I Peter 3

¹In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be won by the behavior of the wives,

²when they behold your chaste behavior coupled with fear.

³Whose adorning, let it not be the out yard adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing golden ornaments, or of putting on apparel;

⁴but the hidden man of the heart, in that which is imperishable, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

⁵For in this manner in the old time the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands;

⁶as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose daughters ye have become, if ye do well, and fear no alarm.

⁷Dwell likewise, O husband, with thy wife according to knowledge, as with the weaker vessel, giving her honor as being heir with thee of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

⁸Finally, be, all of one mind, have fellow feeling, love as brethren, be compassionate, be humble;

⁹not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but, on the contrary, blessing the evil-doer; because for this end ye were called, that ye might inherit blessing.

¹⁰"For he that would love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile;

¹¹let him turn away from evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it.

¹²For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are toward their supplication; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

¹³And who is he that shall harm you, if ye are followers of that which is good?

¹⁴But if ye even suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye. And be not afraid at their terrors, nor alarmed;

¹⁵but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. And be ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, but with meekness and fear;

¹⁶having a good conscience, that, wherein ye are evil spoken of, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conduct in Christ.

¹⁷For it is better, if it be the will of God, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing.

¹⁸For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous one for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

¹⁹in which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison,

²⁰who were disobedient in times past, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water;

²¹which in its antitype, baptism, is now saving you,—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the earnest seeking for a good conscience toward God,—by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

²²who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

I Peter 3

¹Likewise, 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;

²While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

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

⁴But 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.

⁵For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

⁶Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

⁷Likewise, 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.

⁸Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

⁹Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

¹⁰For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

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

¹²For 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.

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

¹⁴But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

¹⁵But 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:

¹⁶Having 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.

¹⁷For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

¹⁸For 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:

¹⁹By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

²⁰Which 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.

²¹The 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:

²²Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.