1 Petrus 3
1 Gleicherweise ihr Weiber, seid euren eigenen Männern unterwürfig, auf daß, wenn auch etliche dem Worte nicht gehorchen, sie durch den Wandel der Weiber ohne Wort mögen gewonnen werden,
You women [believers], just like [slaves should submit themselves to their masters], submit yourselves to your husbands. Do that in order that if any of them do not believe the message [about Christ], they may become believers without [it being necessary for] you to say anything to them [about their relationship to God].
2 indem sie euren in Furcht keuschen Wandel angeschaut haben;
[They will believe in Christ] when they see that you respect them and that your way of life is pure.
3 deren Schmuck nicht der auswendige sei durch Flechten der Haare und Umhängen von Gold oder Anziehen von Kleidern,
Do not be [trying to make] yourselves beautiful by decorating the outside [of your bodies], such as (by the way you comb your hair/by your hair [style]) or by wearing gold jewelry and fine clothes.
4 sondern der verborgene Mensch des Herzens in dem unverweslichen Schmuck des sanften und stillen Geistes, welcher vor Gott sehr köstlich ist.
Instead, make your (inner beings/hearts) [beautiful] with qualities/attitudes that will not fade away. Specifically, have a humble and quiet/calm attitude, which is something that God considers to be very valuable.
5 Denn also schmückten sich auch einst die heiligen Weiber, die ihre Hoffnung auf Gott setzten, indem sie ihren eigenen Männern unterwürfig waren:
(The devout women/The women who habitually worshipped God) who lived long ago and who trusted in God made themselves beautiful [by having attitudes] like that, and by being submissive to their husbands.
6 wie Sara dem Abraham gehorchte und ihn Herr nannte, deren Kinder ihr geworden seid, wenn ihr Gutes tut und keinerlei Schrecken fürchtet.
Sarah, for example, obeyed [her husband] Abraham and called him ‘my master’. You will be [as though you are] [MET] her daughters if you do what is right and are not afraid [of what your husbands or anyone else may do to you because you are believers].
7 Ihr Männer gleicherweise, wohnet bei ihnen nach Erkenntnis, als bei einem schwächeren Gefäße, dem weiblichen, ihnen Ehre gebend, als die auch Miterben der Gnade des Lebens sind, auf daß eure Gebete nicht verhindert werden.
You men [who are believers], just like your wives should respect you, you should conduct your lives in an appropriate way with them. Treat them respectfully, realizing that they are [usually] weaker than you are, and realizing that (they share with you/both of you have) the gift [that God has kindly given to you, which is eternal] life. Do this so that nothing will hinder you from praying (OR, hinder [God] ([from answering/from doing what you ask for]) when you pray).
8 Endlich aber seid alle gleichgesinnt, mitleidig, voll brüderlicher Liebe, barmherzig, demütig,
To end [this part of my letter], [I say to] all of you, agree with each other [in what you think]. Be sympathetic [toward each other]. Love [each other as] members of the same family [should]. Act compassionately [toward each other]. Be humble.
9 und vergeltet nicht Böses mit Bösem, oder Scheltwort mit Scheltwort, sondern im Gegenteil segnet, weil ihr dazu berufen worden seid, daß ihr Segen ererbet.
[When people do] evil things to you or insult you, do not (retaliate/repay them by) doing evil things to them or insulting them. Instead, [ask God to] bless them, because that is what you have been chosen [by God] {what [God] called you} to do, in order that you may receive a blessing [from him].
10 “Denn wer das Leben lieben und gute Tage sehen will, der enthalte seine Zunge vom Bösen, und seine Lippen, daß sie nicht Trug reden;
[Consider what the Psalmist wrote about the proper way of conducting our lives], As for those who want (to enjoy life/to live happily) and experience good [things happening to them every] day, they must not say [MTY] something that is evil or say [MTY] something that deceives others.
11 er wende sich ab vom Bösen und tue Gutes; er suche Frieden und jage ihm nach;
They must continually turn away from [doing] anything that is evil, and must do things that are good [instead]. They must deeply desire to enable [people to act] peacefully toward each other; they must zealously [urge people to act in a] peaceful way,
12 denn die Augen des Herrn sind gerichtet auf die Gerechten, und seine Ohren auf ihr Flehen; das Angesicht des Herrn aber ist wider die, welche Böses tun.”
because the Lord sees [MTY] what righteous people do [and he appreciates/likes what they do]. He listens to righteous people when they pray, [and he answers them]. But he is [MTY] opposed to those who do evil things.
