Chapter 3

Godly Living

1 aIn the same way, you wives, bbe submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be cwon without a word by the behavior of their wives,

2 as they observe your chaste and 1respectful behavior.

3 aYour adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;

4 but let it be athe hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

5 For in this way in former times the holy women also, awho hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;

6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, acalling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right 1bwithout being frightened by any fear.

7 aYou husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with 1bsomeone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

8 1To sum up, aall of you be harmonious, sympathetic, bbrotherly, ckindhearted, and dhumble in spirit;

9 anot returning evil for evil or binsult for insult, but 1giving a cblessing instead; for dyou were called for the very purpose that you might einherit a blessing.

10 For,

“aThe one who desires life, to love and see good days,

Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

11 “aHe must turn away from evil and do good;

He must seek peace and pursue it.

12 “aFor the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,

And His ears attend to their prayer,

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

13 aWho is 1there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?

14 But even if you should asuffer for the sake of righteousness, byou 1are blessed. cAnd do not fear their 2intimidation, and do not be troubled,

15 but 1sanctify aChrist as Lord in your hearts, always being ready bto make a 2defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the ahope that is in you, yet cwith gentleness and 3dreverence;

16 1and keep a agood conscience so that in the thing in which byou are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

17 For ait is better, bif 1God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

18 For aChrist also died for sins bonce for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might cbring us to God, having been put to death din the flesh, but made alive ein the 1spirit;

19 in 1which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,

20 who once were disobedient, when the apatience of God bkept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of cthe ark, in which a few, that is, deight epersons, were brought safely through the 1water.

21 aCorresponding to that, baptism now saves you—bnot the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God 1for a cgood conscience—through dthe resurrection of Jesus Christ,

22 awho is at the right hand of God, bhaving gone into heaven, cafter angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.