1Pe 3 | HCSB | STEP | In 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

1 Peter 3

Wives and Husbands

1 In 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 over ^{▼▼Lit may be gained
,} ^d without a message by the way their wives live ^e 2 when they observe your pure, reverent lives. ^f 3 Your beauty should not consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold ornaments ^{▼▼Lit and of putting around of gold items} or fine clothes. ^h 4 Instead, it should consist of what is inside ^{▼▼Lit Instead, the hidden man of} the heart ^j with the imperishable quality of a gentle ^k and quiet ^l spirit, which is very valuable in God’s eyes. 5 For in the past, the holy ^m women who put their hope ⁿ in God also beautified themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, 6 just as Sarah ^o obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and are not frightened by anything alarming. ^p

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

Do No Evil

8 Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers, ^{▼▼Lit sympathetic, loving the brothers
,} ^u and be compassionate ^v and humble, ^{▼▼Other mss read courteous} 9 not paying back evil for evil ^x 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.

10 For the ^z one who wants to love life
and to see good days
must keep his tongue from evil ^aa
and his lips from speaking deceit, ^ab
11 and he must turn away ^ac from evil
and do what is good.
He must seek peace ^ad and pursue it,
12 because 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

13 And who will harm ^{▼▼Or mistreat, or do evil to} you if you are deeply committed to what is good? ^{▼▼Or you are partisans for the good; lit you are zealots} 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness, ^ah you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear ^aior be disturbed, ^{aj
,} ^ak 15 but honor ^{▼▼Or sanctify; lit set apart} the ^{▼▼Messiah: Or the Christ; the Greek word Christos means "the anointed one".}Messiah ^{▼▼Other mss read set God} as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason ^{▼▼Or who demands of you an accounting} for the hope that is in you. ^ap 16 However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, ^{▼▼Lit good
,} ^{▼▼Or keeping a clear conscience
,} ^as so that when you are accused, ^{▼▼Other mss read when they speak against you as evildoers} those who denounce your Christian life ^{▼▼Lit your good behavior in Christ} will be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer ^av for doing good, if that should be God’s will, ^{▼▼Lit if the will of God should will} than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also suffered ^ax for sins once for all, ^{▼▼Other mss read died for sins on our behalf; other mss read died for our sins; other mss read died for sins on your behalf
,} ^az
the righteous for the unrighteous, ^{▼▼Or the Righteous One in the place of the unrighteous many}
that He might bring you ^{▼▼Other mss read us} to God, ^bc
after being put to death in the fleshly realm ^{▼▼Or in the flesh
,} ^be
but made alive in the spiritual realm. ^{▼▼Or in the spirit, or in the Spirit}

19 In that state ^{▼▼Or In whom, or At that time, or In which} He also went and made a proclamation to the spirits ^bh in prison ^{▼▼Perhaps fallen supernatural beings or angels; 2Pt 2:4; Jd 6} 20 who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah ^bj while an ark was being prepared. In it a few – that is, eight people ^{▼▼Lit souls
,} ^bl – were saved through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, ^bm but the pledge ^{▼▼Or the appeal} of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. ^bo 22 Now that He has gone into heaven, ^bp He is at God’s right hand ^bq with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him. ^br