13 Und wer ist, der euch Böses tun wird, wenn ihr Nachahmer des Guten geworden seid?
If you (are eager/try very hard) to do good things, [most people] will not harm you. [RHQ]
14 Aber wenn ihr auch leiden solltet um der Gerechtigkeit willen, glückselig seid ihr! Fürchtet aber nicht ihre Furcht, noch seid bestürzt,
But even if you suffer because of [doing] what is right, [God] will bless you. [Do as Isaiah wrote]: “Do not be afraid of people who (threaten you/say things to cause you to be afraid of what they might do to you), and do not worry about [DOU] what they [might do to you].”
15 sondern heiliget Christus, den Herrn, in euren Herzen. Seid aber jederzeit bereit zur Verantwortung gegen jeden, der Rechenschaft von euch fordert über die Hoffnung, die in euch ist, aber mit Sanftmut und Furcht;
Instead, acknowledge that Christ is the one who is in complete control [of your lives]. Always be ready to answer everyone who demands that you tell them about what you confidently expect [God to do for you].
16 indem ihr ein gutes Gewissen habt, auf daß, worin sie sie wider euch als Übeltäter reden, die zu Schanden werden, welche euren guten Wandel in Christo verleumden.
But answer them humbly and respectfully, and make sure that you (do/have done) nothing wrong, in order that those who say evil things about you may be ashamed when they see the good way in which you are conducting yourselves because of your relationship with Christ.
17 Denn es ist besser, wenn der Wille Gottes es will, für Gutestun zu leiden, als für Bösestun.
[It may be that God wants you] to suffer. But it is better to do good things, [even if you suffer for doing them], than to do evil things and suffer [for doing that].
18 Denn es hat ja Christus einmal für Sünden gelitten, der Gerechte für die Ungerechten, auf daß er uns zu Gott führe, getötet nach dem Fleische, aber lebendig gemacht nach dem Geiste,
[I say that] because Christ died once for the sake of people who have sinned. He was a righteous person who died for unrighteous people. He died in order that (he might bring us to/we might begin an intimate relationship with) God. [During the time that he had] an ordinary body, he was killed {people killed him}, but [God’s] Spirit caused him to become alive again.
19 in welchem er auch hinging und predigte den Geistern, die im Gefängnis sind,
The Spirit also helped him as he went to proclaim [God’s victory to the evil] spirits whom God had imprisoned [in the heavens] (OR, to the spirits of those who [had died, and who] were in the place where the spirits of dead people are).
20 welche einst ungehorsam waren, als die Langmut Gottes harrte in den Tagen Noahs, während die Arche zugerichtet wurde, in welche wenige, daß ist acht Seelen, durch Wasser gerettet wurden,
Long ago, during the time that Noah was building a big boat, [those evil spirits] disobeyed God when he waited patiently [PRS] [to see if people would turn from their evil behavior]. Only a few people were saved {[God] saved only a few people} [in that boat]. Specifically, [God] brought only eight persons safely through the waters [of the flood], [while all the others drowned in it].
21 welches Gegenbild auch euch jetzt errettet, das ist die Taufe (nicht ein Ablegen der Unreinigkeit des Fleisches, sondern das Begehren eines guten Gewissens vor Gott), durch die Auferstehung Jesu Christi,
That water, [by means of which eight people were saved when God punished the other people] [MET], represents [the water in which we are] baptized [to show that God has] saved us [from being punished]. The water in which we are baptized does not remove dirt from our bodies. Instead, [it shows that] we are requesting [God to assure us] that he has removed our guilt [for having sinned]. And because Jesus Christ became alive again after he died, [we know that God accepted his sacrifice for us and because of that he was able to remove our guilt].
22 welcher, in den Himmel gegangen, zur Rechten Gottes ist, indem Engel und Gewalten und Mächte ihm unterworfen sind.
Christ has gone into heaven and is ruling [MTY] in the place of highest honor (next to God/at God’s side), after [God] caused all the evil and powerful spirit beings [DOU] to be made subject to him.
