1 Peter 3
1 In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word,
Again, you married women should submit to your husbands, so that if any of them reject the message, they may, apart from the message, be won over, by the conduct of their wives,
2 seeing your pure behavior in fear.
as they see your pure, reverent conduct.
3 Let your beauty come not from the outward adorning of braiding your hair, and of wearing gold ornaments or of putting on fine clothing,
Yours should be, not the external adornment of the arrangement of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or the putting on of dresses,
4 but from the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.
but the inner life with the imperishable beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit; for this is very precious in God’s sight.
5 For this is how in the past the holy women who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands.
It was by this that the holy women of old, who rested their hopes on God, adorned themselves; submitting to their husbands,
6 So Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are if you do well and are not put in fear by any terror.
as Sarah did, who obeyed Abraham, and called him master. And you are her true children, as long as you live good lives, and let nothing terrify you.
7 You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman as to the weaker vessel, as also being joint heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
Again, those of you who are married men should live considerately with their wives, showing due regard to their sex, as physically weaker than their own, and not forgetting that they share with you in the gift of life. Then you will be able to pray without hindrance.
8 Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,
Lastly, you should all be united, sympathetic, full of love for each other, kind-hearted, humble-minded;
9 not rendering evil for evil or insult for insult; but instead blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
never returning evil for evil, or abuse for abuse, but, on the contrary, blessing. It was to this that you were called – to obtain a blessing!
10 For, “He who would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
‘The person who wants to enjoy life and see happy days – they should keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful words,
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it.
they should turn from evil and do good, They should seek for peace and follow after it;
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is set against those who do wrong.’
13 Now who will harm you if you become imitators of that which is good?
Who, indeed, is there to harm you, if you prove yourselves to be eager for what is good?
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.”
Even if you should suffer for righteousness, count yourselves blessed! ‘Do not let people terrify you, or allow yourselves to be dismayed.’
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear,
Revere the Christ as Lord in your hearts; always ready to give an answer to anyone who asks your reason for the hope that you cherish, but giving it with courtesy and respect,
16 having a good conscience. Thus, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.
and keeping your consciences clear, so that, whenever you are maligned, those who vilify your good and Christian conduct may be put to shame.
17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing what is right than for doing evil.
It is better that you should suffer, if that should be God’s will, for doing right, than for doing wrong.
18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit,
For Christ himself died to atone for sins once for all – the good on behalf of the bad – that he might bring you to God; his body being put to death, but his spirit entering on new life.
19 in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,
And it was then that he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits,
20 who before were disobedient when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
who once were disobedient, at the time when God patiently waited, in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared; in which some few lives, eight in all, were saved by means of water.
21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
And baptism, which this foreshadowed, now saves you – not the mere cleansing of the body, but the search of a clear conscience after God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
who has gone into heaven, and is at God’s right hand, where angels and archangels and the powers of heaven now yield submission to him.
