1 Peter 3

1 Similarly also, wives should be subject to their husbands, so that, even if some do not believe the Word, they may benefit without the Word, through the behavior of these wives,2 as they consider with fear your chaste behavior.3 For you, there should be no unnecessary adornment of the hair, or surrounding with gold, or the wearing of ornate clothing.4 Instead, you should be a hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptibility of a quiet and a meek spirit, rich in the sight of God.5 For in this way, in past times also, holy women adorned themselves, hoping in God, being subject to their own husbands.6 For so Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You are her daughters, well-behaved and unafraid of any disturbance.7 Similarly, you husbands should live with them in accord with knowledge, bestowing honor on the female as the weaker vessel and as co-heirs of the life of grace, so that your prayers may not be hindered.8 And finally, may you all be of one mind: compassionate, loving brotherhood, merciful, meek, humble,9 not repaying evil with evil, nor slander with slander, but, to the contrary, repaying with blessings. For to this you have been called, so that you may possess the inheritance of a blessing.10 For whoever wants to love life and to see good days should restrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, so that they utter no deceit.11 Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it.12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears are with their prayers, but the countenance of the Lord is upon those who do evil.13 And who is it who can harm you, if you are zealous in what is good?14 And yet, even when you suffer something for the sake of justice, you are blessed. So then, do not be afraid with their fear, and do not be disturbed.15 But sanctify Christ the Lord in your hearts, being always ready to give an explanation to all who ask you the reason for that hope which is in you.16 But do so with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, so that, in whatever matter they may slander you, they shall be confounded, since they falsely accuse your good behavior in Christ.17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if it is the will of God, than for doing evil.18 For Christ also died once for our sins, the Just One on behalf of the unjust, so that he might offer us to God, having died, certainly, in the flesh, but having been enlivened by the Spirit.19 And in the Spirit, he preached to those who were in prison, going to those souls20 who had been unbelieving in past times, while they waited for the patience of God, as in the days of Noah, when the ark was being built. In that ark, a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.21 And now you also are saved, in a similar manner, by baptism, not by the testimony of sordid flesh, but by the examination of a good conscience in God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.22 He is at the right hand of God, devouring death, so that we may be made heirs to eternal life. And since he has journeyed to heaven, the Angels and powers and virtues are subject to him.

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