boldly do what is right without fear and without anxiety.
7 In the same way, husbands, as you live with your wives, understand the situations women face as the weaker vessel. Each of you should respect your wife and value her as an equal heir in the gracious gift of life. Do this so that nothing will get in the way of your prayers.
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded and show sympathy, love, compassion, and humility to and for each other— 9 not paying back evil with evil or insult with insult, but repaying the bad with a blessing. It was this you were called to do, so that you might inherit a blessing. 10 It is written in the psalms,
If you love life
and want to live a good, long time,
Then be careful what you say.
Don’t tell lies or spread gossip or talk about improper things.
11 Walk away from the evil things in the world—just leave them behind, and do what is right,
and always seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the Lord watches over the righteous,
and His ears are attuned to their prayers.
But His face is set against His enemies;
He will punish evildoers.[a]
13 Why would anyone harm you if you eagerly do good? 14 Even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you will receive a blessing. Don’t let them frighten you. Don’t be intimidated, 15-16 but exalt Him as Lord in your heart. Always be ready to offer a defense, humbly and respectfully, when someone asks why you live in hope. Keep your conscience clear so that those who ridicule your good conduct in the Anointed and say bad things about you will be put to shame.
Peter urges us always to be ready to give a reason for the hope that lives within us. But it is important that it be done not with arrogance and contempt, but with gentle ness and love—the same virtues that should guide our responses to any hostile challenge. This is one way we can glorify Jesus as King over all our lives—by exalting Him with both our emotions and our intellect.
17 For if it is the will of God that you suffer, then it is better to suffer for doing what is right than for doing what is wrong. 18 The Anointed One suffered for sins once for all time—the righteous suffering for the unrighteous—so that He might bring us to God. Though He died in the flesh, He was made alive again through the Spirit. 19 And in the Spirit, He went and preached to those spirits held captive. 20 It was these who long ago lived in disobedience while God waited patiently as Noah was building the ark. At that time, only a tiny band—eight people—was spared from the flood.
21 The water through which the ark safely passed symbolizes now the ceremonial washing through baptism[b] that initiates you into salvation. You are saved not because it cleanses your body of filth but because of your appeal to God from a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King. 22 Now He has entered heaven and sits at the right hand of God as heavenly messengers and authorities and powers submit to His supremacy.
Footnotes
- 3:10–12 Psalm 34:12–16
- 3:21 Literally, immersion, in a rite of initiation and purification
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The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.