1 Peter 3
The Message
Cultivate Inner Beauty
3 1-4 The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated by your life of holy beauty. What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition.
4-6 Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way, and were good, loyal wives to their husbands. Sarah, for instance, taking care of Abraham, would address him as “my dear husband.” You’ll be true daughters of Sarah if you do the same, unanxious and unintimidated.
7 The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God’s grace, you’re equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don’t run aground.
Suffering for Doing Good
8-12 Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing.
Whoever wants to embrace life
and see the day fill up with good,
Here’s what you do:
Say nothing evil or hurtful;
Snub evil and cultivate good;
run after peace for all you’re worth.
God looks on all this with approval,
listening and responding well to what he’s asked;
But he turns his back
on those who do evil things.
13-18 If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.
19-22 He went and proclaimed God’s salvation to earlier generations who ended up in the prison of judgment because they wouldn’t listen. You know, even though God waited patiently all the days that Noah built his ship, only a few were saved then, eight to be exact—saved from the water by the water. The waters of baptism do that for you, not by washing away dirt from your skin but by presenting you through Jesus’ resurrection before God with a clear conscience. Jesus has the last word on everything and everyone, from angels to armies. He’s standing right alongside God, and what he says goes.
1 Peter 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 1 That Christian women should not contemn their husbands, though they be infidels. 6 He bringeth in examples of godly Women. 8 General exhortations, 14 patiently to bear persecutions, 15 and boldly to yield a reason of their faith. 18 Christ’s example.
1 Likewise (A)[a]let the wives be subject to their husbands, [b]that even they which obey not the word, may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives.
2 While they behold your pure conversation which is with fear:
3 (B)[c]Whose appareling let it not be that outward, with braided hair, and gold put about, or in putting on of apparel:
4 But let it be the [d]hidden man of the heart, which consisteth in the incorruption of a meek and quiet spirit, which is [e]before God a thing much set by.
5 [f]For even after this manner in time past did the holy women, which trusted in God, tire themselves, and were subject to their husbands.
6 As Sarah obeyed Abraham, and (C)called him Sir: whose daughters ye are, while ye do well, [g]not being afraid of any terror.
7 (D)[h]Likewise ye husbands, [i]dwell with them as men of [j]knowledge, [k]giving [l]honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker [m]vessel, [n]even as they which are heirs together of the [o]grace of life, [p]that your prayers be not interrupted.
8 [q]Finally, be ye all of one mind: one suffer with another: love as brethren: be pitiful, be courteous.
9 (E)[r]Not rendering evil for evil, neither rebuke for rebuke: but contrariwise bless, [s]knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should be heirs of blessing.
10 (F)[t]For if any man long after life, and to [u]see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.
11 (G)Let him eschew evil and do good: let him seek peace and follow after it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: and the [v]face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
13 [w]And who is it that will harm you, if ye follow that which is good?
14 (H)Notwithstanding blessed are ye, if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake. [x]Yea, (I)fear not their [y]fear, neither be troubled.
15 But [z]sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, [aa]and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and reverence.
16 Having a good conscience, that when they speak evil of you as of evil doers, they may be ashamed which slander your good conversation in Christ.
17 [ab]For it is better (if the will of God be so) that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
18 (J)[ac]For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, [ad]the just for the unjust, [ae]that he might bring us to God, [af]and was put to death concerning the [ag]flesh, but was quickened by the spirit.
19 [ah]By [ai]the which he also went, and preached unto the [aj]spirits that are in prison.
20 Which were in time passed disobedient, when [ak]once the long suffering of God abode in the days of (K)Noah, while the Ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight [al]souls were saved in the water.
21 [am]Whereof the baptism that now is, answering that figure, (which is not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but a confident demanding with a good conscience maketh to [an]God) saveth us also [ao]by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
22 Which is at the right hand of God, gone into heaven, to whom the Angels, and Powers, and might are subject.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 3:1 In the third place he setteth forth the wives’ duty to their husbands, commanding them to be obedient.
- 1 Peter 3:1 He speaketh namely of them which had husbands that were not Christians, which ought so much the more be subject to their husbands, that by their honest and chaste conversation they may give them to the Lord.
- 1 Peter 3:3 He condemneth the riot and excess of women and setteth forth their true appareling such as is precious before God: to wit, the inward and incorruptible which consisteth in a meek and quiet spirit.
- 1 Peter 3:4 Who hath his seat fastened in the heart: so that the hid man is set against the outward decking of the body.
- 1 Peter 3:4 Precious indeed, and so taken of God.
- 1 Peter 3:5 An argument taken of the example of women, and especially of Sarah who was the mother of all believers.
- 1 Peter 3:6 Because women are of nature fearful, he giveth them to understand, that he requireth of them that subjection, which is not wrung out of them either by force or fear.
- 1 Peter 3:7 He teacheth husbands also their duties, to wit, that the more understanding and wisdom they have, the more wisely and circumspectly they behave themselves.
- 1 Peter 3:7 Do all the duties of wedlock.
- 1 Peter 3:7 The more wisdom the husband hath, the more circumspectly he must behave himself in bearing those commodities, which through the woman’s weakness ofttimes cause trouble both to the husband and the wife.
- 1 Peter 3:7 The second argument, because the wife notwithstanding that she is weaker by nature than the man, is an excellent instrument of the man made to far most excellent uses: whereupon it followeth that she is not therefore to be neglected because she is weak, but on the contrary part she ought to be so much the more cared for.
- 1 Peter 3:7 Having an honest care of her.
- 1 Peter 3:7 The woman is called a vessel after the manner of the Hebrews, because the husband useth her as his fellow and helper to live faithfully before God.
