1 Peter 3

21st Century King James Version

3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the Word, they also may be won without the word by the conduct of their wives

² while they behold your chaste manner of living coupled with fear.

³ When adorning yourselves, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing gold, or of putting on apparel;

⁴ but let it be the hidden man of the heart which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price.

⁵ For in this manner in olden times the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands,

⁶ even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. Ye are her daughters as long as ye do well and are not afraid with any bewilderment.

⁷ Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with your wives with understanding, giving honor unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

⁸ Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one for another. Love each other as brethren, be sympathetic, be courteous,

⁹ not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing, knowing that ye are called thereto, that ye might inherit a blessing.

¹⁰ For, “He that would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.

¹¹ Let him eschew evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

¹² For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”

¹³ And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good?

¹⁴ But if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye. “And be not afraid of their terror; neither be troubled.”

¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

¹⁶ Have a good conscience, that, whereas they speak evil of you as of evildoers, they who falsely accuse may be ashamed by your good manner of life in Christ.

¹⁷ For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for welldoing than for evildoing.

¹⁸ For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit,

¹⁹ by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison,

²⁰ who one time were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, wherein few, (that is, eight souls) were saved by water.

²¹ The like figure to this, even baptism, doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

²² who has gone into Heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him.