Wives and Husbands

¹ In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands so that even if they do not obey the Word, they may be won, without a word, by the behavior of their wives, ² seeing your pure and reverent behavior.

³ Let your beauty not be merely the outward adorning of braided hair or of wearing gold jewels or fine clothing, ⁴ but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For this is how in the past, the holy women who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are, if you do good, and do not give in to fear and anxiety.

⁷ You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives with understanding, giving honor to the woman as the weaker one, but also as a joint heir in the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

Turn from Evil

⁸ Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous, ⁹ not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but instead blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For,

“He who would love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit.
¹¹ Let him turn away from evil and do good.
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears open to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” ^a

¹³ Now who will harm you if you become imitators of that which is good?

Suffering for Righteousness

¹⁴ But if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear, nor be troubled.” ¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear. ¹⁶ But do this with meekness and respect, with a clear conscience so that those who falsely accuse your good Christian life, speaking of you as evildoers, might be ashamed. ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, ¹⁹ in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. ²¹ This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

^{a Psalm 34-:12-16}

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