1 Peter 3
1 Likewise, 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,
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 having witnessed your pure conversation [carried out] in fear;
as they see your pure, reverent conduct.
3 whose adorning let it not be that outward one of tressing of hair, and wearing gold, or putting on apparel;
Yours should be, not the external adornment of the arrangement of the hair, the wearing of jewellery, or the putting on of dresses,
4 but 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.
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 thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject 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 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children ye have become, doing good, and not fearing with any kind of consternation.
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 [Ye] 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.
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, [be] all of one mind, sympathising, full of brotherly love, tender hearted, humble minded;
Lastly, you should all be united, sympathetic, full of love for each other, kind-hearted, humble-minded;
9 not 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.
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 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.
“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 And let him avoid 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 because [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.
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 And who shall injure you if ye have 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 if also ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed [are ye]; but be not afraid of their 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 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;
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, that [as to that] in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation 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 the will of God should will it, to suffer [as] well-doers than [as] evildoers;
It is better that you should suffer, if that should be God’s will, for doing right, than for doing wrong.
18 for 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,
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 which also going he preached to the spirits [which are] in prison,
And it was then that he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits,
20 heretofore 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:
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 which 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,
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, gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being subjected 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.
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
