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,
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 having beheld your pure behavior in fear,
as they see your pure, reverent conduct.
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,
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—the hidden man of the heart, by the incorruptible [thing] of the meek and quiet spirit, which is of great value before God,
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 thus once also the holy women who hoped on God were adorning themselves, being subject 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 was obedient to Abraham, calling him “lord,” of whom you became daughters, doing good, and not fearing any terror.
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 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.
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 And finally, be all of one mind, having fellow-feeling, loving as brothers, compassionate, courteous,
Lastly, you should all be united, sympathetic, full of love for each other, kind-hearted, humble-minded;
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;
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 “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;
‘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 let him turn aside from evil, and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it;
they should turn from evil and do good, They should seek for peace and follow after 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”;
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 and who [is] he who will be doing you evil, if you may become imitators of Him who is good?
Who, indeed, is there to harm you, if you prove yourselves to be eager for what 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,
Even if you should suffer for righteousness, count yourselves blessed! ‘Do not let people terrify you, or allow yourselves to be dismayed.’
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,
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 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;
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 if the will of God wills it, [it is] better to suffer doing good, 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 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,
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 by which, having gone, He also preached to the spirits in prison,
And it was then that he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits,
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,
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 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,
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 at the right hand of God, having gone on to Heaven—messengers, and authorities, and powers, having been subjected 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.
