1 Peter 3 - Christian Standard Bible Anglicised

Wives and Husbands

¹ In the same way, wives,  submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word,  they may be won over  without a word by the way their wives live

² when they observe your pure, reverent lives.

³ Don’t let your beauty consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and wearing gold jewellery or fine clothes,

⁴ but rather what is inside the heart  ,  #– #the imperishable quality of a gentle  and quiet  spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

⁵ For in the past, the holy  women who put their hope  in God also adorned themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands,

⁶ just as Sarah  obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and do not fear any intimidation.

⁷ Husbands,  in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner,  showing them honour as co-heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Do No Evil

⁸ Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another,  and be compassionate  and humble,

⁹ not paying back evil for evil  or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,  since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

¹⁰ For the   one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,

¹¹ and let him turn away   from evil and do what is good. Let him seek peace   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.

Undeserved Suffering

¹³ Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good?

¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness,  you are blessed. Do not fear them   ,or be intimidated,   ,

¹⁵ but in your hearts regard  Christ  the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

¹⁶ Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience,  so that when you are accused,  those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame.

¹⁷ For it is better to suffer  for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered  for sins once for all,  the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.  He was put to death in the flesh  , but made alive by the Spirit,

¹⁹ in which  he also went and made proclamation to the spirits  in prison

²⁰ who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah  while the ark was being prepared. In it a few #– #that is, eight people  ,  #– #were saved through water.

²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body,  but the pledge  of a good conscience towards God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

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