1 Peter 3

Wives and Husbands

1 In the same way, wives,  * 3:1 Eph 5:22–33; Col 3:18–19; 1Tm 3:11 submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word,  * 3:1 1Co 7:16; 1Pt 1:24–25 they may be won over  * 3:1 1Co 9:19–22; Php 3:8 without a word by the way their wives live  * 3:1 2Pt 3:112 when they observe your pure, reverent lives.  * 3:2 Ti 2:53 Don’t let your beauty consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes,  * 3:3 Is 3:18–24; 1Tm 2:94 but rather what is inside the heart  * 3:4 Or rather, the hidden person of the heart,* 3:4 Rm 2:29; 7:22  — the imperishable quality of a gentle  * 3:4 Mt 5:5 and quiet  * 3:4 1Tm 2:2 spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For in the past, the holy  * 3:5 Ps 20:6; 1Co 7:14 women who put their hope  * 3:5 1Tm 5:5; 1Pt 1:3 in God also adorned themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, 6 just as Sarah  * 3:6 Gn 17:15–21; 18:6–15; Heb 11:11 obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and do not fear any intimidation.  * 3:6 Pr 3:25

7 Husbands,  * 3:7 Mt 1:19; 1Co 14:35; Eph 5:22–28; Col 3:18–19; Ti 2:4–5 in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner,  * 3:7 1Th 4:4 showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Do No Evil

8 Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another,  * 3:8 Heb 13:1 and be compassionate  * 3:8 Eph 4:32 and humble,  * 3:8 Other mss read courteous9 not paying back evil for evil  * 3:9 Rm 12:17 or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,  * 3:9 Lk 6:28; Rm 12:14; 1Co 4:12 since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

10 For the* 3:10–12 Ps 34:12–16one who wants to love life

and to see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil* 3:10 Jms 1:26

and his lips from speaking deceit,* 3:10 Rm 3:13; Jms 3:5–8

11 and let him turn away* 3:11 Ps 37:27from evil

and do what is good.

Let him seek peace* 3:11 Lk 12:51; 2Tm 1:2; Heb 12:14; 3Jn 14and pursue it,

12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against

those who do what is evil.* 3:10–12 Ps 34:12–16

Undeserved Suffering

13 Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness,  * 3:14 Mt 6:33; Rm 1:17; 2Pt 1:1 you are blessed. Do not fear them* 3:14 Or Do not fear what they fear,* 3:14 Jn 6:20; 7:13or be intimidated,* 3:14 Is 8:12,* 3:14–15 Is 8:12–1315 but in your hearts regard  * 3:15 Or sanctify, or set apart Christ  * 3:15 Other mss read set God the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.  * 3:15 1Jn 4:416 Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience,  * 3:16 Ac 23:1; 24:16; Rm 9:1; 2Co 1:12; 1Tm 1:5,19; 3:9; Heb 10:22; 1Pt 3:21 so that when you are accused,  * 3:16 Other mss read when they speak against you as evildoers those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer  * 3:17 Php 1:29; 1Pt 2:19 for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also suffered  * 3:18 Mk 8:31; Rm 5:8 for sins once for all,  * 3:18 Rm 6:10; Heb 9:28; 10:10; 1Pt 2:21; 4:1 the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.  * 3:18 Rm 5:2 He was put to death in the flesh  * 3:18 Or by the flesh, or in the fleshly realm,* 3:18 Eph 2:14 but made alive by the Spirit,  * 3:18 Or in the spirit, or in the Spirit, or in the spiritual realm19 in which  * 3:19 Or by whom, or in whom, or at that time he also went and made proclamation to the spirits  * 3:19 1Jn 4:1 in prison 20 who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah  * 3:20 Gn 5:29 while the ark was being prepared. In it a few — that is, eight people  * 3:20 Or souls,* 3:20 Gn 5:32; 6:18; 7:7,13; 8:16,18  — were saved through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body,  * 3:21 Heb 9:14; 10:22 but the pledge  * 3:21 Or the appeal of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,  * 3:21 1Pt 1:322 who has gone into heaven  * 3:22 Ac 1:10,12; 1Tm 3:16; Heb 4:14; 6:20 and is at the right hand of God  * 3:22 Ps 110:1; Mk 16:19; Ac 2:33–34; Rm 8:34; Heb 10:12 with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.  * 3:22 Eph 1:20–22