1 Peter 3
1 Likewise, ye wives, be submissive to your own husbands; in order that, if any do not believe the word, they shall be gained through the deportment of their wives, without the word;
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 beholding your chaste deportment which is with reverence:
as they watch your submissive and blameless conduct.
3 whose beauty, let it not be the external beauty of braiding the hairs, and wearing golds, or putting on of outer garments;
Yours should be, not the external adornment of the arrangement of the hair, the wearing of jewellery, or the putting on of dresses,
4 but let their beauty be the hidden man of the heart, in the purity of the meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is perfection complete.
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 in this way in olden times the holy wives, the ones having hope toward God, were indeed accustomed to beautify themselves, submissive to their own husbands:
It was by this that the holy women of old, who rested their hopes on God, adorned themselves; submitting to their husbands,
6 as Sarah submitted to Abraham, calling him Lord: whose children you have become, doing good, and not fearing any calamity.
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 Likewise, ye husbands, dwelling with the wife according to knowledge, as the weaker vessel, extending to them honor, as indeed the equal heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers should not be hindered.
Again, those of you who are married men should live considerately with their wives, showing due regard to their sex, as 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 And finally, all being like-minded, sympathetic, loving the brethren, merciful, humble:
Lastly, you should all be united, sympathetic, full of brotherly love, kind-hearted, humble-minded;
9 not giving evil for evil, or railing for railing: but on the contrary blessing; because unto this you have been called, that you may inherit the 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 let the one wishing to love life, and to see good days, cease his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile:
‘He who would enjoy life And see happy days — Let him keep his tongue from evil And his lips from deceitful words,
11 let him depart from evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it:
let him turn from evil and do good, Let him seek for peace and follow after it;
12 because the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry: but the face of the Lord is against those doing 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 is the one about to harm you, if you may be zealots of the good?
Who, indeed, is there to harm you, if you prove yourselves to be eager for what is good?
14 But if indeed you suffer for righteousness' sake, you are happy. Fear not their fear, neither be troubled;
Even if you should suffer for righteousness, count yourselves blessed! ‘Do not let men terrify you, or allow yourselves to be dismayed.’
15 but sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts: being always ready for an answer to every one asking you a reason for the hope which is in you, but with meekness and fear:
Revere the Christ as Lord in your hearts; always ready to give an answer to any one who asks your reason for the hope that you cherish, but giving it humbly and in all reverence,
16 having a good conscience, in order that, in whatsoever you are calumniated, those traducing your good deportment in Christ may be ashamed.
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, doing good, if the will of the Lord should will it, to suffer, rather than doing evil.
It is better that you should suffer, if that should be God’s will, for doing right, than for doing wrong.
18 Because Christ indeed once died for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, indeed being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in 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 upon new Life.
19 by which also having gone he proclaimed to the spirits in prison;
And it was then that he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits,
20 who at one time were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, the ark being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls were saved through the 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 Which antitype baptism does even now save you, not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the seeking after a good 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 is on the right hand of God, having gone up into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being subordinated unto 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
