1 Peter 3

1 Wives, be subject to your own husbands in like manner, that even if some are disobedient to the word, they may be won through the behavior of the wives without the word,

2 having beheld your pure behavior in fear,

3 whose adorning—let it not be that which is outward, of braiding of hair, and of putting around of things of gold, or of putting on of garments,

4 but—the hidden man of the heart, by the incorruptible [thing] of the meek and quiet spirit, which is of great value before God,

5 for thus once also the holy women who hoped on God were adorning themselves, being subject to their own husbands,

6 as Sarah was obedient to Abraham, calling him “lord,” of whom you became daughters, doing good, and not fearing any terror.

7 Husbands, in like manner, dwelling with [them], according to knowledge, as to a weaker vessel—to the wife—imparting honor, as also being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers are not hindered.

8 And finally, be all of one mind, having fellow-feeling, loving as brothers, compassionate, courteous,

9 not giving back evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, blessing, having known that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing;

10 for “he who is willing to love life, and to see good days, let him guard his tongue from evil, and his lips—not to speak guile;

11 let him turn aside from evil, and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it;

12 because the eyes of the LORD [are] on the righteous, and His ears—to their supplication, but the face of the LORD [is] against those doing evil”;

13 and who [is] he who will be doing you evil, if you may become imitators of Him who is good?

14 But if you also should suffer because of righteousness, [you are] blessed! And do not be afraid of their fear, nor be troubled,

15 but sanctify the LORD God in your hearts. And always [be] ready for defense to everyone who is asking of you an account concerning the hope that [is] in you, with meekness and fear,

16 having a good conscience, so that whenever they speak against you as evildoers, they may be ashamed—[those] who are maligning your good behavior in Christ;

17 for if the will of God wills it, [it is] better to suffer doing good, than doing evil;

18 also because Christ suffered once for sin—righteous for unrighteous—that He might lead us to God, indeed having been put to death in the flesh, but having been made alive in the Spirit,

19 by which, having gone, He also preached to the spirits in prison,

20 who sometime [ago] disobeyed when once the long-suffering of God waited, in [the] days of Noah—an ark being prepared—in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water,

21 also an antitype to immersion which now saves you—not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the question of a good conscience in regard to God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone on to Heaven—messengers, and authorities, and powers, having been subjected to Him.

A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark