1 Peter 3

¹Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to [your] husbands, so that even if [they] refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of [their] wives

²when they see your pure [and] reverent demeanor.

³[Your beauty] {should} not come [from] outward adornment, [such as] braided hair or gold [jewelry] or fine clothes,

⁴but from the inner disposition of [your] heart, the unfading [ beauty ] of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

⁵For this is how the holy women of the past adorned themselves. They put their hope in God [and] were submissive to [their] husbands,

⁶just as Sarah obeyed Abraham [and] called him lord. [And] you are [her] children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear.

⁷Husbands, in the same way, treat [your] wives {with} consideration as a delicate vessel, and {with} honor as fellow heirs of [the] gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

⁸Finally, all [of you], [be] like-minded [and] sympathetic, love as brothers, [be] tenderhearted [and] humble.

⁹Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

¹⁰For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep [his] tongue from evil and [his] lips [from] deceitful speech.

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

¹²For [the] eyes of [the] Lord [are] on [the] righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But [the] face of [the] Lord [is] against those who do evil.”

¹³Who can harm you if you are zealous for what [is] good?

¹⁴But even if you should suffer for what is right, [you are] blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”

¹⁵But in your hearts sanctify Christ [as] Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope [that is] in you. But [respond] with gentleness and respect,

¹⁶keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.

¹⁷For [it is] better, if [it is] God’s will, to suffer [for] doing good than for doing evil.

¹⁸For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, [the] righteous for [the] unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in [the] body but made alive in [the] Spirit,

¹⁹in whom He also went [and] preached to the spirits in prison

²⁰who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in [the] days of Noah [while the] ark was being built. In [the ark] a few [people], [only] eight souls, were saved through water.

²¹And [this water] symbolizes [the] baptism [that] now saves you {also} — not the removal of dirt from the body, but [the] pledge of a clear conscience toward God — through [the] resurrection of Jesus Christ,

²²who has gone into heaven [and] is at [the] right hand of God, [with] angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.