1 PET. 3

Wake na Waume

1  tKadhalika ninyi wake, watiini waume zenu; kusudi, ikiwa wako wasioliamini Neno, wavutwe kwa mwenendo wa wake zao, pasipo lile Neno; 2 twakiutazama mwenendo wenu safi, na wa hofu. 3 tKujipamba kwenu, kusiwe kujipamba kwa nje, yaani, kusuka nywele; na kujitia dhahabu, na kuvalia mavazi; 4 bali kuwe utu wa moyoni usioonekana, katika mapambo yasiyoharibika; yaani, roho ya upole na utulivu, iliyo ya thamani kuu mbele za Mungu. 5 Maana hivyo ndivyo walivyojipamba wanawake watakatifu wa zamani, waliomtumaini Mungu, na kuwatii waume zao. 6 tKama vile Sara alivyomtii Ibrahimu, akamwita Bwana; nanyi ni watoto wake, mfanyapo mema, wala hamkutishwa kwa hofu yo yote.

7 tKadhalika ninyi waume, kaeni na wake zenu kwa akili; na kumpa mke heshima, kama chombo kisicho na nguvu; na kama warithi pamoja wa neema ya uzima, kusudi kuomba kwenu kusizuiliwe.

Mateso kwa ajili ya Kutenda Haki

10 tKwa maana,
Atakaye kupenda maisha,
Na kuona siku njema,
Auzuie ulimi wake usinene mabaya,
Na midomo yake isiseme hila.

11 Na aache mabaya, atende mema;
Atafute amani, aifuate sana.

12 Kwa kuwa macho ya Bwana huwaelekea wenye haki,
Na masikio yake husikiliza maombi yao;
Bali uso wa Bwana ni juu ya watenda mabaya.
13 Naye ni nani atakayewadhuru, mkiwa wenye juhudi katika mema? 14 tLakini mjapoteswa kwa sababu ya haki mna heri. Msiogope kutisha kwao, wala msifadhaike; bali mtakaseni Kristo Bwana mioyoni mwenu. 15 tMwe tayari siku zote kumjibu kila mtu awaulizaye habari za tumaini lililo ndani yenu; lakini kwa upole na kwa hofu. 16 tNanyi mwe na dhamiri njema, ili katika neno lile mnalosingiziwa, watahayarishwe wale wautukanao mwenendo wenu mwema katika Kristo. 17 tMaana ni afadhali kuteswa kwa kutenda mema, ikiwa ndiyo mapenzi ya Mungu, kuliko kwa kutenda mabaya. 18 tKwa maana Kristo naye aliteswa mara moja kwa ajili ya dhambi, mwenye haki kwa ajili yao wasio haki, ili atulete kwa Mungu; mwili wake akauawa, bali roho yake akahuishwa, 19 tambayo kwa hiyo aliwaendea roho waliokaa kifungoni, akawahubiri; 20 twatu wasiotii hapo zamani, uvumilivu wa Mungu ulipokuwa ukingoja, siku za Nuhu, safina ilipokuwa ikitengenezwa; ambamo ndani yake wachache, yaani, watu wanane, waliokoka kwa maji. 21 tMfano wa mambo hayo ni ubatizo, unaowaokoa ninyi pia siku hizi; (siyo kuwekea mbali uchafu wa mwili, bali jibu la dhamiri safi mbele za Mungu), kwa kufufuka kwake Yesu Kristo. 22 tNaye yupo mkono wa kuume wa Mungu, amekwenda zake mbinguni, malaika na enzi na nguvu zikiisha kutiishwa chini yake.

1 PETER 3

Wives and Husbands

1  t If you are a wife, you must put your husband first. Even if he opposes our message, you will win him over by what you do. No one else will have to say anything to him, 2 because he will see how you honor God and live a pure life. 3 t Don't depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewelry or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful.

4 Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.
5 Long ago those women who worshiped God and put their hope in him made themselves beautiful by putting their husbands first.

6 For example, Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her true children, if you do right and don't let anything frighten you.

7  t If you are a husband, you should be thoughtful of your wife. Treat her with honor, because she isn't as strong as you are, and she shares with you in the gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers.

Suffering for Doing Right

9 Don't be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God's chosen ones, and he will bless you. The Scriptures say,

10  t “Do you really love life?
Do you want to be happy?
Then stop saying cruel things
and quit telling lies.

11 Give up your evil ways
and do right,
as you find and follow
the road to peace.

12 The Lord watches over
everyone who obeys him,
and he listens
to their prayers.
But he opposes everyone
who does evil.”
13 Can anyone really harm you for being eager to do good deeds? 14 t t Even if you have to suffer for doing good things, God will bless you. So stop being afraid and don't worry about what people might do.

15 Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life.
Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope. 16 Give a kind and respectful answer and keep your conscience clear. This way you will make people ashamed for saying bad things about your good conduct as a follower of Christ.

17 You are better off to obey God and suffer for doing right than to suffer for doing wrong.

18 Christ died once for our sins.
An innocent person died
for those who are guilty.
Christ did this
to bring you to God,
when his body
was put to death
and his spirit
was made alive.
19 Christ then preached to the spirits that were being kept in prison.

20 t t They had disobeyed God while Noah was building the boat, but God had been patient with them. Eight people went into that boat and were brought safely through the flood.
21 Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. But baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience, because Jesus Christ was raised from death. 22 Christ is now in heaven, where he sits at the right sidet of God. All angels, authorities, and powers are under his control.