1 Peter 3
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.
Suffering for Doing Right
8 Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. 9 Don't be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God's chosen ones, and he will bless you. The Scriptures say,
10 (D) “Do you really love life?
Do you want to be happy?
Then stop saying cruel things
and quit telling lies.
11 Give up your evil ways
and do right,
as you find and follow
the road to peace.
12 The Lord watches over
everyone who obeys him,
and he listens
to their prayers.
But he opposes everyone
who does evil.”
13 Can anyone really harm you for being eager to do good deeds? 14 (E)(F) Even if you have to suffer for doing good things, God will bless you. So stop being afraid and don't worry about what people might do. 15 Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life.
Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope. 16 Give a kind and respectful answer and keep your conscience clear. This way you will make people ashamed for saying bad things about your good conduct as a follower of Christ. 17 You are better off to obey God and suffer for doing right than to suffer for doing wrong.
18 Christ died once for our sins.
An innocent person died
for those who are guilty.
Christ did this
to bring you to God,
when his body
was put to death
and his spirit
was made alive.
19 Christ then preached to the spirits that were being kept in prison. 20 (G)(H) They had disobeyed God while Noah was building the boat, but God had been patient with them. Eight people went into that boat and were brought safely through the flood.
21 Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. But baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience, because Jesus Christ was raised from death. 22 Christ is now in heaven, where he sits at the right side[a] of God. All angels, authorities, and powers are under his control.
Footnotes
- 3.22 right side: The place of honor and power.
彼得前书 3
Chinese Standard Bible (Simplified)
妻子与丈夫
3 同样，你们做妻子的，要服从自己的丈夫。这样，即使有不肯信从这话语的丈夫，他们也会被感化[a]过来，不是因着妻子的话语，而是因着妻子的品行， 2 因为看见了你们怀有敬畏之心的贞洁品行。 3 你们的美丽之处不应该是外在的，如编头发、戴金饰、穿华服， 4 而应该是心里面内在的人，带着不朽坏的品性[b]，出于谦和、安静的灵；这在神面前是极其贵重的。 5 实际上，从前盼望神的那些圣洁妇女，也是这样装饰自己，服从自己丈夫的； 6 就像撒拉顺从亚伯拉罕，称他为主那样；当你们行善而不怕任何惊扰的时候，就成为撒拉的儿女了。
7 同样，你们做丈夫的，要按情理与妻子同住，将女性当做比较软弱的器皿而尊重她们，也当做是生命之恩的共同继承人。这样，你们的祷告就不会受拦阻。
不要作恶
8 总而言之，你们大家都要心思一致，互相同情，相爱如弟兄，心存怜悯，满有谦卑[c]。 9 不要以恶报恶，以辱骂还辱骂，反要祝福，因为[d]你们是为此蒙召的，好使你们继承祝福。
10 要知道，“那愿意爱惜生命、
愿意见到好日子的人，
要停止舌头出恶言，
不让嘴唇说诡诈的话；
11 要远离邪恶，要行美善，
要寻求和睦，要竭力追求；
12 因为主的眼睛看顾义人，
主的耳朵垂听他们的祈祷；
但主的脸却敌对作恶的人。”[e]
为义受苦
13 如果你们是为美善而热心[f]的人，谁会伤害你们呢？ 14 然而，即使你们为义受苦，也是蒙福的。不要怕他们所惧怕的[g]，也不要惊慌不安，[h] 15 只要你们心里尊主基督[i]为圣，无论谁要你们对你们里面的盼望做个交代，你们都要随时预备好答复他； 16 不过要以温柔、敬畏的心答复，并且持守无愧的良心，以致谁诋毁你们在基督里的良好品行，谁就要在你们受到诽谤的事上蒙羞。 17 要知道，即使神的旨意要你们因行善而受苦，也比因作恶而受苦更好，
19 藉着灵，他也曾去传道给那些被监禁的灵魂， 20 就是从前在挪亚建造方舟的那些日子里，在神耐心等待的时候那些不肯信从的灵魂。当时进入方舟，藉着水获救的人很少，只有八个人[l]。 21 这水所象征的洗礼，如今也藉着耶稣基督的复活拯救你们[m]，不是清除肉体的污秽，而是向神恳求[n]无愧的良心。 22 耶稣基督已经升天，就在神的右边，天使们、掌权的、有势力的，都服从了他。
Footnotes
- 彼得前书 3:1 被感化——原文直译“被赢得”。
- 彼得前书 3:4 品性——辅助词语。
- 彼得前书 3:8 满有谦卑——有古抄本作“待人友善”。
- 彼得前书 3:9 有古抄本附“你们知道”。
- 彼得前书 3:12 《诗篇》34:12-16。
- 彼得前书 3:13 为美善而热心——有古抄本作“效法美善”。
- 彼得前书 3:14 他们所惧怕的——或译作“他们的恐吓”。
- 彼得前书 3:14 《以赛亚书》8:12。
- 彼得前书 3:15 基督——有古抄本作“——神”。
- 彼得前书 3:18 为了赎罪而受苦——有古抄本作“为了赎我们的罪而死”或“为我们的罪孽死了”或“为你们的罪孽死了”。
- 彼得前书 3:18 你们——有古抄本作“我们”。
- 彼得前书 3:20 人——原文直译“灵魂”。
- 彼得前书 3:21 你们——有古抄本作“我们”。
- 彼得前书 3:21 恳求——或译作“宣誓”。
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