¹Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, that, even if any are disobedient to the word, they may be gained without the word by the conversation of the wives, ²having witnessed your pure conversation carried out in fear; ³whose adorning let it not be that outward one of tressing of hair, and wearing gold, or putting on apparel; ⁴but the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price. ⁵For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands; ⁶as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children ye have become, doing good, and not fearing with any kind of consternation. ⁷Ye husbands likewise, dwell with them according to knowledge, as with a weaker, even the female, vessel, giving them honour, as also fellow-heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

⁸Finally, be all of one mind, sympathising, full of brotherly love, tender hearted, humble minded; ⁹not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but on the contrary, blessing others, because ye have been called to this, that ye should inherit blessing. ¹⁰For he that will love life and see good days, let him cause his tongue to cease from evil and his lips that they speak no guile. ¹¹And let him avoid evil, and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it; ¹²because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears towards their supplications; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. ¹³And who shall injure you if ye have become imitators of that which is good? ¹⁴But if also ye should suffer for righteousness’ sake, blessed are ye; but be not afraid of their fear, neither be troubled; ¹⁵but sanctify the Lord the Christ in your hearts, and be always prepared to give an answer to every one that asks you to give an account of the hope that is in you, but with meekness and fear;

¹⁶having a good conscience, that as to that in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ. ¹⁷For it is better, if the will of God should will it, to suffer as well-doers than as evildoers;

¹⁸for Christ indeed has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, ¹⁹in which also going he preached to the spirits which are in prison, ²⁰heretofore disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing, into which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:

²¹which figure also now saves you, even baptism, not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the demand as before God of a good conscience, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who is at the right hand of God, gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being subjected to him.

Chapter 4

¹Christ, then, having suffered for us in the flesh, do ye also arm yourselves with the same mind; for he that has suffered in the flesh has done with sin, ²no longer to live the rest of his time in the flesh to men’s lusts, but to God’s will. ³For the time past is sufficient for us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, walking in lasciviousness, lusts, wine-drinking, revels, drinkings, and unhallowed idolatries.

⁴Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same sink of corruption, speaking injuriously of you; ⁵who shall render account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. ⁶For to this end were the glad tidings preached to the dead also, that they might be judged, as regards men, after the flesh, but live, as regards God, after the Spirit.

⁷But the end of all things is drawn nigh: be sober therefore, and be watchful unto prayers; ⁸but before all things having fervent love among yourselves, because love covers a multitude of sins; ⁹hospitable one to another, without murmuring; ¹⁰each according as he has received a gift, ministering it to one another, as good stewards of the various grace of God. ¹¹If any one speak—as oracles of God; if any one minister—as of strength which God supplies; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the might for the ages of ages. Amen.

¹²Beloved, take not as strange the fire of persecution which has taken place amongst you for your trial, as if a strange thing was happening to you; ¹³but as ye have share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, that in the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exultation. ¹⁴If ye are reproached in the name of Christ, blessed are ye; for the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God rests upon you: on their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified. ¹⁵Let none of you suffer indeed as murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or as overseer of other people’s matters; ¹⁶but if as a christian, let him not be ashamed, but glorify God in this name. ¹⁷For the time of having the judgment begin from the house of God is come; but if first from us, what shall be the end of those who obey not the glad tidings of God? ¹⁸And if the righteous is difficultly saved, where shall the impious and the sinner appear? ¹⁹Wherefore also let them who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing to a faithful Creator.

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