1Wives, follow the lead of your own husbands. Suppose some of them don’t believe God’s word. Then let them be won to Christ without words by seeing how their wives behave.2Let them see how pure you are. Let them see that your lives are full of respect for God.3Fancy hairstyles don’t make you beautiful. Wearing gold jewellery or fine clothes doesn’t make you beautiful.4Instead, your beauty comes from inside you. It is the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Beauty like this doesn’t fade away. God places great value on it.5This is how the holy women of the past used to make themselves beautiful. They put their hope in God. And they followed the lead of their own husbands.6Sarah was like that. She obeyed Abraham. She called him her master. Do you want to be like her? Then do what is right. And don’t give in to fear.7Husbands, consider the needs of your wives. They are weaker than you. So treat them with respect. Honour them as those who will share with you the gracious gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers.
Suffering for doing good
8Finally, I want all of you to agree with one another. Be understanding. Love one another. Be kind and tender. Be humble.9Don’t pay back evil with evil. Don’t pay back unkind words with unkind words. Instead, pay back evil with kind words. This is what you have been chosen to do. You will receive a blessing by doing this.10Scripture says, ‘Suppose someone wants to love life and see good days. Then they must keep their tongues from speaking evil. They must keep their lips from telling lies.11They must turn away from evil and do good. They must look for peace and go after it.12The Lord’s eyes look on godly people, and he blesses them. His ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord doesn’t bless those who do evil.’ (Ps 34:12)13Who is going to hurt you if you really want to do good?14But suppose you do suffer for doing what is right. Even then you will be blessed. Scripture says, ‘Don’t fear what others say they will do to hurt you. Don’t be afraid.’ (Isa 8:12)15But make sure that in your hearts you honour Christ as Lord. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. Be ready to give the reason for it. But do it gently and with respect.16Live so that you don’t have to feel you’ve done anything wrong. Some people may say evil things about your good conduct as believers in Christ. If they do, they will be put to shame for speaking like this about you.17God may want you to suffer for doing good. That’s better than suffering for doing evil.18Christ also suffered once for sins. The one who did what is right suffered for those who don’t do right. He suffered to bring you to God. His body was put to death. But the Holy Spirit brought him back to life.19After that, Christ went and made an announcement to the spirits in prison.20Long ago these spirits did not obey. That was when God was patient while Noah was building the ark. And only a few people went into the ark. In fact, there were only eight. Those eight people were saved through water.21The water of the flood is a picture. It is a picture of the baptism that now saves you too. This baptism has nothing to do with removing dirt from your body. Instead, it promises God that you will keep a clear sense of right and wrong. This baptism saves you by the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.22He has gone into heaven. He is at God’s right hand. Angels, authorities and powers are under his control.
1 Peter 3
English Standard Version
Wives and Husbands
1Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, (Ge 3:16; Mt 18:15; 1Co 7:16; 1Co 9:19)2when they see your respectful and pure conduct. (Tit 2:5)3Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— (Isa 3:18; 1Ti 2:9)4but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. (Ro 2:29; Ro 7:22; 2Co 4:16; Eph 3:16)5For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands,6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. (Ge 18:12; Pr 3:25)7Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you[1] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (Eph 5:25; Col 3:19; 1Th 4:4)
Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
8Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. (Ro 12:16; Eph 4:2; Eph 4:32; Heb 13:1)9Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (Lu 6:28; Ro 12:14; Ro 12:17; 1Co 4:12; 1Pe 2:21; 1Pe 2:23)10For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; (Ps 34:12)11let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.12For 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 evil.”13Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? (Pr 16:7)14But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, (Isa 8:12; Mt 5:10; Mt 10:28; Joh 14:1; Joh 14:27; 1Pe 2:19; 1Pe 3:6; 1Pe 4:14; 1Pe 4:16)15but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, (Isa 29:23; Mt 6:9; Col 4:6; 2Ti 2:25; 1Pe 1:17)16having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. (Heb 13:18; 1Pe 2:12)17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. (1Pe 2:20; 1Pe 4:15)18For Christ also suffered[2] once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (Ro 4:25; Ro 5:2; 2Co 13:4; Col 1:22; Heb 9:26; Heb 9:28; 1Pe 2:21; 1Pe 4:1; 1Pe 4:6)19in which[3] he went and proclaimed[4] to the spirits in prison, (1Pe 3:18)20because[5] they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. (Ge 6:3; Ge 6:5; Ge 6:13; Ge 7:1; Ge 7:7; Ge 7:23; Ge 8:18; Heb 11:7; 2Pe 2:5)21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (Mr 16:16; Ac 16:33; Ro 6:3; Ro 10:10; Tit 3:5; 1Pe 1:3)22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (Ac 2:33; Ro 8:34; Ro 8:38; 1Co 15:24; Eph 1:20; Eph 1:21; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3)