- 1 Peter 3:7 The third argument: for that they are equal in that which is the chiefest (that is to say, in the benefit of eternal life) which otherwise are unequal as touching the governance and conversation at home, and therefore they are not to be despised although they be weak.
- 1 Peter 3:7 Of that gracious and free benefit whereby we have everlasting life given us.
- 1 Peter 3:7 The fourth argument: All brawlings and chidings must be eschewed, because they hinder prayers and the whole service of God whereunto both the husband and wife are equally called.
- 1 Peter 3:8 He returneth to common exhortations and commendeth concord and whatsoever things pertain to the maintenance of peace and mutual love.
- 1 Peter 3:9 We must not only not recompense injury for injury, but we must also recompense them with benefits.
- 1 Peter 3:9 An argument taken of comparison: Seeing that we ourselves are called of God whom we offend so often, to so great a benefit (so far is he from revenging the injuries which we do unto him) shall we rather make ourselves unworthy of so great bountifulness, than forgive one another’s faults? And from this verse to the end of the chapter, there is a digression or going from the matter he is in hand with, to exhort us valiantly to bear afflictions.
- 1 Peter 3:10 A secret objection: But this our patience shall be nothing else but a fleshing and hardening of the wicked in their wickedness, to make them to set upon us more boldly, and to destroy us. (Nay saith the Apostle by the words of David) to live without doing hurt, and to follow after peace when it fleeth away, is the way to the happy and quiet peace. And if so be any man be afflicted for doing justly, the Lord maketh all things, and will in his time deliver the godly, which cry unto him, and will destroy the wicked.
- 1 Peter 3:10 Lead a blessed and happy life.
- 1 Peter 3:12 This word (Face) after the manner of the Hebrews, is taken for (anger.)
- 1 Peter 3:13 The second argument: when the wicked are provoked, they are more wayward: therefore they must rather be overcome with good turns: And if they cannot be gotten by that means also, yet notwithstanding we shall be blessed, if we suffer for righteousness’ sake.
- 1 Peter 3:14 A most certain counsel in afflictions, be they never so terrible, to be of a constant mind, and to stand fast. But how shall we attain unto it? If we sanctify God in our minds and hearts, that is to say, if we rest upon him, as one that is Almighty, that loveth mankind, that is good and true indeed.
- 1 Peter 3:14 Be not dismayed as they are.
- 1 Peter 3:15 Give him all praise and glory, and hang only on him.
- 1 Peter 3:15 He will have us when we are afflicted for righteousness’ sake, to be careful not for redeeming of our life, either with denying, or renouncing the truth, or with like violence, or any such means: but rather to give an account of our faith boldly, and yet with a meek spirit, and full to godly reverence, that the enemies may not have anything justly to object, but may rather be ashamed of themselves.
- 1 Peter 3:17 A reason which standeth upon two general rules of Christianity, which notwithstanding all men allow not of. The one is, if we must needs suffer afflictions, it is better to suffer wrongfully than rightfully: the other is this, because we are so afflicted, not by hap, but by the will of our God.
- 1 Peter 3:18 A proof of either of the rules, by the example of Christ himself our chief pattern who was afflicted, not for his own sins (which were none) but for ours, and that according to his Father’s decree.
- 1 Peter 3:18 An argument taken of comparison: Christ the just suffered for us that are unjust, and shall it grieve us who are unjust to suffer for the just’s cause?
- 1 Peter 3:18 Another argument being partly taken of things coupled together, to wit, because Christ bringeth us to his Father that same way that he went himself, and partly from the cause efficient: to wit, because Christ is not only set before us for an example to follow, but also he holdeth us up by his virtue in all the difficulties of this life, until he bring us to his Father.
- 1 Peter 3:18 Another argument taken of the happy end of these afflictions, wherein also Christ goeth before us both in example and virtues, as one who suffered most grievous torments even unto death, although but in one part only of him, to wit, in the flesh or man’s nature, but yet became conqueror by virtue of his divinity.
- 1 Peter 3:18 As touching his manhood, for his body was dead, and his soul felt the sorrows of death.
- 1 Peter 3:19 A secret objection: Christ indeed might do this, but what is that to us? yet (saith the Apostle) for Christ hath showed forth this virtue in all ages both to the preservation of the godly, were they never so few and miserable, and to revenge the rebellion of his enemies, as it appeareth by the history of the flood: for Christ is he which in those days (when God through his patience appointed a time of repentance to the world) was present not in corporal presence, but by his divine virtue, preaching repentance even by the mouth of Noah himself who then prepared the Ark, to those disobedient spirits which are now in prison waiting for the full recompence of their rebellion, and saved those few (that is, eight only persons) in the water.
- 1 Peter 3:19 By the virtue of which Spirit, that is to say of the divinity: therefore this word, Spirit, cannot in this place be taken for the soul, unless we say, that Christ was raised up again, and quickened by the virute of his soul.
- 1 Peter 3:19 He calleth them Spirits, in respect of his time, not in respect of the time that they were in the flesh.
- 1 Peter 3:20 This word (once) showeth that there was a furthermost day appointed, and if that were once past, there should be no more.
- 1 Peter 3:20 Men.
- 1 Peter 3:21 A proportional applying of the former example to the times which followed the coming of Christ: for that preservation of Noah in the waters was a figure of our Baptism, not as though that material water of Baptism saveth us, as those waters which bare up the Ark saved Noah, but because Christ with his inward virtue, which the outward Baptism shadoweth, preserveth us being washed, so that we may call upon God with a good conscience.
- 1 Peter 3:21 The conscience being sanctified may freely call upon God.
- 1 Peter 3:21 That selfsame virtue, whereby Christ rose again, and now being carried into heaven, hath received all power, doth at this day defend and preserve us.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
