1 Peter 3 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Likewise, wives, [be] subject to your own husbands, that, even if any are disobedient to the word, they may be gained without [the] word by the conversation of the wives,
1 In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word,
2 having witnessed your pure conversation [carried out] in fear;
2 seeing your pure behavior in fear.
3 whose adorning let it not be that outward one of tressing of hair, and wearing gold, or putting on apparel;
3 Let your beauty come not from the outward adorning of braiding your hair, and of wearing gold ornaments or of putting on fine clothing,
4 but the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible [ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price.
4 but from the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.
5 For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands;
5 For this is how in the past the holy women who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands.
6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children ye have become, doing good, and not fearing with any kind of consternation.
6 So Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are if you do well and are not put in fear by any terror.
7 [Ye] husbands likewise, dwell with [them] according to knowledge, as with a weaker, [even] the female, vessel, giving [them] honour, as also fellow-heirs of [the] grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.
7 You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman as to the weaker vessel, as also being joint heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
8 Finally, [be] all of one mind, sympathising, full of brotherly love, tender hearted, humble minded;
8 Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,
9 not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but on the contrary, blessing [others], because ye have been called to this, that ye should inherit blessing.
9 not rendering evil for evil or insult for insult; but instead blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life and see good days, let him cause his tongue to cease from evil and his lips that they speak no guile.
10 For, “He who would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 And let him avoid evil, and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it;
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 because [the] eyes of [the] Lord [are] on [the] righteous, and his ears towards their supplications; but [the] face of [the] Lord [is] against them that do evil.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13 And who shall injure you if ye have become imitators of that which [is] good?
13 Now who will harm you if you become imitators of that which is good?
14 But if also ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed [are ye]; but be not afraid of their fear, neither be troubled;
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.”
15 but sanctify [the] Lord the Christ in your hearts, and [be] always prepared to [give] an answer [to] every one that asks you to give an account of the hope that [is] in you, but with meekness and fear;
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear,
16 having a good conscience, that [as to that] in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ.
16 having a good conscience. Thus, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.
17 For [it is] better, if the will of God should will it, to suffer [as] well-doers than [as] evildoers;
17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing what is right than for doing evil.
18 for Christ indeed has once suffered for sins, [the] just for [the] unjust, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in flesh, but made alive in [the] Spirit,
18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit,
19 in which also going he preached to the spirits [which are] in prison,
19 in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,
20 heretofore disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in [the] days of Noah while the ark was preparing, into which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:
20 who before were disobedient when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
21 which figure also now saves you, [even] baptism, not a putting away of [the] filth of flesh, but [the] demand as before God of a good conscience, by [the] resurrection of Jesus Christ,
21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who is at [the] right hand of God, gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being subjected to him.
22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
Cross references (22)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Colossians 3:18; Ephesians 5:33; Ephesians 5:22–24; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Titus 2:3–6
- 2 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 1:15; Philippians 1:27; Ephesians 5:33; 2 Peter 3:11
- 3 1 Timothy 2:9–10; Romans 12:2; Isaiah 3:18–24; Titus 2:3–15; Isaiah 61:10
- 4 Colossians 3:12; 1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 11:29; Romans 2:29; Titus 3:2
- 5 1 Timothy 5:5; Titus 2:3–4; Luke 8:2–3; Proverbs 31:30; 1 Timothy 2:15
- 6 Genesis 18:12; Romans 9:7–9; Daniel 3:16–18; Isaiah 57:11; Acts 4:19
- 7 Colossians 3:19; Genesis 2:23–24; Ephesians 5:25–28; Matthew 19:3–9; 1 Corinthians 7:3
- 8 Romans 12:10; Ephesians 4:31–5:2; 1 Peter 1:22; Philippians 4:8–9; James 3:17
- 9 Romans 12:17; Proverbs 20:22; Romans 12:14; Romans 12:19–21; 1 Thessalonians 5:15
- 10 Psalm 34:12–16; James 1:26; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 Peter 2:1; Revelation 14:5
- 11 Matthew 5:9; Hebrews 12:14; Psalm 34:14; Romans 14:19; Colossians 3:15
- 12 Psalm 34:15–16; John 9:31; Proverbs 15:29; Proverbs 15:3; 2 Chronicles 7:15
- 13 Proverbs 16:7; Romans 8:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 3 John 11; Psalm 38:20
- 14 Matthew 10:28; 1 Peter 2:19–20; Matthew 5:10–12; Isaiah 41:10–14; Isaiah 8:12–13
- 15 Colossians 4:6; 2 Timothy 2:25–26; Luke 21:14–15; 1 Peter 3:2; Matthew 10:18–20
- 16 1 Peter 2:12; 1 Peter 2:15; Hebrews 13:18; Titus 2:8; Matthew 5:11
- 17 1 Peter 3:14; 1 Peter 4:19; Matthew 26:39; 1 Peter 2:15; 1 Peter 2:20
- 18 Hebrews 9:28; Hebrews 9:26; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 4:6; Titus 2:14
- 19 1 Peter 4:6; Isaiah 61:1; Isaiah 42:7; Isaiah 49:9; Nehemiah 9:30
- 20 Hebrews 11:7; 2 Peter 2:5; Genesis 6:3; Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:18
- 21 Mark 16:16; Ezekiel 36:25–26; Galatians 3:27; Acts 22:16; Acts 2:38
- 22 Hebrews 9:24; Hebrews 12:2; Ephesians 1:20–21; Hebrews 10:12; Mark 16:19
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… from the dead will raise up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing," or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord …
The possessions of the hidden man of the heart, which in the sight of God are of great price? Did they lose these?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
For this cause then, though He said, "Take no thought what ye shall speak;" yet elsewhere He saith, "Be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you." That is, as long as the contest is among friends, He commands us also to take thought; but when there is …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… Henceforth ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and the rest: in accordance with which the Apostle Peter also writes, By the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
For baptism is "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God." So in training us for the life that follows on the resurrection the Lord sets out all the manner of life required by the Gospel, laying down for us the law of gentleness, of endurance of wrong, of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)