1 Peter 3
Names of God Bible
3 Wives, in a similar way, place yourselves under your husbands’ authority. Some husbands may not obey God’s word. Their wives could win these men for Christ by the way they live without saying anything. 2 Their husbands would see how pure and reverent their lives are.
3 Wives must not let their beauty be something external. Beauty doesn’t come from hairstyles, gold jewelry, or clothes. 4 Rather, beauty is something internal that can’t be destroyed. Beauty expresses itself in a gentle and quiet attitude which God considers precious. 5 After all, this is how holy women who had confidence in God expressed their beauty in the past. They placed themselves under their husbands’ authority 6 as Sarah did. Sarah obeyed Abraham and spoke to him respectfully. You became Sarah’s daughters by not letting anything make you afraid to do good.
7 Husbands, in a similar way, live with your wives with understanding since they are weaker than you are. Honor your wives as those who share God’s life-giving kindness[a] so that nothing will interfere with your prayers.
Dedicate Your Lives to Jesus
8 Finally, everyone must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble. 9 Don’t pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you, or ridicule those who ridicule you. Instead, bless them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.
10 “People who want to live a full life and enjoy good days
must keep their tongues from saying evil things,
and their lips from speaking deceitful things.
11 They must turn away from evil and do good.
They must seek peace and pursue it.
12 The Lord’s eyes are on those who do what he approves.
His ears hear their prayer.
The Lord confronts those who do evil.”
13 Who will harm you if you are devoted to doing what is good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what God approves, you are blessed. Don’t be afraid of those who want to harm you. Don’t get upset. 15 But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence in God when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect. 16 Keep your conscience clear. Then those who treat the good Christian life you live with contempt will feel ashamed that they have ridiculed you. 17 After all, if it is God’s will, it’s better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong.
18 This is true because Christ suffered for our sins once. He was an innocent person, but he suffered for guilty people so that he could bring you to God. His body was put to death, but he was brought to life through his spirit. 19 In it he also went to proclaim his victory to the spirits kept in prison. 20 They are like those who disobeyed long ago in the days of Noah when God waited patiently while Noah built the ship. In this ship a few people—eight in all—were saved by water. 21 Baptism, which is like that water, now saves you. Baptism doesn’t save by removing dirt from the body. Rather, baptism is a request to God for a clear conscience. It saves you through Yeshua Christ, who came back from death to life. 22 Christ has gone to heaven where he has the highest position that God gives. Angels, rulers, and powers have been placed under his authority.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 3:7 Or “grace.”
1 Peter 3
New International Version
3 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves(A) to your own husbands(B) so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over(C) without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.(D) 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self,(E) the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.(F) 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God(G) used to adorn themselves.(H) They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.(I) You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
7 Husbands,(J) in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Suffering for Doing Good
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded,(K) be sympathetic, love one another,(L) be compassionate and humble.(M) 9 Do not repay evil with evil(N) or insult with insult.(O) On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,(P) because to this(Q) you were called(R) so that you may inherit a blessing.(S) 10 For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”[a](T)
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?(U) 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.(V) “Do not fear their threats[b]; do not be frightened.”[c](W) 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer(X) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope(Y) that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience,(Z) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.(AA) 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will,(AB) to suffer for doing good(AC) than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once(AD) for sins,(AE) the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.(AF) He was put to death in the body(AG) but made alive in the Spirit.(AH) 19 After being made alive,[d] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits(AI)— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently(AJ) in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.(AK) In it only a few people, eight in all,(AL) were saved(AM) through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you(AN) also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience(AO) toward God.[e] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,(AP) 22 who has gone into heaven(AQ) and is at God’s right hand(AR)—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.(AS)
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:12-16
- 1 Peter 3:14 Or fear what they fear
- 1 Peter 3:14 Isaiah 8:12
- 1 Peter 3:19 Or but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which also
- 1 Peter 3:21 Or but an appeal to God for a clear conscience
1 Peter 3
Lexham English Bible
Wives and Husbands
3 In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some are disobedient to the word, they may be won over without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they[a] see your respectful, pure conduct. 3 Let your[b] adornment not be the external kind, braiding hair and putting on gold jewelry or putting on fine clothing, 4 but the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is highly valuable in the sight of God. 5 For in the same way formerly the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves by[c] being subject to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you have become when you[d] do good and are not frightened with respect to any terror.
7 Husbands, in the same way live with your wives knowledgeably[e], as with the weaker female vessel, showing them honor as fellow heirs also of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
Called to Inherit a Blessing
8 And finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, showing mutual affection, compassionate, humble, 9 not repaying evil for evil or insult for insult, but on the other hand blessing others, because for this reason you were called, so that you could inherit a blessing. 10 For
“The one who wants to love life
and see good days
must keep his[f] tongue from evil
and his lips must not speak deceit.
11 And he must turn away from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.[g]
Suffer for Doing What is Good
13 And who is the one who will harm you if you are a zealous adherent for what is good? 14 But even if you might suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their intimidation or be disturbed,[h] 15 but set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts, always ready to make a defense to anyone who asks you for an accounting concerning the hope that is in you. 16 But do so with courtesy and respect, having a good conscience, so that in the things in which you are slandered, the ones who malign your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it[i], than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins,
the just for the unjust,
in order that he could bring you to God,
being put to death in the flesh,
but made alive in the spirit,
19 in which also he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
20 who were formerly disobedient, when the patience of God waited in the days of Noah, while[j] an ark was being constructed, in which a few—that is, eight souls—were rescued through water. 21 And[k] also, corresponding to this, baptism now saves you, not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, with angels and authorities and powers having been subjected to him.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 3:2 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“see”) which is understood as temporal
- 1 Peter 3:3 Literally “of whom,” referring to the wives
- 1 Peter 3:5 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“being subject”) which is understood as means
- 1 Peter 3:6 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“do good”) which is understood as temporal
- 1 Peter 3:7 Literally “according to knowledge”
- 1 Peter 3:10 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- 1 Peter 3:12 Verses 10–12 are a quotation from Ps 34:12–16
- 1 Peter 3:14 The second half of this verse contains a quotation from Isa 8:12
- 1 Peter 3:17 Literally “if the will of God wills”
- 1 Peter 3:20 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was being constructed”)
- 1 Peter 3:21 Literally “which”
1 Peter 3
New King James Version
Submission to Husbands
3 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, 2 (D)when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 (E)Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 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. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 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
7 (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
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be [b]courteous; 9 (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 Peter 3:4 imperishable
- 1 Peter 3:8 NU humble
- 1 Peter 3:10 restrain
- 1 Peter 3:15 set apart
- 1 Peter 3:15 NU Christ as Lord
- 1 Peter 3:18 NU, M you
- 1 Peter 3:20 NU, M when the longsuffering of God waited patiently
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

