1 Peter 3

Worldwide English (New Testament)

3 Wives, respect and obey your husbands in the same way. Then the husbands who do not obey the word of God will want to know God. They will want to know God because their wives live good lives, even though they say nothing about God.

²They will see that you live holy lives and respect your husbands.

³You should not be fine on the outside only. Some women make their hair nice. They wear gold things. They have fine clothes.

⁴But you must be fine in your heart. Have a heart that is gentle and quiet. That will not wear out. And God thinks it is worth very much.

⁵There were holy women long ago who trusted in God. They made themselves nice in this way. They obeyed their husbands.

⁶Sarah obeyed Abraham. She called him her master. You are her children if you do what is right and are not afraid of trouble.

⁷Husbands, also live with your wife the way you know is right. Respect her because she is a woman. She is not as strong as a man. Also respect her because God has given her, as well as you, the blessing of life. In this way, you will not stop God from doing what you ask him to do.

⁸Here is one thing more. You must all agree. You must care when others have trouble. You must love your Christian brothers. You must be kind. You must not be proud.

⁹You must not do wrong things to those who do wrong things to you. You must not say wrong things to those who say wrong things to you. But ask God to bless those people. This is what you have been called to do. Then God will bless you.

¹⁰The holy writings say,`A man who wants to live and have good days must not say wrong things. He must not say anything that is not true.

¹¹He must turn away from anything wrong and do what is good. He must try hard to find peace, and keep on looking for it.

¹²The Lord watches over those who do good. He listens when they talk to him. But the Lord is against those who do wrong things.'

¹³Who will do something bad to you if you want to do what is good?

¹⁴But even if people trouble you because you do right, God will bless you. Do not be afraid of them. And do not be troubled.

¹⁵Worship Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. But be gentle and respect him.

¹⁶Keep your hearts clean. Then when people say wrong things about you, they will be ashamed because they have talked wrongly about your good Christian life.

¹⁷It is better to have trouble for doing right, if God allows it, than to have trouble for doing wrong.

¹⁸For Christ died that once because of our wrong ways. He was good and he died for those who were bad. He did this to bring us to God. His body died, but his spirit had new life.

¹⁹His spirit went and gave his message to people's spirits who were in prison.

²⁰In the days long ago, they did not obey God. God waited for them to do so while Noah was building the big house on the boat. A few people, only eight, were saved by going through the water.

²¹The water of baptism is like that. It saves you. It does not save you because it washes dirt from your bodies. But it saves you because you bring yourselves to God with a clean heart. It saves you because Jesus Christ has been raised from death.

²²He has gone up into heaven. He is now at the right side of God. Angels, rulers, and governments obey him.

1 Peter 3

New King James Version

Submission to Husbands

3 Wives, likewise, be ^(A)submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, ^(B)they, without a word, may ^(C)be won by the conduct of their wives, ²^(D)when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. ³^(E)Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— ⁴rather let it be ^(F)the hidden person of the heart, with the ^[a]incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. ⁵For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, ⁶as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(G)calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

A Word to Husbands

⁷^(H)Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, ^(I)as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, ^(J)that your prayers may not be hindered.

Called to Blessing

⁸Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be ^[b]courteous; ⁹^(K)not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary ^(L)blessing, knowing that you were called to this, ^(M)that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰For

^(N)“He who would love life
And see good days,
^(O)Let him ^[c]refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
¹¹Let him ^(P)turn away from evil and do good;
^(Q)Let him seek peace and pursue it.
¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
^(R)And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Suffering for Right and Wrong

¹³^(S)And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? ¹⁴^(T)But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. ^(U)“And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” ¹⁵But ^[d]sanctify ^[e]the Lord God in your hearts, and always ^(V)be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the ^(W)hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; ¹⁶^(X)having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. ¹⁷For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Christ’s Suffering and Ours

¹⁸For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring ^[f]us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, ²⁰who formerly were disobedient, ^[g]when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. ²¹^(Y)There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism ^(Z)(not the removal of the filth of the flesh, ^(AA)but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who has gone into heaven and ^(AB)is at the right hand of God, ^(AC)angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Footnotes

