New Living Translation

New King James Version

Wives

In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over

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Submission to Husbands

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,

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by observing your pure and reverent lives.

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when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.

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Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.

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Do not let your adornment be merely outward — arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel —

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You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

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rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the [a]incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

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This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands.

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For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,

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For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.

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as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.

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Husbands

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

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A Word to Husbands

Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

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All Christians

Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters.a Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.

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Called to Blessing

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be [b]courteous;

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Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.

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not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

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For the Scriptures say,
“If you want to enjoy life
and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies.

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For
“He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him [c]refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.

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Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

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Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.

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The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right,
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the LORD turns his face
against those who do evil.”b

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For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

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Suffering for Doing Good

Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?

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Suffering for Right and Wrong

And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?

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But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.

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But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”

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Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.

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But [d]sanctify [e]the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

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But do this in a gentle and respectful way.c Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

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having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

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Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

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For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

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Christ sufferedd for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.e

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Christ’s Suffering and Ours

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring [f]us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

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So he went and preached to the spirits in prison —

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by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

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those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.f

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who formerly were disobedient, [g]when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

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And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God fromg a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

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Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.

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who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Parallel

New Living Translation

New King James Version

1 Peter 3

1 Peter 3