< 1 Peter 3 >
1 Similarly, wives, be submissive to your own husbands, so that even if some are disobedient to the Word, they may be won over, without a word, by the conduct of their wives
2 (having watched your pure behavior accompanied by respect),
3 whose adorning should not be the outward one of braiding hair and wearing gold, or putting on fine clothing,
4 but rather the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible adorning of the gentle and quiet spirit that is of great value before God.
5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God in former times also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,
6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him ‘lord’, whose (f) daughters you became by doing good and not being afraid of any intimidation.
7 Similarly, husbands, live together knowledgeably as with a weaker vessel, according honor to the wife especially as being a joint heir of the grace of life, for your prayers not to be hindered.
8 Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,
9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but instead blessing, knowing that you were called to this so that you may inherit a blessing.
10 For: “The one who wants to love life and to see good days must refrain his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;
11 he must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace, even pursue it.
12 Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those doing evil.”
13 Now who is he who will harm you if you become imitators of the good?
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear, neither be troubled.”
15 Rather, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready with an answer for everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with meekness and respect;
16 keeping a good conscience, so that wherein they speak against you as evildoers, those who revile your good way of life in Christ may be put to shame.
17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, should the will of God so determine, than for doing evil.
18 Because Christ also suffered on account of sins, once for all, the righteous on behalf of the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God; having been put to death, to be sure, in flesh, but having been made alive in spirit;
19 in which He also went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison
20 who formerly were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, while the Ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is eight, souls were brought safely through water.
21 This is an antitype of baptism, that now saves us also (not the removal of physical filth, but the appeal into God from a good conscience) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
