1 Peter 3:1-12

Good News Translation

Wives and Husbands

3 ^(A)In the same way you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands, so that if any of them do not believe God's word, your conduct will win them over to believe. It will not be necessary for you to say a word, ²because they will see how pure and reverent your conduct is. ³^(B)You should not use outward aids to make yourselves beautiful, such as the way you fix your hair, or the jewelry you put on, or the dresses you wear. ⁴Instead, your beauty should consist of your true inner self, the ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God's sight. ⁵For the devout women of the past who placed their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful by submitting themselves to their husbands. ⁶^(C)Sarah was like that; she obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are now her daughters if you do good and are not afraid of anything.

⁷^(D)In the same way you husbands must live with your wives with the proper understanding that they are more delicate than you. Treat them with respect, because they also will receive, together with you, God's gift of life. Do this so that nothing will interfere with your prayers.

Suffering for Doing Right

⁸To conclude: you must all have the same attitude and the same feelings; love one another, and be kind and humble with one another. ⁹Do not pay back evil with evil or cursing with cursing; instead, pay back with a blessing, because a blessing is what God promised to give you when he called you. ¹⁰^(E)As the scripture says,

“If you want to enjoy life
    and wish to see good times,
    you must keep from speaking evil
    and stop telling lies.
¹¹You must turn away from evil and do good;
    you must strive for peace with all your heart.
¹²For the Lord watches over the righteous
    and listens to their prayers;
    but he opposes those who do evil.”