1 Peter 3

Wives and Husbands

1In the same way, wives,#Eph 5:22–33; Col 3:18–19; 1Tm 3:11 submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word,#1Co 7:16; 1Pt 1:24–25 they may be won over#1Co 9:19–22; Php 3:8 without a word by the way their wives live#2Pt 3:11 2when they observe your pure, reverent lives.#Ti 2:5 3Don’t let your beauty consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes,#Is 3:18–24; 1Tm 2:9 4but rather what is inside the heart#3:4 Or rather, the hidden person of the heart#Rm 2:29; 7:22 — the imperishable quality of a gentle#Mt 5:5 and quiet#1Tm 2:2 spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5For in the past, the holy#Ps 20:6; 1Co 7:14 women who put their hope#1Tm 5:5; 1Pt 1:3 in God also adorned themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, 6just as Sarah#Gn 17:15–21; 18:6–15; Heb 11:11 obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and do not fear any intimidation.#Pr 3:25

7Husbands,#Mt 1:19; 1Co 14:35; Eph 5:22–28; Col 3:18–19; Ti 2:4–5 in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner,#1Th 4:4 showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Do No Evil

8Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another,#Heb 13:1 and be compassionate#Eph 4:32 and humble,#3:8 Other mss read courteous 9not paying back evil for evil#Rm 12:17 or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,#Lk 6:28; Rm 12:14; 1Co 4:12 since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

10For the#Ps 34:12–16 one who wants to love life

and to see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil # Jms 1:26

and his lips from speaking deceit, # Rm 3:13; Jms 3:5–8

11 and let him turn away # Ps 37:27 from evil

and do what is good.

Let him seek peace # Lk 12:51; 2Tm 1:2; Heb 12:14; 3Jn 14 and pursue it,

12 because 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 what is evil. # Ps 34:12–16

Undeserved Suffering

13Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good? 14But even if you should suffer for righteousness,#Mt 6:33; Rm 1:17; 2Pt 1:1 you are blessed. Do not fear them#3:14 Or Do not fear what they fear#Jn 6:20; 7:13 or be intimidated,#3:14Is 8:12#Is 8:12–13 15but in your hearts regard#3:15 Or sanctify, or set apart Christ#3:15 Other mss read set God the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.#1Jn 4:4 16Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience,#Ac 23:1; 24:16; Rm 9:1; 2Co 1:12; 1Tm 1:5,19; 3:9; Heb 10:22; 1Pt 3:21 so that when you are accused,#3:16 Other mss read when they speak against you as evildoers those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer#Php 1:29; 1Pt 2:19 for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

18For Christ also suffered#Mk 8:31; Rm 5:8 for sins once for all,#Rm 6:10; Heb 9:28; 10:10; 1Pt 2:21; 4:1 the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.#Rm 5:2 He was put to death in the flesh#3:18 Or by the flesh, or in the fleshly realm#Eph 2:14 but made alive by the Spirit,#3:18 Or in the spirit, or in the Spirit, or in the spiritual realm 19in which#3:19 Or by whom, or in whom, or at that time he also went and made proclamation to the spirits#1Jn 4:1 in prison 20who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah#Gn 5:29 while the ark was being prepared. In it a few — that is, eight people#3:20 Or souls#Gn 5:32; 6:18; 7:7,13; 8:16,18 — were saved through water. 21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body,#Heb 9:14; 10:22 but the pledge#3:21 Or the appeal of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,#1Pt 1:3 22who has gone into heaven#Ac 1:10,12; 1Tm 3:16; Heb 4:14; 6:20 and is at the right hand of God#Ps 110:1; Mk 16:19; Ac 2:33–34; Rm 8:34; Heb 10:12 with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.#Eph 1:20–22

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1 Peter 3: CSB

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