< 1 UPhetro 3 >
1 Ngokunjalo bafazi, zehliseleni ngaphansi kwawenu amadoda, ukuze kuthi, uba-ke bekhona abangalaleli ilizwi, bazuzwe ngaphandle kwelizwi ngokuziphatha kwabafazi,
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 enanzelela ukuhamba kwenu okuhlambulukileyo ekwesabeni.
having beheld your pure behavior in fear,
3 Okuceca kwenu kakungabi ngokwangaphandle okokweluka inwele, lokokugqiza igolide, kumbe okokugqoka izembatho;
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 umuntu osithekileyo wenhliziyo, entweni engagugiyo yomoya omnene lokuthula, oligugu elikhulu phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
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 kudala bazicecisa ngokunjalo labesifazana abangcwele ababethemba uNkulunkulu, bezehlisela ngaphansi kwawabo amadoda;
for thus once also the holy women who hoped on God were adorning themselves, being subject to their own husbands,
6 njengoSara owamlalela uAbrahama, wambiza ngokuthi nkosi, eselingamadodakazi akhe, uba lisenza okuhle njalo lingesatshiswa langokukodwa okwesabekayo.
as Sarah was obedient to Abraham, calling him “lord,” of whom you became daughters, doing good, and not fearing any terror.
7 Ngokunjalo madoda, hlalisanani ngokolwazi, limhloniphe owesifazana njengesitsha esibuthakathaka, njengoba labo beyizindlalifa zomusa wempilo kanye lani, ukuze imikhuleko yenu ingavinjelwa.
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-ke, banini nhliziyonye lonke, lizwelane, lithande abazalwane, libe lobubele, lilomusa;
And finally, be all of one mind, having fellow-feeling, loving as brothers, compassionate, courteous,
9 lingaphindiseli okubi ngokubi, kumbe ukuthuka ngokuthuka; kodwa esikhundleni salokhu busisani, lisazi ukuthi labizelwa lokho, ukuze lidle ilifa lesibusiso.
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 ofuna ukuthanda impilo, lokubona insuku ezinhle, kanqande ulimi lwakhe kokubi, lendebe zakhe ukuze zingakhulumi 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 kaphambuke kokubi, abesesenza okuhle; adinge ukuthula, njalo akunxwanele.
let him turn aside from evil, and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it;
12 Ngoba amehlo eNkosi aphezu kwabalungileyo, lendlebe zayo zingasemkhulekweni wabo; kodwa ubuso beNkosi bumelana labenza 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 Pho ngubani ongalilimaza, uba lingabalingisi bokuhle?
and who [is] he who will be doing you evil, if you may become imitators of Him who is good?
14 Kodwa uba lani lihlupheka ngenxa yokulunga, libusisiwe; njalo lingesabi ukwethusa kwabo, njalo lingakhathazeki;
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 ngcwelisani iNkosi uNkulunkulu enhliziyweni zenu; beselihlala lizilungisele ukuphendula wonke olibuza isizatho ngethemba elikini, kanye lobumnene lokwesaba,
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 lilesazela esihle, ukuze kuthi kulokho abalihleba ngakho njengabenzi bobubi bayangeke, labo abathuka ukuziphatha kwenu okuhle kuKristu.
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 ukuhlupheka lisenza okuhle, uba intando kaNkulunkulu ikuthanda, kulokuhlupheka lisenza okubi.
for if the will of God wills it, [it is] better to suffer doing good, than doing evil;
18 Ngoba loKristu wahlupheka kanye ngenxa yezono, olungileyo esikhundleni sabangalunganga, ukuze asise kuNkulunkulu; owabulawa enyameni, kodwa wenziwa waphila ngoMoya,
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 ayesehambe ngawo laye watshumayela kumimoya esentolongweni,
by which, having gone, He also preached to the spirits in prison,
20 eyababekade bengalaleli, lapho ukubekezela kukaNkulunkulu kwakukade kulindele, ensukwini zikaNowa lapho umkhumbi wawusakhiwa, okwasindiswa kuwo abalutshwana, okuyikuthi imiphefumulo eyisificaminwembili, 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 Umfuziselo wawo lubhabhathizo olusisindisayo lathi khathesi, kungeyisikho ukususwa kwengcekeza yenyama, kodwa ukucela kwesazela esihle kuNkulunkulu, ngokuvuka kukaJesu Kristu,
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, ekhona ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu, izingilosi leziphathamandla lamandla sekwehliselwe ngaphansi kwakhe.
who is at the right hand of God, having gone on to Heaven—messengers, and authorities, and powers, having been subjected to Him.