^{1 Ref} 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;

^{2 Ref} beholding your chaste behavior `coupled' with fear.

^{3 Ref} Whose `adorning' let it not be the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on apparel;

^{4 Ref} 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.

^{5 Ref} For after this manner aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:

^{6 Ref} 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.

^{7 Ref} 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.

^{8 Ref} Finally, `be' ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded:

^{9 Ref} not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

^{10 Ref} 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:

^{11 Ref} And let him turn away from evil, and do good; Let him seek peace, and pursue it.

^{12 Ref} 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.

^{13 Ref} And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good?

^{14 Ref} But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed `are ye:' and fear not their fear, neither be troubled;

^{15 Ref} 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:

^{16 Ref} 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.

^{17 Ref} For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.

^{18 Ref} 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;

^{19 Ref} in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison,

^{20 Ref} 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:

^{21 Ref} 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;

^{22 Ref} who is one the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

^{1 Ref} Wives, be ruled by your husbands; so that even if some of them give no attention to the word, their hearts may be changed by the behaviour of their wives,

^{2 Ref} When they see your holy behaviour in the fear of God.

^{3 Ref} Do not let your ornaments be those of the body such as dressing of the hair, or putting on of jewels of gold or fair clothing;

^{4 Ref} But let them be those of the unseen man of the heart, the ever-shining ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great price in the eyes of God.

^{5 Ref} And these were the ornaments of the holy women of the past, whose hope was in God, being ruled by their husbands:

^{6 Ref} As Sarah was ruled by Abraham, naming him lord; whose children you are if you do well, and are not put in fear by any danger.

^{7 Ref} And you husbands, give thought to your way of life with your wives, giving honour to the woman who is the feebler vessel, but who has an equal part in the heritage of the grace of life; so that you may not be kept from prayer.

^{8 Ref} Last of all, see that you are all in agreement; feeling for one another, loving one another like brothers, full of pity, without pride:

^{9 Ref} Not giving back evil for evil, or curse for curse, but in place of cursing, blessing; because this is the purpose of God for you that you may have a heritage of blessing.

^{10 Ref} For it is said, Let the man who has a love of life, desiring to see good days, keep his tongue from evil and his lips from words of deceit:

^{11 Ref} And let him be turned from evil and do good; searching for peace and going after it with all his heart.

^{12 Ref} For the eyes of the Lord are on the upright, and his ears are open to their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

^{13 Ref} Who will do you any damage if you keep your minds fixed on what is good?

^{14 Ref} But you are happy if you undergo pain because of righteousness; have no part in their fear and do not be troubled;

^{15 Ref} But give honour to Christ in your hearts as your Lord; and be ready at any time when you are questioned about the hope which is in you, to give an answer in the fear of the Lord and without pride;

^{16 Ref} Being conscious that you have done no wrong; so that those who say evil things about your good way of life as Christians may be put to shame.

^{17 Ref} Because if it is God's purpose for you to undergo pain, it is better to do so for well-doing than for evil-doing.

^{18 Ref} Because Christ once went through pain for sins, the upright one taking the place of sinners, so that through him we might come back to God; being put to death in the flesh, but given life in the Spirit;

^{19 Ref} By whom he went to the spirits in prison, preaching to those

^{20 Ref} Who, in the days of Noah, went against God's orders; but God in his mercy kept back the punishment, while Noah got ready the ark, in which a small number, that is to say eight persons, got salvation through water:

^{21 Ref} And baptism, of which this is an image, now gives you salvation, not by washing clean the flesh, but by making you free from the sense of sin before God, through the coming again of Jesus Christ from the dead;

^{22 Ref} Who has gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been put under his rule.