1 Peter 3
1 Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives
Again, you married women should submit to your husbands, so that if any of them reject the message, they may, apart from the message, be won over, by the conduct of their wives,
2 when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.
as they see your pure, reverent conduct.
3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes,
Yours should be, not the external adornment of the arrangement of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or the putting on of dresses,
4 but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
but the inner life with the imperishable beauty of a quiet and gentle spirit; for this is very precious in God’s sight.
5 For this is how the holy women of the past adorned themselves. They put their hope in God and were submissive to their husbands,
It was by this that the holy women of old, who rested their hopes on God, adorned themselves; submitting to their husbands,
6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. And you are her children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear.
as Sarah did, who obeyed Abraham, and called him master. And you are her true children, as long as you live good lives, and let nothing terrify you.
7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
Again, those of you who are married men should live considerately with their wives, showing due regard to their sex, as physically weaker than their own, and not forgetting that they share with you in the gift of life. Then you will be able to pray without hindrance.
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
Lastly, you should all be united, sympathetic, full of love for each other, kind-hearted, humble-minded;
9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
never returning evil for evil, or abuse for abuse, but, on the contrary, blessing. It was to this that you were called – to obtain a blessing!
10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
‘The person who wants to enjoy life and see happy days – they should keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful words,
11 He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.
they should turn from evil and do good, They should seek for peace and follow after it;
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is set against those who do wrong.’
13 Who can harm you if you are zealous for what is good?
Who, indeed, is there to harm you, if you prove yourselves to be eager for what is good?
14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”
Even if you should suffer for righteousness, count yourselves blessed! ‘Do not let people terrify you, or allow yourselves to be dismayed.’
15 But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,
Revere the Christ as Lord in your hearts; always ready to give an answer to anyone who asks your reason for the hope that you cherish, but giving it with courtesy and respect,
16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
and keeping your consciences clear, so that, whenever you are maligned, those who vilify your good and Christian conduct may be put to shame.
17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
It is better that you should suffer, if that should be God’s will, for doing right, than for doing wrong.
18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
For Christ himself died to atone for sins once for all – the good on behalf of the bad – that he might bring you to God; his body being put to death, but his spirit entering on new life.
19 in whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison
And it was then that he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits,
20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water.
who once were disobedient, at the time when God patiently waited, in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared; in which some few lives, eight in all, were saved by means of water.
21 And this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
And baptism, which this foreshadowed, now saves you – not the mere cleansing of the body, but the search of a clear conscience after God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.
who has gone into heaven, and is at God’s right hand, where angels and archangels and the powers of heaven now yield submission to him.
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
