3
Wives and Husbands
1 Wives, likewise, subject yourselves to your own husbands, so that even if some are disobedient to the word, that by the conduct of their wives, without a word, they shall be gained for Christ, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct with fear. 3 Of whom let it not be the outward adorning of braiding of hair, and wearing of gold, or of putting on of fine clothes, 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible attitude of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious before God. 5 For thus formerly, the holy women who hoped on God also adorned themselves, subjecting themselves to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, of whom you became children, when you do good and are not afraid of any terror.
7 Husbands, likewise, live together according to knowledge as with a weaker vessel, with the wife, showing her honor as also a fellow heir of the grace of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered.
Suffering for Righteousness' Sake
8 Finally, all of you be like-minded, sympathetic, loving the brothers, compassionate, friendly, 9 not rendering evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called for this purpose, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For
“He that desires to love life
and see good days,
let him stop his tongue from evil,
and his lips from speaking guile.
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 upon the righteous,
and His ears open to their prayer;
but the face of the Lord is against those doing evil.”
13 And who is he that shall injure you if you become imitators of that which is good? 14 But even if you should suffer on account of righteousness, you are blessed. “But do not fear their threats, nor be troubled.” 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be prepared with 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, so that in what they speak against you as evildoers, those reviling your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if it is the will of God, than for doing evil.
Christ's Suffering and Ours
18 For Christ also suffered once to atone for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring you 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 disobeyed, when the longsuffering of God was waiting in the days of Noah, when the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water; 21 which as an antitype, baptism now also saves us—(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who having gone into heaven, is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being subjected to Him.