1Pe 3 | ISV | STEP | Wives and Husbands In 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

1 Peter 3

1 Wives and Husbands

In 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 wivesMatt 18:15; 1Cor 7:16; 9:19-22; 14:34; Eph 5:22; Col 3:18; Titus 2:5 2 when they see your pure and reverent lives.1Pet 2:12

3 Your beauty should not be an external one, consisting of braided hair or the wearing of gold ornaments and dresses.1Tim 2:9; Titus 2:3 4 Instead, it should be the inner disposition of the heart, consisting in the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great value in the sight of God.Ps 45:13; Rom 2:29; 7:22; 2Cor 4:16 5 After 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, 6 just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. You have become her daughters by doing good and by not letting anything terrify you.Gen 18:12

7 In a similar way, you husbands must live with your wives in an understanding manner, as with a most delicate vessel. ^{▼▼Lit. the weaker vessel} Honor them as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing may interfere with your prayers.Job 42:8; Matt 5:23-24; 18:19; 1Cor 7:3; 12:23; Eph 5:25; Col 3:19; 1Thes 4:4

8 When You Are WrongedFinally, all of you must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love as brothers, and be compassionate and humble.Rom 12:10, 16; 15:5; Eph 4:32; Phil 3:16; Col 3:12; Heb 13:1; 1Pet 2:17 9 Do not pay others back evil for evil or insult for insult. Instead, bless them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.Prov 17:13; 20:22; Matt 5:39; 25:34; Rom 12:14, 17; 1Cor 4:12; 1Thes 5:15 10 ForPs 34:12; James 1:26; 1Pet 2:1, 22; Rev 14:5

“the person who wants to love life

and see good days

must keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from speaking deceit.

11 He must turn away from evil and do good.Ps 37:27; Isa 1:16-17; Rom 12:18; 14:19; Heb 12:14; 3John 1:11

He must seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,John 9:31; James 5:16

and his ears are attentive to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against those who do wrong.” ^{▼▼Ps 34:12-16}

13 Who will harm you if you are devoted to doing what is good?Prov 16:7; Rom 8:28 14 But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Never be afraid of their threats, and never get upset.Isa 8:12-13; Jer 1:8; Matt 5:10-12; John 14:1, 27; James 1:12; 1Pet 2:19; 4:14 15 Instead, exalt ^{▼▼Or set apart} Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you to explain the hope you have.Ps 119:46; Acts 4:8; Col 4:6; 2Tim 2:25 16 But do this ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks do this} with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak evil of your good conduct in Christ will be ashamed of slandering you.Titus 2:8; Heb 13:18; 1Pet 2:12 17 After all, if it is the will of God, it is better to suffer for doing right than for doing wrong.

18 For Christ also suffered ^{▼▼Other mss. read died} for sins once for all, an innocent person for the guilty, so that he could bring you ^{▼▼Other mss. read us} to God. He was put to death in the sphere of the flesh but was made alive in the sphere of the spirit, ^{▼▼Or Spirit}Rom 1:4; 5:6; 8:11; 2Cor 13:4; Col 1:21-22; Heb 9:26, 28; 1Pet 2:21; 4:1 19 in which he went and made a proclamation to those imprisoned spiritsIsa 42:7; 49:9; 61:1; 1Pet 1:12; 4:6 20 who 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.Gen 6:3, 5, 13; 7:7; 8:18; Heb 11:7; 2Pet 2:5 21 Baptism, which is symbolized by that water, now saves you also, not by removing dirt from the body, but by asking God for a clear conscience based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ,Rom 10:10; Eph 5:26; Titus 3:5; 1Pet 1:3 22 who has gone to heaven and is at the right hand of God, where angels, authorities, and powers have been made subject to him.Ps 110:1; Rom 8:34, 38; 1Cor 15:24; Eph 1:20-21; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3