Aa
Wives and Husbands
1In the same way, wives,3:1 Eph 5:22–33; Col 3:18–19; 1Tm 3:11 submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word,3:1 1Co 7:16; 1Pt 1:24–25 they may be won over3:1 1Co 9:19–22; Php 3:8 without a word by the way their wives live3:1 2Pt 3:11
2when they observe your pure, reverent lives.3:2 Ti 2:5
3Don’t let your beauty consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes,3:3 Is 3:18–24; 1Tm 2:9
4but rather what is inside the heart3:4 Or rather, the hidden person of the heart3:4 Rm 2:29; 7:22 — the imperishable quality of a gentle3:4 Mt 5:5 and quiet3:4 1Tm 2:2 spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
5For in the past, the holy3:5 Ps 20:6; 1Co 7:14 women who put their hope3:5 1Tm 5:5; 1Pt 1:3 in God also adorned themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands,
6just as Sarah3:6 Gn 17:15–21; 18:6–15; Heb 11:11 obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and do not fear any intimidation.3:6 Pr 3:25
7Husbands,3:7 Mt 1:19; 1Co 14:35; Eph 5:22–28; Col 3:18–19; Ti 2:4–5 in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner,3:7 1Th 4:4 showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
Do No Evil
8Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another,3:8 Heb 13:1 and be compassionate3:8 Eph 4:32 and humble,3:8 Other mss read courteous
9not paying back evil for evil3:9 Rm 12:17 or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,3:9 Lk 6:28; Rm 12:14; 1Co 4:12 since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.
10For the3:10–12 Ps 34:12–16 one who wants to love life
and to see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil 3:10 Jms 1:26
and his lips from speaking deceit, 3:10 Rm 3:13; Jms 3:5–8
11 and let him turn away 3:11 Ps 37:27 from evil
and do what is good.
Let him seek peace 3:11 Lk 12:51; 2Tm 1:2; Heb 12:14; 3Jn 14 and pursue it,
12 because 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 what is evil. 3:10–12 Ps 34:12–16
Undeserved Suffering
13Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good?
14But even if you should suffer for righteousness,3:14 Mt 6:33; Rm 1:17; 2Pt 1:1 you are blessed. Do not fear them3:14 Or Do not fear what they fear3:14 Jn 6:20; 7:13 or be intimidated,3:14Is 8:123:14–15 Is 8:12–13
15but in your hearts regard3:15 Or sanctify, or set apart Christ3:15 Other mss read set God the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.3:15 1Jn 4:4
16Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience,3:16 Ac 23:1; 24:16; Rm 9:1; 2Co 1:12; 1Tm 1:5,19; 3:9; Heb 10:22; 1Pt 3:21 so that when you are accused,3:16 Other mss read when they speak against you as evildoers those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame.
17For it is better to suffer3:17 Php 1:29; 1Pt 2:19 for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
18For Christ also suffered3:18 Mk 8:31; Rm 5:8 for sins once for all,3:18 Rm 6:10; Heb 9:28; 10:10; 1Pt 2:21; 4:1 the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.3:18 Rm 5:2 He was put to death in the flesh3:18 Or by the flesh, or in the fleshly realm3:18 Eph 2:14 but made alive by the Spirit,3:18 Or in the spirit, or in the Spirit, or in the spiritual realm
19in which3:19 Or by whom, or in whom, or at that time he also went and made proclamation to the spirits3:19 1Jn 4:1 in prison
20who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah3:20 Gn 5:29 while the ark was being prepared. In it a few — that is, eight people3:20 Or souls3:20 Gn 5:32; 6:18; 7:7,13; 8:16,18 — were saved through water.
21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body,3:21 Heb 9:14; 10:22 but the pledge3:21 Or the appeal of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,3:21 1Pt 1:3
22who has gone into heaven3:22 Ac 1:10,12; 1Tm 3:16; Heb 4:14; 6:20 and is at the right hand of God3:22 Ps 110:1; Mk 16:19; Ac 2:33–34; Rm 8:34; Heb 10:12 with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.3:22 Eph 1:20–22