1 Peter 3

Wives

1In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over 2by observing your pure and reverent lives.

3Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 5This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands. 6For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.

Husbands

7In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

All Christians

8Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters.#3:8 Greek Show brotherly love. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 9Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. 10For the Scriptures say,

“If you want to enjoy life

and see many happy days,

keep your tongue from speaking evil

and your lips from telling lies.

11Turn away from evil and do good.

Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

12The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,

and his ears are open to their prayers.

But the Lord turns his face

against those who do evil.”#3:10-12 Ps 34:12-16.

Suffering for Doing Good

13Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16But do this in a gentle and respectful way.#3:16 Some English translations put this sentence in verse 15. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 17Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

18Christ suffered#3:18a Some manuscripts read died. for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.#3:18b Or in spirit.

19So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— 20those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.#3:20 Greek saved through water. 21And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from#3:21 Or as an appeal to God for. a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

22Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.

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1 Peter 3

Wives and Husbands

1Likewise, wives, #See Gen. 3:16be subject to your own husbands, so that #1 Cor. 7:16even if some do not obey the word, #Matt. 18:15; 1 Cor. 9:19-22they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2when they see your #Titus 2:5respectful and pure conduct. 3#1 Tim. 2:9; [Isa. 3:18-23]Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4but let your adorning be #Rom. 2:29; [Rom. 7:22; 2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:16]the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, #Gen. 18:12calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and #Prov. 3:25do not fear anything that is frightening.

7Likewise, #Eph. 5:25; Col. 3:19husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker #See 1 Thess. 4:4vessel, since they are heirs with you#3:7 Some manuscripts since you are joint heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake

8Finally, all of you, #See Rom. 12:16have unity of mind, sympathy, #See Heb. 13:1brotherly love, #Eph. 4:32a tender heart, and #See Eph. 4:2a humble mind. 9#ch. 2:23; See Rom. 12:17Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, #Luke 6:28; Rom. 12:14; 1 Cor. 4:12bless, for #ch. 2:21to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10For

# Cited from Ps. 34:12-16 “Whoever desires to love life

and see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from speaking deceit;

11let him turn away from evil and do good;

let him seek peace and pursue it.

12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

13Now #[Prov. 16:7]who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14#ch. 2:19, 20; 4:14, 16; Matt. 5:10But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. #Isa. 8:12, 13; [ver. 6; Matt. 10:28] Have no fear of them, #John 14:1, 27nor be troubled, 15but #[Isa. 29:23; Matt. 6:9] in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, #Col. 4:6; [2 Tim. 2:25] always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and #See ch. 1:17respect, 16#Heb. 13:18having a good conscience, so that, #ch. 2:12when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17For #ch. 2:20; [ch. 4:15, 16]it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

18For Christ also #ch. 2:21; 4:1; See Rom. 4:25suffered#3:18 Some manuscripts died #Heb. 9:26, 28once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, #Rom. 5:2that he might bring us to God, being put to death #ch. 4:1; Col. 1:22; [2 Cor. 13:4] in the flesh but made alive #ch. 4:6in the spirit, 19in which#3:19 Or the Spirit, in whom he went and #[See ver. 18 above]proclaimed#3:19 Or preached to the spirits in prison, 20because#3:20 Or when they formerly did not obey, #Gen. 6:3, 5, 13, 14when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, #Heb. 11:7while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, #Gen. 7:1, 7, 23; 8:18; 2 Pet. 2:5eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21Baptism, which corresponds to this, #Mark 16:16; Acts 16:33; Rom. 6:3-6; Titus 3:5now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but #[Rom. 10:10] as an appeal to God for a good conscience, #ch. 1:3through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and #Acts 2:33, 34; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3is at the right hand of God, #Rom. 8:38; 1 Cor. 15:24; Eph. 1:21with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

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