Wives and Husbands

1In a similar way, you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands so that, even if some of them refuse to obey the word, they may be won over without a word through your conduct as wives 2when they see your pure and reverent lives.

3Your beauty should not be an external one, consisting of braided hair or the wearing of gold ornaments and dresses. 4Instead, it should be the inner disposition of the heart, consisting in the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which God values greatly.a 5After all, this is how holy women who set their hope on God used to make themselves beautiful in the past. They submitted themselves to their husbands, 6just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. You have become her daughters by doing good and by not letting anything terrify you.

7In a similar way, you husbands must live with your wives in an understanding manner, as with a most delicate partner.b Honor them as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing may interfere with your prayers.

When You are Wronged

8Finally, all of you must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love as brothers, and be compassionate and humble. 9Do not pay others back evil for evil or insult for insult. Instead, keep blessing them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.

10“For the person who wants to love life

and see good days

must keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from speaking deceit.

11He must turn away from evil and do good.

He must seek peace and pursue it.

12For the Lordc watches the righteous,d

and he pays attention to their prayers.e

But the Lordf opposes thoseg who do wrong.”h

13Who will harm you if you are devoted to doing what is good? 14But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. “Never be afraid of their threats, and never get upset. 15Instead, exalti the Messiah”j as Lord in your lives.k Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you to explain the hope you have. 16But do thisl gently and respectfully, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak evil of your good conduct in the Messiahm will be ashamed of slandering you. 17After all, if it is the will of God, it is better to suffer for doing right than for doing wrong.

18For the Messiahn also sufferedo for sins once for all,

an innocent person for the guilty,

so that he could bring youp to God.

He was put to death in a mortal body

but was brought to life by the Spirit,

19in which he went and made a proclamation to those imprisoned spirits 20who disobeyed long ago in the days of Noah, when God waited patiently while the ark was being built. In it a few, that is, eight persons, were saved by water. 21Baptism, which is symbolized by that water, now saves you also, not by removing dirt from the body, but by asking God for a clearq conscience based on the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah,r 22who has gone to heaven and is at the right hand of God, where angels, authorities, and powers have been made subject to him.