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1 Peter 3
New Life Version
1 Peter 3
New Life Version
Teaching for Married Christians
3 Wives, obey your own husbands. Some of your husbands may not obey the Word of God. By obeying your husbands, they may become Christians by the life you live without you saying anything. 2 They will see how you love God and how your lives are pure. 3 Do not let your beauty come from the outside. It should not be the way you comb your hair or the wearing of gold or the wearing of fine clothes. 4 Your beauty should come from the inside. It should come from the heart. This is the kind that lasts. Your beauty should be a gentle and quiet spirit. In God’s sight this is of great worth and no amount of money can buy it. 5 This was the kind of beauty seen in the holy women who lived many years ago. They put their hope in God. They also obeyed their husbands. 6 Sarah obeyed her husband Abraham. She respected him as the head of the house. You are her children if you do what is right and do not have fear.
7 In the same way, husbands should understand and respect their wives, because women are weaker than men. Remember, both husband and wife are to share together the gift of life that lasts forever. If this is not done, you will find it hard to pray.
Teaching for All Christians
8 Last of all, you must share the same thoughts and the same feelings. Love each other with a kind heart and with a mind that has no pride. 9 When someone does something bad to you, do not do the same thing to him. When someone talks about you, do not talk about him. Instead, pray that good will come to him. You were called to do this so you might receive good things from God. 10 For “If you want joy in your life and have happy days, keep your tongue from saying bad things and your lips from talking bad about others. 11 Turn away from what is sinful. Do what is good. Look for peace and go after it. 12 The Lord watches over those who are right with Him. He hears their prayers. But the Lord is against those who sin.” (A) 13 Who will hurt you if you do what is right? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, you will be happy. Do not be afraid or troubled by what they may do to make it hard for you. 15 Your heart should be holy and set apart for the Lord God. Always be ready to tell everyone who asks you why you believe as you do. Be gentle as you speak and show respect. 16 Keep your heart telling you that you have done what is right. If men speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see the good way you have lived as a Christian. 17 If God wants you to suffer, it is better to suffer for doing what is right than for doing what is wrong.
Christ Suffered for Us
18 Christ suffered and died for sins once for all. He never sinned and yet He died for us who have sinned. He died so He might bring us to God. His body died but His spirit was made alive. 19 Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison. 20 Those were the spirits of the people who would not obey in the days of Noah. God waited a long time for them while Noah was building the big boat. But only eight people were saved from dying when the earth was covered with water. 21 This is like baptism to us. Baptism does not mean we wash our bodies clean. It means we are saved from the punishment of sin and go to God in prayer with a heart that says we are right. This can be done because Christ was raised from the dead. 22 Christ has gone to heaven and is on the right side of God. Angels and powers of heaven are obeying Him.
1 Peter 3
New International Version
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, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.(D) 4 Rather, 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) 5 For 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, 6 like 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.
7 Husbands,(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
8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded,(K) be sympathetic, love one another,(L) be compassionate and humble.(M) 9 Do 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) 10 For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For 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)
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?(U) 14 But 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) 15 But 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, 16 keeping a clear conscience,(Z) so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.(AA) 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will,(AB) to suffer for doing good(AC) than for doing evil. 18 For 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) 19 After being made alive,[d] he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits(AI)— 20 to 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, 21 and 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) 22 who 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, 19 in which also
- 1 Peter 3:21 Or but an appeal to God for a clear conscience
1 Peter 3
King James Version
1 Peter 3
King James Version
3 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
5 For after this manner in the old time 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: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour 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 of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will 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 ensue 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 and 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 that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
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 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto 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 is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
New Life Version (NLV)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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