| Holman Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the Christian message, they may be won over without a message by the way their wives live | 1In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over |
| 2when they observe your pure, reverent lives. | 2by observing your pure and reverent lives. |
| 3Your beauty should not consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornaments or fine clothes. | 3Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. |
| 4Instead, it should consist of what is inside the heart with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very valuable in God's eyes. | 4You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. |
| 5For in the past, the holy women who put their hope in God also beautified themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, | 5This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands. |
| 6just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and are not frightened by anything alarming. | 6For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do. Husbands |
| 7Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives with an understanding of their weaker nature yet showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. | 7In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. All Christians |
| 8Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, and be compassionate and humble, | 8Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. |
| 9not 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 can inherit a blessing. | 9Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. |
| 10For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, | 10For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. |
| 11and he must turn away from evil and do what is good. He must seek peace and pursue it, | 11Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain 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. | 12The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil.” Suffering for Doing Good |
| 13And who will harm you if you are deeply committed to what is good? | 13Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? |
| 14But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed, | 14But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. |
| 15but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. | 15Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. |
| 16However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused, those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame. | 16But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. |
| 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. | 17Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! |
| 18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God, after being put to death in the fleshly realm but made alive in the spiritual realm. | 18Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. |
| 19In that state He also went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison | 19So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— |
| 20who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while an ark was being prepared. In it a few--that is, eight people--were saved through water. | 20those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. |
| 21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. | 21And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. |
| 22Now that He has gone into heaven, He is at God's right hand with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him. | 22Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority. |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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