1 Peter 3

¹ In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, so that, even if some of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without a word by the conduct 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.

⁴ Rather, it should be the hidden person of the heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

⁵ For this is how the holy women of the past, who put their hope in God, used to make themselves beautiful. They submitted themselves to their own husbands,

⁶ like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

⁷ Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives with understanding, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel and as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

⁸ Finally, all of you, be like-minded, sympathetic, loving as a family, compassionate, and humble.

⁹ Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

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."

¹³ Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?

¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened."

¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

¹⁷ For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,

¹⁹ in which also he went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison

²⁰ who long ago did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water—

²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

²² who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand, with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him.