Wives and Husbands

3 In the same way, wives,^(A) submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word,^(B) they may be won over^(C) without a word by the way their wives live^{(D) 2} when they observe your pure, reverent lives.^{(E) 3} Don’t let your beauty consist of outward things like elaborate hairstyles and wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes,^{(F) 4} but rather what is inside the heart^[a](G)—the imperishable quality of a gentle^(H) and quiet^(I) spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. ⁵ For in the past, the holy^(J) women who put their hope^(K) in God also adorned themselves in this way, submitting to their own husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah^(L) obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You have become her children when you do what is good and do not fear any intimidation.^(M)

⁷ Husbands,^(N) in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner,^(O) showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

Do No Evil

⁸ Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another,^(P) and be compassionate^(Q) and humble,^{[b] 9} not paying back evil for evil^(R) or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing,^(S) since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

Undeserved Suffering

¹³ Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness,^(Z) you are blessed. Do not fear them^[c](AA) or be intimidated,^{[d](AB) 15} but in your hearts regard^[e] Christ^[f] the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.^{(AC) 16} Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience,^(AD) so that when you are accused,^[g] those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer^(AE) for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered^(AF) for sins once for all,^(AG) the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God.^(AH) He was put to death in the flesh^[h](AI) but made alive by the Spirit,^{[i] 19} in which^[j] he also went and made proclamation to the spirits^(AJ) in prison ²⁰ who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah^(AK) while the ark was being prepared. In it a few—that is, eight people^[k](AL)—were saved through water. ²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body,^(AM) but the pledge^[l] of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,^{(AN) 22} who has gone into heaven^(AO) and is at the right hand of God^(AP) with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.^(AQ)

Jeremiah’s Word to King Zedekiah

34 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon,^(A) his whole army, all the kingdoms of the lands under his control,^(B) and all other peoples were fighting against Jerusalem and all its surrounding cities: ² “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Go, speak to King Zedekiah of Judah, and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon,^(C) and he will burn it. ³ As for you, you will not escape^(D) from him but are certain to be captured and handed over to him. You will meet the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak face to face;^[a](E) you will go to Babylon.

⁴ “‘Yet hear the Lord’s word, King Zedekiah of Judah. This is what the Lord says concerning you: You will not die by the sword; ⁵ you will die peacefully. There will be a burning ceremony for you just like the burning ceremonies for your ancestors, the kings of old who came before you.^(F) “Oh, master!” will be the lament for you, for I have spoken this word. This is the Lord’s declaration.’”

⁶ So the prophet Jeremiah related all these words to King Zedekiah of Judah in Jerusalem ⁷ while the king of Babylon’s army was attacking Jerusalem and all of Judah’s remaining cities—that is, Lachish and Azekah,^(G) for they were the only ones left of Judah’s fortified cities.

The People and Their Slaves

⁸ This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah made a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom^(H) to them. ⁹ As a result, each was to let his male and female Hebrew slaves go free, and no one was to enslave his fellow Judean.^{(I) 10} All the officials and people who entered into covenant to let their male and female slaves go free—in order not to enslave them any longer—obeyed and let them go free. ¹¹ Afterward, however, they changed their minds and took back their male and female slaves they had let go free and forced them to become slaves again.

¹² Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ¹³ “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant^(J) with your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, saying, ¹⁴ ‘At the end of seven years, each of you must let his fellow Hebrew who sold himself^[b] to you go. He may serve you six years, but then you must let him go free from your service.’^(K) But your ancestors did not obey me or pay any attention. ¹⁵ Today you repented and did what pleased me, each of you proclaiming freedom for his neighbor. You made a covenant before me^(L) at the house that bears my name.^{(M) 16} But you have changed your minds^(N) and profaned my name.^(O) Each has taken back his male and female slaves who had been set free to go wherever they wanted, and you have again forced them to be your slaves.

¹⁷ “Therefore, this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming freedom, each for his fellow Hebrew and for his neighbor.^(P) I hereby proclaim freedom for you^(Q)—this is the Lord’s declaration—to the sword, to plague, and to famine! I will make you a horror to all the earth’s kingdoms.^{(R) 18} As for those who disobeyed my covenant,^(S) not keeping the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat them like the calf they cut in two in order to pass between its pieces.^{(T) 19} The officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the pieces of the calf— ²⁰ all these I will hand over to their enemies, to those who intend to take their life. Their corpses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the wild animals of the land.^{(U) 21} I will hand King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials over to their enemies, to those who intend to take their lives, to the king of Babylon’s army that is withdrawing. ²² I am about to give the command—this is the Lord’s declaration—and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, capture it, and burn it.^(V) I will make Judah’s cities a desolation, without inhabitant.”^(W)

Psalm 136

God’s Love Is Eternal