Wives and Husbands Honor Each Other
Instructions to wives and husbands turn on honoring each other and the quiet spirit precious to our Father, with a warning that contempt hinders prayer. Then the wider household: bless instead of retaliating, be ready to explain your hope gently, and remember Christ suffered for the unrighteous.
3 1Likewise, wives, submit to your own husbands, so that even if some disobey the word, they may be won without a word by their wives' conduct, 2seeing your pure, reverent conduct. 3Do not let your beauty be the outward kind—braided hair, gold jewelry, fine clothing. 4But let it be the hidden person of the heart, the undying beauty of a gentle, quiet spirit, precious in our Father's sight. 5For this is how the holy women of old who hoped in our Father adorned themselves, submitting to their own husbands, 6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you have become her children if you do good, fearing no terror.
7Husbands, similarly, live with your wives with understanding, honoring each as the weaker vessel and as coheirs of the grace of life, so your prayers aren't hindered.
A Family That Blesses
8Finally, all of you, be of one mind, sympathetic, loving one another as family, tenderhearted, and humble. 9Do not repay evil for evil or insult for insult, but bless instead—you were called to this, so you may inherit blessing. 10For, "Whoever desires to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 11Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 12For the eyes of our Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer, but the face of our Lord is against those who do evil."
13Now who is there to harm you if you are eager to do what is good?
14But if you suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Don't fear their fear, don't be shaken. 15Set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to answer anyone who asks the reason for your hope, but with gentleness and respect. 16Keep a clear conscience, so that when you're slandered, those who insult your good conduct in Christ are shamed. 17Better to suffer for doing good, if that's our Father's will, than for doing evil. 18For Christ too suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to our Father—put to death in flesh, made alive in spirit, a a v18 Christ suffered not to leave us at a distance but to bring us all the way home to our Father — this is the gospel's destination. 19in which he also went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, b b v19 The identity of 'the spirits in prison' is debated; most likely fallen spiritual beings from the time of Noah. 20who disobeyed long ago, when our Father waited patiently in Noah's days as the ark was being built, in which a few—eight people—were brought safely through the water. 21This corresponding baptism now saves you too—not removing body dirt, but appealing to our Father for a good conscience—through Jesus Christ's resurrection, 22who entered heaven and is at our Father's right hand, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.
