1 Peter 3
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 3
Recommendations for Spouses.[a] 1 In the same way, you who are wives should accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if they do not believe the word, they may be won over without words simply by the conduct of their wives 2 as they observe your reverence and your chaste behavior.
3 [b]Do not seek to adorn yourself externally—by the braiding of your hair and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothing. 4 Rather, let your adornment be of your inner self, the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
5 It was in this way that the holy women who placed their hope in God long ago used to adorn themselves and be submissive to their husbands. 6 Thus, Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him her “lord.” You are now her daughters as long as you live good lives and never allow fears to alarm you.
7 Likewise, you who are husbands must show consideration for your wives in your life together. Treat your wife with respect, for even though she is the weaker partner, she is also an equal heir of God’s gift[c] of life. Thus, your prayers will not be hindered in any way.
Mutual Love.[d] 8 Finally, all of you should be united in spirit, sympathetic, filled with love for one another, compassionate, and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or abuse with abuse. On the contrary, repay with a blessing. This is what you were called to do, so that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For:
“If anyone wishes to love life
and to experience good days,
he must restrain his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech.
11 He must turn away from evil and do good,
seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer.
However, the face of the Lord
is set against those who do evil.”
Christian Conduct in Suffering and Persecution
13 The Blessings of Suffering for Righteousness.[e] Now who is going to harm you if you are eager to do what is right? 14 Yet even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are thereby blessed. Have no fear of others, and refuse to be intimidated by them. 15 Rather, revere Christ as Lord in your hearts.
Always be prepared to offer an explanation to anyone who asks you to justify the hope that is in you. However, do so with gentleness and respect 16 and with a clean conscience so that those who slander you for your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing what is right, if such is the will of God, than for doing what is wrong.
18 Christ’s Victory and Descent to the Netherworld, and Christian Baptism.[f] For Christ also suffered for our sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but raised to life in the spirit.
19 In the spirit[g] also he went to preach to the spirits in prison, 20 those who had refused to obey long ago while God waited patiently in the days of Noah during the building of the ark. In it only a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water.
21 This water prefigured Baptism, which now saves you. It does so not by the washing away of dirt from the body but by the pledge of a good conscience given to God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 22 He has entered heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 3:1 How does one’s Christianity affect the way that one lives family life? The main problem is the difficult one of the wife who converts but is not followed by her husband. Let her not seek to put pressure on him, but let her give him the witness of a Christian wife whose gentleness and silence are in contrast to agitation and vanity.
A Christian husband is asked to regard his wife as a believing Christian in all respects, to understand feminine psychology, and to show great sensitivity of heart (see 1 Cor 7:12-15; Eph 5:32-33; Col 3:19). - 1 Peter 3:3 The author does not prohibit the use of jewelry and other adornments but stresses the fact that the greatest adornments are spiritual ones.
- 1 Peter 3:7 An equal heir of God’s gift: both spouses in a marriage have received the same gift from God. Hence, there should be mutual respect and love between them (see Eph 5:33; Col 3:19).
- 1 Peter 3:8 Mutual love of Christians is expressed in a new type of social relations and inner attitudes that lead up to evangelical behavior (see Lk 6:28; Rom 12:9-20).
- 1 Peter 3:13 Persecution must not come as a surprise to believers; it is their lot according to one of the Beatitudes of the Gospel (see Mt 5:10), almost repeated here word for word. Thus, Christians follow the example of Christ, ready to justify their hope but refusing to retaliate with hatred and violence. They are not enemies of society or other people, a crime that has apparently already been leveled at them.
- 1 Peter 3:18 The author presents the vision of a new world. Christ’s Death and Resurrection have been victorious over sin; the risen Lord dominates the universe and all the good or evil forces in it, e.g., angels, dominations, and powers. Christ truly died and was in the sojourn of the dead, as the New Testament more than once attests (see Mt 12:40; Acts 2:31; Rom 10:7; Eph 4:8-10).
The intent of this passage is probably to say that nothing human or cosmic can be excluded from the Redemption that Christ effected. It is in this sense that we are to understand the article of the Creed that speaks of Christ “descending into hell.” The story of Noah (see Gen 6:1—7:4) is interpreted as a saving of the righteous and a destruction of sin; it seems to be taken as a symbolic anticipation of Baptism, which at the time was received by immersion. - 1 Peter 3:19 In the spirit. . . . In the spirit: another translation possible is: “by the Spirit . . . through which.”
彼得前书 3
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
妻子与丈夫
3 照样，你们作妻子的，要顺服自己的丈夫，好使不信道的丈夫受到感动，不是因着你们的言语，而是因着你们的生活， 2 因为他们看见了你们敬畏和纯洁的生活。 3 不要单注重外表的装饰，就如鬈头发、戴金饰、穿华丽衣服； 4 却要在里面存着温柔安静的心灵，作不能毁坏的装饰，这在 神面前是极宝贵的。 5 因为古时仰望 神的圣洁妇女，正是这样装饰自己，顺服丈夫， 6 像撒拉听从亚伯拉罕，称他为主一样；你们若行善，不怕任何恐吓，就是撒拉的女儿了。
7 照样，你们作丈夫的，也要合情合理的与妻子同住。要体谅她比你软弱，要尊敬她，因为她是和你一同承受生命的恩典的。这样，就使你们的祷告不受拦阻。
为义受苦的有福了
8 总括来说，你们要彼此同心，互相体恤，亲爱像弟兄，满有温柔，存心谦卑。 9 不要以恶报恶，以辱骂还辱骂，倒要祝福，因为你们就是为此蒙召，好叫你们承受福气。 10 因为
“凡希望享受人生，
要看见好日子的，
就要禁止舌头不出恶言，
嘴唇不说诡诈的话；
11 也要离恶行善，
寻找并追求和睦。
12 因为主的眼睛看顾义人，
他的耳朵垂听他们的呼求；
但主的脸敌对作恶的人。”
13 如果你们热心行善，有谁能害你们呢？ 14 就算你们要为义受苦，也是有福的。“不要怕人的恐吓，也不要畏惧。” 15 只要心里尊基督为圣，以他为主；常常作好准备，去回答那些问你们为甚么怀有盼望的人， 16 但要用温柔敬畏的心回答。当存无愧的良心，使那些诬赖你们这在基督里有好品行的人，在毁谤你们的事上蒙羞。 17 如果 神的旨意是要你们受苦，那么为行善受苦，总比为行恶受苦好。 18 因为基督也曾一次为你们的罪死了，就是义的代替不义的，为要领你们到 神面前。就肉体的方面说，他曾死去；就灵的方面说，他复活了； 19 他藉这灵也曾去向那些在监管中的灵宣讲， 20 他们就是挪亚建造方舟的日子、 神容忍等待的时候，那些不顺从的人。当时进入方舟、借着水得救的人不多，只有八个。 21 这水预表的洗礼，现在也拯救你们：不是除去肉体的污秽，而是借着耶稣基督的复活，向 神许愿常存纯洁的良心。 22 基督已进到天上，在 神右边，众天使、有权势的、有能力的，都服从了他。
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.