3:1 In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then, 1 even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live, 2 3:2 when they see your pure and reverent conduct. 3 3:3 Let your 4 beauty 5 not be external – the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry 6 or fine clothes – 3:4 but the inner person 7 of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. 3:5 For in the same way the holy women who hoped in God long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands, 3:6 like Sarah who obeyed 8 Abraham, calling him lord. You become her children 9 when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so. 10 3:7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners 11 and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers. 12
3:8 Finally, all of you be harmonious, 13 sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. 3:9 Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless 14 others 15 because you were called to inherit a blessing. 3:10 For
the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep 16 his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit.
3:11 And he must turn away from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are 17 upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. 18
3:13 For 19 who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good? 3:14 But in fact, if you happen to suffer 20 for doing what is right, 21 you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them 22 or be shaken. 23 3:15 But set Christ 24 apart 25 as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. 26 3:16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, 27 keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. 28 3:17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, 29 than for doing evil.
3:18 30 Because Christ also suffered 31 once for sins,
the just for the unjust, 32
to bring you to God,
by being put to death in the flesh
but 33 by being made alive in the spirit. 34
3:19 In it 35 he went and preached to the spirits in prison, 36
3:20 after they were disobedient long ago 37 when God patiently waited 38 in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark 39 a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water. 3:21 And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you 40 – not the washing off of physical dirt 41 but the pledge 42 of a good conscience to God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 3:22 who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God 43 with angels and authorities and powers subject to him. 44
4:1 So, since Christ suffered 45 in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin, 46 4:2 in that he spends the rest of his time 47 on earth concerned about the will of God and not human desires. 4:3 For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians 48 desire. 49 You lived then 50 in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts, 51 and wanton idolatries. 52 4:4 So 53 they are astonished 54 when you do not rush with them into the same flood of wickedness, and they vilify you. 55 4:5 They will face a reckoning before 56 Jesus Christ 57 who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. 4:6 Now it was for this very purpose 58 that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, 59 so that though 60 they were judged in the flesh 61 by human standards 62 they may live spiritually 63 by God’s standards. 64
4:7 For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer. 65 4:8 Above all keep 66 your love for one another fervent, 67 because love covers a multitude of sins. 68 4:9 Show hospitality 69 to one another without complaining. 4:10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another 70 as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 4:11 Whoever speaks, let it be with 71 God’s words. 72 Whoever serves, do so with the strength 73 that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong 74 the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
4:12 Dear friends, do not be astonished 75 that a trial by fire is occurring among you, 76 as though something strange were happening to you. 4:13 But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed 77 you may also rejoice and be glad. 78 4:14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, 79 who is the Spirit of God, 80 rests 81 on you. 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker. 82 4:16 But if you suffer as a Christian, 83 do not be ashamed, but glorify 84 God that you bear such a name. 85 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house 86 of God. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate 87 of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? 4:18 And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of 88 the ungodly and sinners? 89 4:19 So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good. 90
5:1 So as your fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings and as one who shares in the glory that will be revealed, I urge the elders among you: 5:2 Give a shepherd’s care to 91 God’s flock among you, exercising oversight 92 not merely as a duty 93 but willingly under God’s direction, 94 not for shameful profit but eagerly. 5:3 And do not lord it over 95 those entrusted to you, 96 but be examples to the flock. 5:4 Then 97 when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away.
5:5 In the same way, you who are younger, 98 be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 99 5:6 And God will exalt you in due time, 100 if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand 101 5:7 by casting 102 all your cares 103 on him because he cares for you. 5:8 Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, 104 is on the prowl looking for someone 105 to devour. 5:9 Resist him, 106 strong in your faith, because you know 107 that your brothers and sisters 108 throughout the world 109 are enduring 110 the same kinds of suffering. 111 5:10 And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ 112 will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 113 5:11 To him belongs 114 the power forever. Amen.
5:12 Through Silvanus, 115 whom I know to be a faithful brother, 116 I have written to you briefly, in order to encourage you and testify 117 that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. 118 5:13 The church 119 in Babylon, 120 chosen together with you, 121 greets you, and so does Mark, my son. 5:14 Greet one another with a loving kiss. 122 Peace to all of you who are in Christ. 123