1 Peter 3

Wives and Husbands

1 In the same way, you wives should yield to your husbands. Then, if some husbands do not obey God’s teaching, they will be persuaded to believe without anyone’s saying a word to them. They will be persuaded by the way their wives live.2 Your husbands will see the pure lives you live with your respect for God.3 It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful.4 No, your beauty should come from within you—the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit that will never be destroyed and is very precious to God.5 In this same way the holy women who lived long ago and followed God made themselves beautiful, yielding to their own husbands.

6 Sarah obeyed Abraham, her husband, and called him her master. And you women are true children of Sarah if you always do what is right and are not afraid.

7 In the same way, you husbands should live with your wives in an understanding way, since they are weaker than you. But show them respect, because God gives them the same blessing he gives you—the grace that gives true life. Do this so that nothing will stop your prayers.

Suffering for Doing Right

8 Finally, all of you should be in agreement, understanding each other, loving each other as family, being kind and humble.9 Do not do wrong to repay a wrong, and do not insult to repay an insult. But repay with a blessing, because you yourselves were called to do this so that you might receive a blessing.

10 The Scripture says,
“A person must do these things to enjoy life and have many happy days.
He must not say evil things, and he must not tell lies.

11 He must stop doing evil and do good. He must look for peace and work for it.

12 The Lord sees the good people and listens to their prayers.
But the Lord is against those who do evil.” t
13 If you are trying hard to do good, no one can really hurt you.

14 But even if you suffer for doing right, you are blessed.
“Don’t be afraid of what they fear; do not dread those things.” t
15 But respect Christ as the holy Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have,16 but answer in a gentle way and with respect. Keep a clear conscience so that those who speak evil of your good life in Christ will be made ashamed.17 It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong if that is what God wants.18 Christ himself suffered for sins once. He was not guilty, but he suffered for those who are guilty to bring you to God. His body was killed, but he was made alive in the spirit.19 And in the spirit he went and preached to the spirits in prison20 who refused to obey God long ago in the time of Noah. God was waiting patiently for them while Noah was building the boat. Only a few people—eight in all—were saved by water.21 And that water is like baptism that now saves you—not the washing of dirt from the body, but the promise made to God from a good conscience. And this is because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.22 Now Jesus has gone into heaven and is at God’s right side ruling over angels, authorities, and powers.

1 Peter 3

1 In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives;2 beholding your chaste behavior coupled with fear.3 Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on apparel;4 but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.5 For after this manner aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.7 Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered.8 Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded:9 not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.10 For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:

11 And 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 righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.

13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good?14 But even if ye should suffer for righteousness’ sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled;15 but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:16 having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ.17 For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;19 in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison,20 that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;22 who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.