1 Peter 3:4 imperishable
1 Peter 3:8 NU humble
1 Peter 3:10 restrain
1 Peter 3:15 set apart
1 Peter 3:15 NU Christ as Lord
1 Peter 3:18 NU, M you
1 Peter 3:20 NU, M when the longsuffering of God waited patiently

1 Peter 3

New International Version

3 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves^(A) to your own husbands^(B) so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over^(C) without words by the behavior of their wives, ²when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. ³Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.^(D) ⁴Rather, it should be that of your inner self,^(E) the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.^(F) ⁵For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God^(G) used to adorn themselves.^(H) They submitted themselves to their own husbands, ⁶like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.^(I) You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

⁷Husbands,^(J) in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Suffering for Doing Good

⁸Finally, all of you, be like-minded,^(K) be sympathetic, love one another,^(L) be compassionate and humble.^(M) ⁹Do not repay evil with evil^(N) or insult with insult.^(O) On the contrary, repay evil with blessing,^(P) because to this^(Q) you were called^(R) so that you may inherit a blessing.^(S) ¹⁰For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
¹¹They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.
¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
    and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”^[a]^(T)

¹³Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?^(U) ¹⁴But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.^(V) “Do not fear their threats^[b]; do not be frightened.”^[c]^(W) ¹⁵But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer^(X) to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope^(Y) that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶keeping a clear conscience,^(Z) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.^(AA) ¹⁷For it is better, if it is God’s will,^(AB) to suffer for doing good^(AC) than for doing evil. ¹⁸For Christ also suffered once^(AD) for sins,^(AE) the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.^(AF) He was put to death in the body^(AG) but made alive in the Spirit.^(AH) ¹⁹After being made alive,^[d] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits^(AI)— ²⁰to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently^(AJ) in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.^(AK) In it only a few people, eight in all,^(AL) were saved^(AM) through water, ²¹and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you^(AN) also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience^(AO) toward God.^[e] It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,^(AP) ²²who has gone into heaven^(AQ) and is at God’s right hand^(AR)—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.^(AS)

Footnotes

1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:12-16
1 Peter 3:14 Or fear what they fear
1 Peter 3:14 Isaiah 8:12
1 Peter 3:19 Or but made alive in the spirit, ¹⁹in which also
1 Peter 3:21 Or but an appeal to God for a clear conscience

1 Peter 3

English Standard Version

Wives and Husbands

3 Likewise, wives, ^(A)be subject to your own husbands, so that ^(B)even if some do not obey the word, ^(C)they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, ²when they see your ^(D)respectful and pure conduct. ³^(E)Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— ⁴but let your adorning be ^(F)the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. ⁵For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, ⁶as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(G)calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and ^(H)do not fear anything that is frightening.

⁷Likewise, ^(I)husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker ^(J)vessel, since they are heirs with you^[a] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

⁸Finally, all of you, ^(K)have unity of mind, sympathy, ^(L)brotherly love, ^(M)a tender heart, and ^(N)a humble mind. ⁹^(O)Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, ^(P)bless, for ^(Q)to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. ¹⁰For

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

¹³Now ^(S)who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ¹⁴^(T)But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. ^(U)Have no fear of them, ^(V)nor be troubled, ¹⁵but ^(W)in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, ^(X)always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and ^(Y)respect, ¹⁶^(Z)having a good conscience, so that, ^(AA)when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷For ^(AB)it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸For Christ also ^(AC)suffered^[b] ^(AD)once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, ^(AE)that he might bring us to God, being put to death ^(AF)in the flesh but made alive ^(AG)in the spirit, ¹⁹in which^[c] he went and ^(AH)proclaimed^[d] to the spirits in prison, ²⁰because^[e] they formerly did not obey, ^(AI)when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, ^(AJ)while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, ^(AK)eight persons, were brought safely through water. ²¹Baptism, which corresponds to this, ^(AL)now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but ^(AM)as an appeal to God for a good conscience, ^(AN)through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who has gone into heaven and ^(AO)is at the right hand of God, ^(AP)with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Footnotes

1 Peter 3:7 Some manuscripts since you are joint heirs
1 Peter 3:18 Some manuscripts died
1 Peter 3:19 Or the Spirit, in whom
1 Peter 3:19 Or preached
1 Peter 3:20 Or when

Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

New King James Version (NKJV)

New International Version (NIV)

1 Peter 3

Worldwide English (New Testament)