1 UPhetro 3
1 Ngokunjalo, bafazi zehliseni kubomkenu ukuze kuthi lanxa abanye babo bengalikholwa ilizwi, baphenduke ngokuziphatha kwabomkabo kungekho kukhuluma,
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 lapho bebona ukuhlanzeka lenhlonipho yokuphila kwenu.
having beheld your pure behavior in fear,
3 Ubuhle benu kabungaveli ekuziceciseni kwangaphandle, okunjengenwele ezelukiweyo lokugqiza izigqizo zegolide kanye lokugqoka izigqoko ezinhle.
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 Kodwa kumele bube ngobangaphakathi kwenu, ubuhle obungapheliyo bomoya omnene lothuleyo, oligugu elikhulu emehlweni kaNkulunkulu.
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 Ngoba le yiyo indlela abesifazane abangcwele bakudala ababethembe uNkulunkulu bejayele ukuzicola ngayo. Babezehlisa kubomkabo,
for thus once also the holy women who hoped on God were adorning themselves, being subject to their own husbands,
6 njengoSara owalalela u-Abhrahama wambiza ngokuthi yinkosi yakhe. Lingamadodakazi kaSara nxa lisenza okulungileyo njalo lingavumeli ukwesaba.
as Sarah was obedient to Abraham, calling him “lord,” of whom you became daughters, doing good, and not fearing any terror.
7 Ngokufanayo, madoda ekuphileni kwenu labomkenu wobani lozwelo, libaphathe ngenhlonipho njengababuthakathaka labazindlalifa kanye lani zesipho sokuphila esomusa, ukuze kungabi lalutho oluzavimbela imikhuleko yenu.
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 Okokucina lonke hlalisanani ngokuthula; wobani lozwelo, lithandane njengabazalwane, libe lesihawu kanye lokuthobeka.
And finally, be all of one mind, having fellow-feeling, loving as brothers, compassionate, courteous,
9 Lingaphindiseli okubi ngokubi loba inhlamba ngenhlamba, kodwa ngesibusiso, ngoba labizelwa ukuze lizuze ilifa lokubusiswa.
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 Ngoba, “Lowo othanda ukuphila abone lensuku ezinhle kumele anqande ulimi lwakhe kokubi lezindebe zakhe ekukhulumeni inkohliso.
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 Kumele batshiye ububi benze okulungileyo; kumele bafune ukuthula njalo bakunxwanele.
let him turn aside from evil, and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it;
12 Ngoba amehlo kaThixo akhangele abalungileyo lezindlebe zakhe ziyezwa, imikhuleko yabo, kodwa ubuso bukaJehova bumelana lalabo abenza okubi.”
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 Ngubani ozalilimaza nxa litshisekela ukwenza okulungileyo na?
and who [is] he who will be doing you evil, if you may become imitators of Him who is good?
14 Kodwa lanxa lingahlupheka ngenxa yokulungileyo, libusisekile. “Lingakwesabi lokho abakwesabayo; kalingethuswa.”
But if you also should suffer because of righteousness, [you are] blessed! And do not be afraid of their fear, nor be troubled,
15 Kodwa yamukelani uKhristu ezinhliziyweni zenu njengeNkosi engcwele. Hlalani lilungele ukuphendula loba ngubani olibuza isizatho ngethemba elilalo.
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 Kodwa lokhu kwenzeni ngobumnene langenhlonipho, lilesazela esihle, ukuze kuthi labo abakhuluma okubi ngokuziphatha kwenu okuhle kuKhristu bayangeke ngokuhlambaza kwabo.
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 Ngoba kungcono nxa kuyintando kaNkulunkulu, ukuhlupheka ngenxa yokwenza okulungileyo kulokwenza okubi.
for if the will of God wills it, [it is] better to suffer doing good, than doing evil;
18 Ngoba uKhristu wafela izono zenu kwaba kanye, olungileyo efela abangalunganga, ukuze alise kuNkulunkulu. Wabulawa emzimbeni, kodwa wavuswa nguMoya,
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 wahamba ngaye wayatshumayela emimoyeni eyayisentolongweni yona
by which, having gone, He also preached to the spirits in prison,
20 engalalelanga kudala lapho uNkulunkulu alinda khona ngokubekezela ensukwini zikaNowa umkhumbi usakhiwa. Phakathi kwawo abantu abalutshwana nje kuphela, abayisificaminwembili bebonke, basindiswa ngamanzi,
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 njalo amanzi la afanekisa umbhaphathizo osusilisa lani futhi, kungayisikho kususa ingcekeza emzimbeni kodwa kuyisibambiso sesazela esihle kuNkulunkulu. Siyalisilisa ngokuvuka kwabafileyo kukaJesu Khristu,
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 oseye ezulwini njalo usesandleni sokunene sikaNkulunkulu, lezingilosi, leziphathamandla kanye lezikhulu ekuzehliseni kuye.
who is at the right hand of God, having gone on to Heaven—messengers, and authorities, and powers, having been subjected to Him.
