| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then, even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live, | 1Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, |
| 2when they see your pure and reverent conduct. | 2when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. |
| 3Let your beauty not be external--the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes-- | 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. |
| 4but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God's sight. | 4Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. |
| 5For in the same way the holy women who hoped in God long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands, | 5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, |
| 6like Sarah who obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You become her children when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so. | 6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. |
| 7Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers. | 7Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. |
| 8Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. | 8Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. |
| 9Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing. | 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. |
| 10For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit. | 10For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. |
| 11And he must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. | 11They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. |
| 12For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the Lord's face is against those who do evil. | 12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." |
| 13For who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good? | 13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? |
| 14But in fact, if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them or be shaken. | 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened." |
| 15But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. | 15But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, |
| 16Yet do it with courtesy and respect, keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. | 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. |
| 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, than for doing evil. | 17For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. |
| 18Because Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring you to God, by being put to death in the flesh but by being made alive in the spirit. | 18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. |
| 19In it he went and preached to the spirits in prison, | 19After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits-- |
| 20after they were disobedient long ago when God patiently waited in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water. | 20to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, |
| 21And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you--not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience to God--through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, | 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, |
| 22who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels and authorities and powers subject to him. | 22who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. |
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