Wives and Husbands

1In the same way, wives,a submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the Christian message,b they may be won overc, d without a message by the way their wives livee 2when they observe your pure, reverent lives.f 3Your beauty should not consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornamentsg or fine clothes.h 4Instead, it should consist of what is insidei the heartj with the imperishable quality of a gentlek and quietl spirit, which is very valuable in God’s eyes. 5For in the past, the holym women who put their hopen in God also beautified themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, 6just as Saraho obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and are not frightened by anything alarming.p

7Husbands,q in the same way, live with your wives with an understanding of their weaker naturer, s yet showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Do No Evil

8Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers,t, u and be compassionatev and humble,w 9not paying back evil for evilx or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,y since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.

10For thez one who wants to love life

and to see good days

must keep his tongue from evilaa

and his lips from speaking deceit,ab

11and he must turn awayac from evil

and do what is good.

He must seek peacead and pursue it,

12because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and His ears are open to their request.

But the face of the Lord is against

those who do what is evil.ae

Undeserved Suffering

13And who will harmaf you if you are deeply committed to what is good?ag 14But even if you should suffer for righteousness,ah you are blessed. Do not fear what they fearai or be disturbed,aj, ak 15but honoral the •Messiaham as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reasonan for the hope that is in you.ao 16However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear,ap, aq, ar so that when you are accused,as those who denounce your Christian lifeat will be put to shame. 17For it is better to sufferau for doing good, if that should be God’s will,av than for doing evil.

18For Christ also sufferedaw for sins once for all,ax, ay

the righteous for the unrighteous,az

that He might bring youba to God,bb

after being put to death in the fleshly realmbc, bd

but made alive in the spiritual realm.be

19In that statebf He also went and made a proclamation to the spiritsbg in prisonbh 20who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noahbi while an ark was being prepared. In it a few — that is, eight peoplebj, bk — were saved through water. 21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not the removal of the filth of the flesh,bl but the pledgebm of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.bn 22Now that He has gone into heaven,bo He is at God’s right handbp with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.bq