1 Peter 3 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Wives and Husbands

3 Likewise you wives, be submissive to your husbands, so that some, though they do not obey the word, may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see your reverent and chaste behavior. 3 Let not yours be the outward adorning with braiding of hair, decoration of gold, and wearing of fine clothing, 4 but let it be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5 So once the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves and were submissive to their husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are now her children if you do right and let nothing terrify you.

7 Likewise you husbands, live considerately with your wives, bestowing honor on the woman as the weaker sex, since you are joint heirs of the grace of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered.

Suffering for Doing Right

8 Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind. 9 Do not return evil for evil or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary bless, for to this you have been called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For

“He that would love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking guile;
11 let him turn away from evil and do right;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil.”

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is right? 14 But even if you do suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God’s will, than for doing wrong. 18 For Christ also died[a] for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 3:18 Other ancient authorities read suffered

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1 Peter 3 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

3 In like manner, the wives, be ye subject to your own husbands, that even if certain are disobedient to the word, through the conversation of the wives, without the word, they may be won, 2 having beheld your pure behaviour in fear, 3 whose adorning -- let it not be that which is outward, of plaiti...
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1 Peter 3 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

3 Also women be they subject to their husbands; that if any man believe not to the word[a], by the conversation of women they be won without word. 2 And behold ye in dread your holy conversation. 3 Of whom be there not withoutforth curious adorning of hair, either doing about of gold, either adorn...
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1 Peter 3 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

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. 2 They will see that you live holy lives and respect your husbands...
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1 Peter 3 - World English Bible (WEB)

3 In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word, 2 seeing your pure behavior in fear. 3 Let your beauty be not just the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jew...
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1 Peter 3 - The Voice (VOICE)

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1 Peter 3 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

3 Likewise, wives, be submitted to your own husbands so that—even if some do not obey the message—by the wives’ conduct, without a word they may be won over 2 as they observe your pure, reverent conduct. [a] 3 Don’t let your beauty[b] be external—braiding the hair and wearing gold jewelry or fine c...
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1 Peter 3 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Wives and Husbands3 Likewise you wives,[a] be submissive to your husbands, so that some, though they do not obey the word, may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see your reverent and chaste behavior. 3 Let not yours be the outward adorning with braiding of hair, dec...
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1 Peter 3 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Wives and Husbands3 Likewise you wives, be submissive to your husbands, so that some, though they do not obey the word, may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see your reverent and chaste behavior. 3 Let not yours be the outward adorning with braiding of hair, decora...
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1 Peter 3 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

3 Likewise, let the wives be subject to their husbands, so that even those who do not obey the word may be won by the behavior of the wives (without word) 2 while they observe your upright conduct, which is with fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be outward, braiding your hair or putting on gold or w...
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1 Peter 3 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

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1 Peter 3 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Wives and Husbands3 Wives, in the same way, accept the authority of your husbands, so that, even if some of them do not obey the word, they may be won over without a word by their wives’ conduct, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braidin...
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1 Peter 3 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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1 Peter 3 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

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1 Peter 3 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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