1 Peter 3
Christian Standard Bible
Wives and Husbands
3 In the same way, wives,(A) submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word,(B) they may be won over(C) without a word by the way their wives live(D) 2 when they observe your pure, reverent lives.(E) 3 Don’t let your beauty consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes,(F) 4 but rather what is inside the heart[a](G)—the imperishable quality of a gentle(H) and quiet(I) spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For in the past, the holy(J) women who put their hope(K) in God also adorned themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, 6 just as Sarah(L) obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and do not fear any intimidation.(M)
7 Husbands,(N) in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner,(O) showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
Do No Evil
8 Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another,(P) and be compassionate(Q) and humble,[b] 9 not paying back evil for evil(R) or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,(S) since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.
10 For the(T) one who wants to love life
and to see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil(U)
and his lips from speaking deceit,(V)
11 and let him turn away(W) from evil
and do what is good.
Let him seek peace(X) and pursue it,
12 because 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 what is evil.(Y)
Undeserved Suffering
13 Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness,(Z) you are blessed. Do not fear them[c](AA) or be intimidated,[d](AB) 15 but in your hearts regard[e] Christ[f] the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.(AC) 16 Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience,(AD) so that when you are accused,[g] those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer(AE) for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also suffered(AF) for sins once for all,(AG) the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.(AH) He was put to death in the flesh[h](AI) but made alive by the Spirit,[i] 19 in which[j] he also went and made proclamation to the spirits(AJ) in prison 20 who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah(AK) while the ark was being prepared. In it a few—that is, eight people[k](AL)—were saved through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body,(AM) but the pledge[l] of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,(AN) 22 who has gone into heaven(AO) and is at the right hand of God(AP) with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.(AQ)
Footnotes
- 3:4 Or rather, the hidden person of the heart
- 3:8 Other mss read courteous
- 3:14 Or Do not fear what they fear
- 3:14 Is 8:12
- 3:15 Or sanctify, or set apart
- 3:15 Other mss read set God
- 3:16 Other mss read when they speak against you as evildoers
- 3:18 Or by the flesh, or in the fleshly realm
- 3:18 Or in the spirit, or in the Spirit, or in the spiritual realm
- 3:19 Or by whom, or in whom, or at that time
- 3:20 Or souls
- 3:21 Or the appeal
1 Peter 3
English Standard Version
Wives and Husbands
3 Likewise, wives, (A)be subject to your own husbands, so that (B)even if some do not obey the word, (C)they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your (D)respectful and pure conduct. 3 (E)Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be (F)the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, (G)calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and (H)do not fear anything that is frightening.
7 Likewise, (I)husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker (J)vessel, since they are heirs with you[a] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Suffering for Righteousness' Sake
8 Finally, all of you, (K)have unity of mind, sympathy, (L)brotherly love, (M)a tender heart, and (N)a humble mind. 9 (O)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, (P)bless, for (Q)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For
(R)“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him 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.”
13 Now (S)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 (T)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. (U)Have no fear of them, (V)nor be troubled, 15 but (W)in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, (X)always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and (Y)respect, 16 (Z)having a good conscience, so that, (AA)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For (AB)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also (AC)suffered[b] (AD)once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, (AE)that he might bring us to God, being put to death (AF)in the flesh but made alive (AG)in the spirit, 19 in which[c] he went and (AH)proclaimed[d] to the spirits in prison, 20 because[e] they formerly did not obey, (AI)when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, (AJ)while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, (AK)eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, (AL)now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but (AM)as an appeal to God for a good conscience, (AN)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and (AO)is at the right hand of God, (AP)with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 3:7 Some manuscripts since you are joint heirs
- 1 Peter 3:18 Some manuscripts died
- 1 Peter 3:19 Or the Spirit, in whom
- 1 Peter 3:19 Or preached
- 1 Peter 3:20 Or when
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
