Wives and Husbands

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) when they observe your pure, reverent lives.(E) Don’t let your beauty consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes,(F) 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. 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, 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)

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Footnotes

  1. 3:4 Or rather, the hidden person of the heart

Wives

In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives.

Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands. For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.

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