1 Wives, likewise, be subject to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the Word, they, without a word, may be won by the behavior of their wives,2 when they observe your pure behavior with fear.3 Do not let your adornment be outward; arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on apparel;4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a meek and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands,6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be cut off.8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, sympathetic; loving the brothers, be tenderhearted, be kind;9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, in order that you may inherit blessing.10 For He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.13 And who is he who will harm you if you become imitators of what is good?14 But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their terror, nor be troubled.15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;16 having a good conscience, that when they speak against you as evildoers, those who falsely accuse your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.21 There is also an antitype which now saves us; immersion (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,22 who has gone into Heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

1 Also wymmen be thei suget to her hosebondis; that if ony man bileue not to the word, bi the conuersacioun of wymmen thei be wonnun with out word.2 And biholde ye in drede youre hooli conuersacioun.3 Of whiche `ther be not with outforth curious ournyng of heer, ether doyng aboute of gold, ethir ournyng of clothing;4 but thilke that is the hid man of herte, in vncorrupcioun, and of mylde spirit, which is riche in the siyt of God.5 For so sumtyme hooli wymmen hopinge in God ourneden hem silf, and weren suget to her owne hosebondis.6 As Sara obeied to Abraham, and clepide hym lord; of whom ye ben douytris wel doynge, and not dredynge ony perturbacioun.7 Also men dwelle togidre, and bi kunnyng yyue ye onoure to the wommanus freeltee, as to the more feble, and as to euen eiris of grace and of lijf, that youre preieris be not lettid.8 And in feith alle of oon wille in preier be ye eche suffringe with othere, loueris of britherhod, merciful, mylde, meke;9 not yeldinge yuel for yuel, nether cursing for cursing, but ayenward blessinge; for in this thing ye ben clepid, that ye welde blessinge bi eritage.10 For he that wole loue lijf, and se goode daies, constreyne his tunge from yuel, and hise lippis, that thei speke not gile.11 And bowe he from yuel, and do good; seke he pees, and perfitli sue it.12 For the iyen of the Lord ben on iust men, and hise eris on the preieris of hem; but the cheer of the Lord is on men that don yuels.13 And who is it that schal anoye you, if ye ben sueris and louyeris of goodnesse?14 But also if ye suffren ony thing for riytwisnesse, ye ben blessid; but drede ye not the drede of hem, that ye be not disturblid.15 But halewe ye the Lord Crist in youre hertis, and euermore be ye redi to satisfaccioun to ech man axynge you resoun of that feith and hope that is in you,16 but with myldenesse and drede, hauynge good conscience; that in that thing that thei bacbiten of you, thei ben confoundid, whiche chalengen falsly youre good conuersacioun in Crist.17 For it is betere that ye do wel, and suffre, if the wille of God wole, than doynge yuele.18 For also Crist onys diede for oure synnes, he iust for vniust, that he schulde offre to God vs, maad deed in fleisch, but maad quik in spirit.19 For which thing he cam in spirit, and also to hem that weren closid togidre in prisoun prechide;20 whiche weren sum tyme vnbileueful, whanne thei abididen the pacience of God in the daies of Noe, whanne the schip was maad, in which a few, that is to seie, eiyte soulis weren maad saaf bi water.21 And so baptym of lijk forme makith vs saaf; not the puttyng awei of the filthis of fleisch, but the axyng of a good conscience in God, bi the ayenrysyng of oure Lord Jhesu Crist, that is in the riyt half of God,22 and swolewith deth, that we schulden be made eiris of euerlastinge lijf. He yede in to heuene, and aungelis, and powers, and vertues, ben maad sugetis to hym.