1 Peter 3
Advice to Wives: Adorn Your Relationship with Righteousness (3:1–6)
1 Likewise wives, defer to your own husbands, so that if they might disobey the word they may be attracted back by the conduct of the wives, without a word, 2 as they have your holy, God-fearing conduct opened to their spiritual eyes. 3 Let not your beauty be the outward braiding of the hair or the wrapping around of gold chains or the robing of outer garments, 4 but let your intimate adornment be the man of your heart in the eternal bond of kind and gentle spirituality, which is of great worth before the face of God. 5 Indeed, in this manner in times past have the women of covenant—those who hope in God—adorned themselves, supporting their husbands. 6 Sarah was obedient to Abraham, calling him “lord,” and you have become Sarah’s daughters, doing good works and not fearing, without worrying.
Advice to Husbands: Inherit Eternal Life with Your Wife (3:7)
7 Likewise husbands, live together with your family according to revealed knowledge, awarding honor to your wife, respecting her delicate feminine body and recognizing that you and she will be joint heirs of the blessing of life. Do this so that your prayers are not hindered by any discord.
Love One Another (3:8–12)
8 Finally, let all be of one mind, share one another’s pains, be loving friends, deeply compassionate and humble. 9 Do not render evil for evil, nor insult for insult, but instead return by giving a blessing, for you were called to do this so that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For he “who wants to love life and to see good days, let him hold his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile; 11 let him have no inclination toward evil but only toward doing good; and let him seek for peace and pursue it, 12 for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears hear their prayers, but the face of the Lord turns away from those who do evil things” [Ps. 34:12–16].
Be Not Afraid to Testify of Christ (3:13–17)
13 And who can really harm you if you are zealous for the good? 14 And even if you suffer on account of righteousness, you will be blessed. “Neither fear their terror nor be troubled, 15 but sanctify the Lord” [Isa. 8:12–13], even the Christ, in your hearts and be ready always to give forth an answer to every person who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 16 Remember to answer with meekness and respect, having a clear conscience, so that in that which you are maligned, those who insolently oppose your good conduct in Christ are discredited. 17 Indeed, if it is the plan willed by God, it is better for you to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong.
Christ Preached to the Spirits in the Spirit Prison (3:18–22)
18 For Christ also once suffered for sins on your behalf, a just person on behalf of the unjust, so that he might bring you and us to God, having been put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. 19 And while still in the spirit, he went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 some of whom had disobeyed when the long-suffering of God waited during the days of Noah while he was building the ark, so that by going into that ark a few people (that is eight souls) were brought safely through the water-ordeal. 21 And we now see that as a type of how baptism saves you. Baptism is not a removal of filth from the body but a covenantal promise made to God in good conscience made possible by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 22 He is now on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, with angels, authorities, and powers deferring to him.
