Wives and Husbands

3 In the same way [2:18], you wives should ·yield [submit; be subject; Eph. 5:21–24; Col. 3:18; ^Cputting the other person’s interests first] to your husbands. Then, if some husbands do not ·obey [or believe] ·God’s teaching [^Lthe word/message], they will be ·persuaded to believe [won over; ^Lgained] without anyone’s saying a word to them. They will be ·persuaded [won over; ^Lgained] by ·the way their wives live [their wives’ conduct/behavior]. ² Your husbands will see the pure lives you live ·with your respect for God [^Lin reverence/fear; ^Cfear in the positive sense of reverence for God; Prov. 1:7]. ³ It is not [^Lexternal things like] ·fancy [braided; elaborate] hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should ·make you beautiful [^Lbe your adornment]. ⁴ No, your beauty should come from ·within you [your inner self; ^Lthe hidden/secret person of the heart]—the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit that will never ·be destroyed [fade; perish] and is ·very precious [very valuable; of great worth] to God [Prov. 31:30]. ⁵ In this same way the holy women who lived long ago and ·followed [^Lput their hope in] God ·made themselves beautiful [^Ladorned themselves], ·yielding [submitting; subjecting themselves] to their own husbands. ⁶ Sarah obeyed Abraham, her husband, and called him her ·master [lord; Gen. 18:12]. And you women are true children of Sarah if you always do what is ·right [good] and ·are not afraid [^Lfear no fear/intimidation].

⁷ In the same way [2:18; 3:1], you husbands should live with your wives in an ·understanding [considerate] way [Eph. 5:25–33; Col. 3:19], since they are ·weaker than you [the weaker sex; or the less empowered one; ^Lthe weaker vessel; ^Cwomen are typically physically weaker, but in Greco-Roman and Jewish society, they also had less power and authority]. But ·show them respect [pay/give them honor], because ·God gives them the same blessing he gives you—[^Lthey are co-heirs of] ·the grace that gives true life [or God’s gift of life; ^Lthe grace of life]. Do this so that nothing will ·stop [hinder] your prayers.

Suffering for Doing Right

⁸ Finally, all of you should ·be in agreement [be like-minded; live in harmony], ·understanding each other [sympathetic], ·loving each other as family [^Lshowing brotherly love], being ·kind [tender; compassionate] and humble. ⁹ Do not ·do wrong to repay a wrong, and do not insult to repay an insult [^Lrepay evil for evil or insult for insult]. But repay with a blessing, because you yourselves were called [^Cby God] to do this so that you might ·receive [^Linherit] a blessing [Luke 6:27–28]. ¹⁰ ·The Scripture says [^LFor],

¹³ If you are ·trying hard [eager; zealous; passionate] to do good, ·no one [^Lwho…?] can really ·hurt [harm; do evil to; mistreat] you. ¹⁴ But even if you suffer for ·doing right [righteousness], you are blessed [Matt. 5:10].

¹⁵ But ·respect Christ as the holy Lord [^Lsanctify Christ as Lord; Is. 8:13] in your hearts [^Cthat is, acknowledge his holiness and sovereignty in your life]. Always be ready to ·answer [or give a defense to] everyone who asks you to explain about the hope ·you have [^Lthat is in you], ¹⁶ but answer in a ·gentle [humble] way and ·with respect [or with fear/reverence for God]. Keep a ·clear [good] conscience so that ·those who speak evil of [^Lwhen you are accused, those slanderers of] your good ·life [behavior; conduct] in Christ will be made ashamed. ¹⁷ It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing ·wrong [evil] if that is ·what God wants [the will of God]. ¹⁸ Christ himself suffered for sins ·once [or once for all; ^Conly his suffering has the power to redeem others]. ·He was not guilty, but he suffered for those who are guilty [^L…the righteous for the unrighteous] to bring you to God. ·His body was killed [^LHe was put to death in the flesh/body], but he was made alive in the ·spirit [or Spirit; ^Cat his resurrection in a glorified body]. ¹⁹ And in the ·spirit [or Spirit] he went and preached to the spirits in prison [^Cprobably either fallen angels, imprisoned by God (see Gen. 6:1–4; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) or the spirits of the people who rejected Noah’s preaching; see v. 20] ²⁰ who refused to obey God long ago in the time of Noah [Gen. 6:1—8:22], when ·God was waiting patiently [^Lthe patience of God waited] while Noah was building the ·boat [ark]. [In this ark; ^LIn it] Only a few people—eight in all—were saved ·by [or through] water. ²¹ And that water ·is like [anticipates; foreshadows; symbolizes; prefigures] baptism that now saves you—not the ·washing [removal] of dirt from the body, but the ·promise [pledge; appeal; or response] made to God from a ·good [clear] conscience. And this is ·because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead [or through the resurrection of Jesus Christ]. ²² Now Jesus has gone into heaven and is at God’s right side [^Cthe place of honor] ·ruling over angels, authorities, and powers [^Lwith angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him].