1 PETER 3

1 In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behaviour of their wives;⋮

2 beholding your chaste behaviour coupled with fear.⋮

3 Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on apparel;⋮

4 but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.⋮

5 For after this manner aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:⋮

6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.⋮

7 Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honour unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered.⋮

8 Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded:⋮

9 not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.⋮

10 For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:⋮

11 And let him turn away from evil, and do good; Let him seek peace, and pursue it.⋮

12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.⋮

13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good?⋮

14 But and if ye should suffer for righteousness’ sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled;⋮

15 but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:⋮

16 having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ.⋮

17 For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.⋮

18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the spirit;⋮

19 in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison,⋮

20 which aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:⋮

21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;⋮

22 who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.⋮