1 Peter 3

1 Wives, likewise, submit to your own husbands. Do this so that even if some of them refuse to believe the word, they may be won without a word by their wives’ way of life.2 After all, they will have observed the reverent and holy manner of your lives.3 Don’t try to make yourselves beautiful on the outside, with stylish hair or by wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes.4 Instead, make yourselves beautiful on the inside, in your hearts, with the enduring quality of a gentle, peaceful spirit. This type of beauty is very precious in God’s eyes.5 For it was in this way that holy women who trusted in God used to make themselves beautiful, accepting the authority of their own husbands.

6 For example, Sarah accepted Abraham’s authority when she called him master . You have become her children when you do good and don’t respond to threats with fear.

7 Husbands, likewise, submit by living with your wife in ways that honor her, knowing that she is the weaker partner. Honor her all the more, as she is also a coheir of the gracious care of life. Do this so that your prayers won’t be hindered.
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, sympathetic, lovers of your fellow believers, compassionate, and modest in your opinion of yourselves.9 Don’t pay back evil for evil or insult for insult. Instead, give blessing in return. You were called to do this so that you might inherit a blessing.

10 For
those who want to love life
and see good days
should keep their tongue from evil speaking
and their lips from speaking lies.
11  They should shun evil and do good;
seek peace and chase after it.

12  The Lord’s eyes are on the righteous
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord cannot tolerate those who do evil. Ps 34:12–16
13 Who will harm you if you are zealous for good?14 But happy are you, even if you suffer because of righteousness! Don’t be terrified or upset by them.15 Instead, regard Christ as holy in your hearts. Whenever anyone asks you to speak of your hope, be ready to defend it.16 Yet do this with respectful humility, maintaining a good conscience. Act in this way so that those who malign your good lifestyle in Christ may be ashamed when they slander you.

17 It is better to suffer for doing good (if this could possibly be God’s will) than for doing evil.
18 Christ himself suffered on account of sins, once for all, the righteous one on behalf of the unrighteous. He did this in order to bring you into the presence of God. Christ was put to death as a human, but made alive by the Spirit.19 And it was by the Spirit that he went to preach to the spirits in prison.20 In the past, these spirits were disobedient—when God patiently waited during the time of Noah. Noah built an ark in which a few (that is, eight) lives were rescued through water.21 Baptism is like that. It saves you now—not because it removes dirt from your body but because it is the mark of a good conscience toward God. Your salvation comes through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

22 who is at God’s right side. Now that he has gone into heaven, he rules over all angels, authorities, and powers.

1 Peter 3

Wives and Husbands

1 In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then,t even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live,t2 when they see your pure and reverent conduct.t3 Let yourt beautyt not be external – the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelryt or fine clothes –4 but the inner persont of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.5 For in the same way the holy women who hoped in God long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands,6 like Sarah who obeyedt Abraham, calling him lord. You become her childrent when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so.t

7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partnerst and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers.t

Suffering for Doing Good

8 Finally, all of you be harmonious,t sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble.9 Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead blesst otherst because you were called to inherit a blessing.

10 For
the one who wants to love life and see good days must keepthis tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit.

11 And he must turn away from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord aretupon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil.s
13 Fort who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good?14 But in fact, if you happen to suffers for doing what is right,t you are blessed. But do not be terrified of themtor be shaken.s15 But set Christs apartt as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess.t16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect,t keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you.t

17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it,t than for doing evil.

18 s Because Christ also suffereds once for sins,
the just for the unjust,s
to bring you to God,
by being put to death in the flesh
butt by being made alive in the spirit.s

19 In itt he went and preached to the spirits in prison,s
20 after they were disobedient long agot when God patiently waitedt in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the arkt a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water.21 And this prefigured baptism, which now saves yout – not the washing off of physical dirtt but the pledget of a good conscience to God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

22 who went into heaven and is at the right hand of Godt with angels and authorities and powers subject to him.t