1 Peter 3

WIVES AND HUSBANDS

3In the same way, wives,^bb submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word,^bc they may be won over^bd without a word by the way their wives live^{be 2}when they observe your pure, reverent lives.^{bf 3}Don’t let your beauty consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes,^{bg 4}but rather what is inside the heart^Gbh—the imperishable quality of a gentle^bi and quiet^bj spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. ⁵For in the past, the holy^bk women who put their hope^bl in God also adorned themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, ⁶just as Sarah^a obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and do not fear any intimidation.^b

⁷Husbands,^c in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner,^d showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

DO NO EVIL

⁸Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another,^e and be compassionate^f and humble,^{A 9}not paying back evil for evil^g or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,^h since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

¹⁰For theⁱ one who wants to love life

and to see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil^j

and his lips from speaking deceit,^k

¹¹and let him turn away^l from evil

and do what is good.

Let him seek peace^m and pursue it,

¹²because 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.^B

UNDESERVED SUFFERING

¹³Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good? ¹⁴But even if you should suffer for righteousness,ⁿ you are blessed. Do not fear them^Co or be intimidated,^{Dp 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.^{q 16}Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience,^r so that when you are accused,^G those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷For it is better to suffer^s for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸For Christ also suffered^t for sins once for all,^u the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.^v He was put to death in the flesh^Hw but made alive by the Spirit,^{I 19}in which^J he also went and made proclamation to the spirits^x in prison ²⁰who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah^y while the ark was being prepared. In it a few—that is, eight people^Kz—were saved through water. ²¹Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body,^aa but the pledge^L of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,^{ab 22}who has gone into heaven^ac and is at the right hand of God^ad with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.^ae