1 Peter 3

₁In the same way you wives must submit to your husbands, so that if any of them do not believe God's word, your conduct will win them over to believe. It will not be necessary for you to say a word, ₂because they will see how pure and reverent your conduct is. ₃You should not use outward aids to make yourselves beautiful, such as the way you do your hair, or the jewellery you put on, or the dresses you wear. ₄Instead, your beauty should consist of your true inner self, the ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God's sight. ₅For the devout women of the past who placed their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful by submitting to their husbands. ₆Sarah was like that; she obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are now her daughters if you do good and are not afraid of anything.

₇In the same way you husbands must live with your wives with the proper understanding that they are weaker than you. Treat them with respect, because they also will receive, together with you, God's gift of life. Do this so that nothing will interfere with your prayers.

₈To conclude: you must all have the same attitude and the same feelings; love one another as brothers and sisters, and be kind and humble with one another. ₉Do not pay back evil with evil or cursing with cursing; instead, pay back with a blessing, because a blessing is what God promised to give you when he called you. ₁₀As the scripture says:

₁₃Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? ₁₄But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, how happy you are! Do not be afraid of anyone, and do not worry. ₁₅But have reverence for Christ in your hearts, and honour him as Lord. Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, ₁₆but do it with gentleness and respect. Keep your conscience clear, so that when you are insulted, those who speak evil of your good conduct as followers of Christ will be ashamed of what they say. ₁₇For it is better to suffer for doing good, if this should be God's will, than for doing evil. ₁₈For Christ died for sins once and for all, a good man on behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God. He was put to death physically, but made alive spiritually, ₁₉and in his spiritual existence he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits. ₂₀These were the spirits of those who had not obeyed God when he waited patiently during the days that Noah was building his boat. The few people in the boat — eight in all — were saved by the water, ₂₁which was a symbol pointing to baptism, which now saves you. It is not the washing away of bodily dirt, but the promise made to God from a good conscience. It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ₂₂who has gone to heaven and is at the right-hand side of God, ruling over all angels and heavenly authorities and powers.