1 IN the same way you wives are to be submissive to your own husbands, so that if any disbelieve the message they may be won over by the lives of their wives without argument,

2 when they look at your pure, reverential behavior.

3 Your adornment must not be of the external kind \'97 braiding the hair and putting on gold and wearing fine dresses;

4 but the hidden personality of the heart must wear the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in God's sight most precious.

5 For so of old the holy women who hoped in God adorned themselves. They were submissive to their own husbands,

6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Master. You have become her children when you do well and feel no terror.

7 In the same way, you husbands must live with your wives wisely, since woman's sex is weaker, but you must give them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

8 Finally, all must be like-minded, sympathetic, full of brotherly love, compassionate, humble-minded,

9 not repaying evil for evil or abuse for abuse, but rather blessing, for that is what you were called for \'97 to inherit a blessing.

10 For "He who would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

11 He must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against wrongdoers."

13 And who is it that will harm you if you become earnest for the good?

14 But if you should suffer for being righteous, you are blessed. Have no fear of them and do not be disturbed;

15 but exalt Christ as Lord in your hearts and be always ready to defend yourselves to every one who asks you to give account of the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.

16 Keep a good conscience that, although you are slandered, those who misrepresent your good life in Christ may be put to shame.

17 For it is better to suffer, if that should be God's will, for doing good than for doing wrong.

18 For Christ once for all died for sins, a righteous man for unrighteous men, so that he might lead us to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,

19 in which he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits

20 who were once disobedient, when the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, into which a few, that is eight souls, went and were saved through water.

21 This is a type of baptism, which now saves us \'97 not the putting off of soil from the flesh, but the endeavor for a good conscience toward God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

22 Now that he has gone into heaven he is at the right hand of God, and angels and authorities and powers have been made subject to him.