1 W ives, obey your own husbands. Some of your husbands may not obey the Word of God. By obeying your husbands, they may become Christians by the life you live without you saying anything.

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,

2 T hey will see how you love God and how your lives are pure.

when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.

3 D o not let your beauty come from the outside. It should not be the way you comb your hair or the wearing of gold or the wearing of fine clothes.

Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—

4 Y our beauty should come from the inside. It should come from the heart. This is the kind that lasts. Your beauty should be a gentle and quiet spirit. In God’s sight this is of great worth and no amount of money can buy it.

rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

5 T his was the kind of beauty seen in the holy women who lived many years ago. They put their hope in God. They also obeyed their husbands.

For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,

6 S arah obeyed her husband Abraham. She respected him as the head of the house. You are her children if you do what is right and do not have fear.

as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. A Word to Husbands

7 I n the same way, husbands should understand and respect their wives, because women are weaker than men. Remember, both husband and wife are to share together the gift of life that lasts forever. If this is not done, you will find it hard to pray. Teaching for All Christians

Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. Called to Blessing

8 L ast of all, you must share the same thoughts and the same feelings. Love each other with a kind heart and with a mind that has no pride.

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;

9 W hen someone does something bad to you, do not do the same thing to him. When someone talks about you, do not talk about him. Instead, pray that good will come to him. You were called to do this so you might receive good things from God.

not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

10 F or “If you want joy in your life and have happy days, keep your tongue from saying bad things and your lips from talking bad about others.

For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.

11 T urn away from what is sinful. Do what is good. Look for peace and go after it.

Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.

12 T he Lord watches over those who are right with Him. He hears their prayers. But the Lord is against those who sin.”

For the eyes of the L ord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the L ord is against those who do evil.” Suffering for Right and Wrong

13 W ho will hurt you if you do what is right?

And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?

14 B ut even if you suffer for doing what is right, you will be happy. Do not be afraid or troubled by what they may do to make it hard for you.

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”

15 Y our heart should be holy and set apart for the Lord God. Always be ready to tell everyone who asks you why you believe as you do. Be gentle as you speak and show respect.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

16 K eep your heart telling you that you have done what is right. If men speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see the good way you have lived as a Christian.

having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

17 I f God wants you to suffer, it is better to suffer for doing what is right than for doing what is wrong. Christ Suffered for Us

For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. Christ’s Suffering and Ours

18 C hrist suffered and died for sins once for all. He never sinned and yet He died for us who have sinned. He died so He might bring us to God. His body died but His spirit was made alive.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

19 C hrist went and preached to the spirits in prison.

by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

20 T hose were the spirits of the people who would not obey in the days of Noah. God waited a long time for them while Noah was building the big boat. But only eight people were saved from dying when the earth was covered with water.

who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

21 T his is like baptism to us. Baptism does not mean we wash our bodies clean. It means we are saved from the punishment of sin and go to God in prayer with a heart that says we are right. This can be done because Christ was raised from the dead.

There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

22 C hrist has gone to heaven and is on the right side of God. Angels and powers of heaven are obeying Him.

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.