1 Peter 3  Legacy Standard Bible

Wives and Husbands

3 ^(A)In the same way, you wives, ^(B)be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be ^(C)won without a word by the conduct of their wives, ² as they observe your pure conduct with fear. ^3 (D)Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on garments; ⁴ but let it be ^(E)the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible quality of a lowly and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For in this way in former times the holy women also, ^(F)who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(G)calling him lord. You have become her children if you do good, ^[a](H)not fearing any intimidation.

^7 (I)You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker ^(J)vessel, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

^8 [b]Now to sum up, ^(K)all of you be like-minded, sympathetic, ^(L)brotherly, ^(M)tender-hearted, and ^(N)humble in spirit; ^9 (O)not returning evil for evil or ^(P)reviling for reviling, but ^[c]giving a ^(Q)blessing instead, for ^(R)you were called for the very purpose that you might ^(S)inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For,

Suffering for Righteousness

^13 (W)And who is ^[f]there to ^[g]harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should ^(X)suffer for the sake of righteousness, ^(Y)you ^[h]are blessed. ^(Z)And do not fear their fear, and do not be troubled, ¹⁵ but ^[i]sanctify ^(AA)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready ^(AB)to make ^[j]a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the ^(AC)hope that is in you, yet ^(AD)with gentleness and ^(AE)fear, ¹⁶ having a ^(AF)good conscience so that in the thing in which ^(AG)you are slandered, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. ¹⁷ For ^(AH)it is better, ^(AI)if ^[k]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing good rather than for doing wrong. ¹⁸ For ^(AJ)Christ also suffered for sins ^(AK)once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He might ^(AL)bring you to God, having been put to death ^(AM)in the flesh, but made alive ^(AN)in the ^[l]spirit; ¹⁹ in ^[m]which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, ²⁰ who once were disobedient, when the ^(AO)patience of God ^(AP)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of ^(AQ)the ark, in which a few, that is, ^(AR)eight ^(AS)persons, were brought safely through the ^[n]water. ^21 (AT)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—^(AU)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal ^[o]of a ^(AV)good conscience to God—through ^(AW)the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ^22 (AX)who is at the right hand of God, ^(AY)having gone into heaven, ^(AZ)after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.