1 Peter
In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, so that
even if any do not obey the Gospel-word they may be won over
by the behavior of their wives, without a word,
as they see your pure, respectful
behavior.
Let your beauty not be just on the outside — elaborate hairstyles, gold jewelry, or fine clothes —
but in the inner
person of the heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of
the highest value in the sight of God.
For this is how the holy women of the past who hoped in God adorned themselves, by being subject to their husbands,
as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him “my lord.” You become her
spiritual children when you do what is right and do not fear.
Husbands, similarly, live with your wives with understanding of
her as the weaker vessel, and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of
life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
In summary, all of you must be of one mind, sympathetic, loving,
kind, and humble in spirit.
Do not pay back evil for evil or insult for insult,
but bless others instead, because you were called to inherit a blessing.
For
“Those who desire to love life and see good days must keep their tongues
from evil and their lips from speaking deceit.
They must turn away from evil
and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the upright, and His ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Who is going to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?
But if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. “Do not be
afraid of them, and do not be troubled.”
But honor the lord Messiah as holy in
your hearts, and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have. Do it with gentleness and respect,
keeping a clear
conscience so that people who slander your good conduct in Messiah may be
put to shame when they speak against you.
For it is better that you suffer for
doing what is right, if it is God’s will, than for doing what is wrong.
For
Messiah also suffered for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, to bring you
to God. He was put to death, a mortal human being; however he was made alive
again by resurrection in the spirit.
In this resurrected condition he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison,
who in the past were
disobedient, at the time when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while
the ark was being built. In the ark, a few, that is, eight human persons, were
saved through water.
That is a symbol of water baptism, which now saves
you — not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good
conscience to God — through the resurrection of Jesus Messiah,
who is
now at the right hand of God. He has gone into heaven, with angels and authorities and powers having been subjected to him.
1 Peter