Study Desk

^(a)In the same way, you wives, ^(b)be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be ^(c)won without a word by the behavior of their wives,

as they observe your chaste and ^[a]respectful behavior.

^(d)Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses;

but let it be ^(e)the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

For in this way in former times the holy women also, ^(f)who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;

just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(g)calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right ^[b](h)without being frightened by any fear.

⁽ⁱ⁾You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with ^[c](j)someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

^[d]To sum up, ^(k)all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, ^(l)brotherly, ^(m)kindhearted, and ⁽ⁿ⁾humble in spirit;

^(o)not returning evil for evil or ^(p)insult for insult, but ^[e]giving a ^(q)blessing instead; for ^(r)you were called for the very purpose that you might ^(s)inherit a blessing.

For, "^(t) The one who desires life, to love and see good days , Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit .

"^(u) He must turn away from evil and do good ; He must seek peace and pursue it .

"^(v) For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous , And His ears attend to their prayer , But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil ."

^(w)Who is ^[f]there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?

But even if you should ^(x)suffer for the sake of righteousness, ^(y)you ^[g]are blessed. ^(z) And do not fear their ^[h] intimidation, and do not be troubled ,

but ^[i]sanctify ^(aa)Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready ^(ab)to make a ^[j]defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the ^(ac)hope that is in you, yet ^(ad)with gentleness and ^[k](ae)reverence;

^[l]and keep a ^(af)good conscience so that in the thing in which ^(ag)you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

For ^(ah)it is better, ^(ai)if ^[m]God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

For ^(aj)Christ also died for sins ^(ak)once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might ^(al)bring us to God, having been put to death ^(am)in the flesh, but made alive ^(an)in the ^[n]spirit;

in ^[o]which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,

who once were disobedient, when the ^(ao)patience of God ^(ap)kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of ^(aq)the ark, in which a few, that is, ^(ar)eight ^(as)persons, were brought safely through the ^[p]water.

^(at)Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—^(au)not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God ^[q]for a ^(av)good conscience—through ^(aw)the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

^(ax)who is at the right hand of God, ^(ay)having gone into heaven, ^(az)after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.