Chapter 3

  In like manner, ye wives, [be] in subjection to your won husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives;  

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  beholding your chaste behavior [coupled] with fear.  

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  Whose [adorning] let it not be the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on apparel;  

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  but [let it be] the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible [apparel] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.  

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  For after this manner aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:  

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  as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.  

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  Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with [your wives] according to knowledge, giving honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered.  

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  Finally, [be] ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded:  

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  not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.  

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  For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:  

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

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  For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.  

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  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good?  

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  But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed [are ye:] and fear not their fear, neither be troubled;  

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  but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: [being] ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:  

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  having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ.  

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  For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.  

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  Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;  

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  in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison,  

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  that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:  

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  which also after a true likeness doth now save you, [even] baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;  

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  who is one the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.  

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