1 Peter 3

1 Wives, in the same way [similarly, in a like manner], submit yourselves [be in subjection, obey] to your husbands [one’s own, private], so that even if they refuse [disobey, do not obey] to believe the word [message, idea], they will be won over [gained, saved] without words [without the word, silently] by the behavior [manner of life, conversation] of their wives [women, married or unmarried] word study 2 when they see your [chaste, holy] pure and reverent [with fear, respectful] demeanor [behavior, manner of life]. word study 3 Your beauty [inner attractiveness, spiritual radiance] should not come from outward [external, superficial] adornment [ornamentation, decoration], such as [like] braided [elaborately plaited] hair [the growth on the head] or [and] gold [valuable, precious] jewelry [ornaments, accessories] or [and] fine [elegant, luxurious] clothes [garments, apparel], word study 4 but from the inner disposition [hidden man] of your heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions], the unfading [incorruptible] beauty of a gentle [meek] and quiet [tranquil] spirit [the vital principle or mental disposition], which is precious [of great price, highly valued] in God’s [the one true deity] sight [presence, before Him]. word study 5 For this is how [in the past, formerly] the holy [set apart, dedicated to God] women of the past [who trusted in God, hoped in Him] adorned [arranged, decorated] themselves [their lives, their character]. They put their hope [trust, confidence] in God [the one true deity] and were submissive [obedient, subject to] to their husbands [their own, private, personal companions], word study 6 just as Sarah [the mother of faith] obeyed Abraham [her husband, the father of the faithful] and called him lord [master, showing respect and submission] [demonstrating a heart of obedience]. And you are her children [daughters, spiritual descendants] if you do what is right [live uprightly, practice virtue] and refuse to give way to fear [do not let intimidation or dread control you, but trust in God]. word study 7 Husbands, in the same way [similarly, in a like manner], treat your wives with consideration [according to knowledge, with thoughtful understanding] as a delicate vessel [the weaker vessel, a fragile treasure], and with honor [respect, high esteem] as fellow heirs [co-heirs, joint inheritors] of the gracious gift [unmerited favor, divine blessing] of life [eternal life, spiritual existence], so that your prayers [requests, communion with God] will not be hindered [impeded, blocked]. word study 8 Finally [in conclusion, to end this part of my letter], all of you [every single one, collectively], be like-minded [having the same attitude, thinking the same way] and sympathetic [having compassion, feeling for one another], love as brothers [loving one another like family, with brotherly affection], be tenderhearted [compassionate, showing pity] and humble [courteous, modest, having a lowly mind]. word study 9 Do not repay [render or give back] evil [harm or wrongdoing] with evil [harm or wickedness] or insult [reviling or verbal abuse] with insult [railing or cursing], but with blessing [praise or benediction], because to this [purpose or calling] you were called [invited or summoned] so that you may inherit [receive as a gift or legacy] a blessing [divine favor or praise]. word study 10 For, “Whoever [desiring to, willing to] would love [show esteem and goodwill towards] life [physical and spiritual existence] and see [perceive, experience] good [beneficial, righteous] days [a 24-hour period, a period of time] must keep [refrain from, cease] his tongue [the organ of speech, a language] from evil [worthless, depraved] and his lips [the edge of something, the shore of the sea] from deceitful [false, misleading] speech [uttering words, talking]. word study 11 He must turn [shun, eschew] from evil [harm, worthless things] and do [make, produce] good [beneficial, righteous]; he must seek [look for, try to find] peace [harmony, prosperity] and pursue [follow, chase after] it [with all his heart]. word study 12 For the eyes [watchful and attentive] of the Lord [God, the supreme authority] are on the righteous [just and upright], and His ears [attentive to their needs] are inclined [open and receptive] to their prayer [petition and supplication]. But the face [countenance and presence] of the Lord is against [opposed to and set against] those who do [practice and commit] evil [wicked and harmful actions].” word study 13 Who [which person, anyone] can harm [do evil to, injure] you if you are zealous [eager, keen] for what is [truly, inherently] good [beneficial, virtuous]? word study 14 But even if you should suffer [undergo pain, experience hardship] for what is right [righteousness, living according to God’s will], you are blessed [happy, supremely fortunate]. “Do not fear [be alarmed, reverence] what they fear [are terrified of]; do not be shaken [troubled, disturbed] [nor worried, nor intimidated].” word study 15 But in your hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] sanctify [set apart as holy, make consecrated] Christ [the Messiah, the Anointed One] as Lord [the supreme authority, God]. Always [continually, forever] be prepared [ready, equipped] to give a defense [a plea, an explanation] to everyone [all people, every man] who asks [requests, inquires] you the reason [the explanation, the account] for the hope [the expectation, the trust] that is in you [within your heart, among your thoughts]. But respond [answer, reply] with gentleness [meekness, humility] and respect [fear, reverence], word study 16 keeping a clear [good, pure] conscience, so that those who [speak evil of, slander] slander you may be put to shame [ashamed, disgraced] by your good [excellent] behavior [manner of life, conduct] in [through, because of] Christ. word study 17 For it is better [more excellent, stronger], if it is God’s [the one true deity] will [desire, intention], to suffer [endure pain, hardship] for doing good [well-doing, righteous acts] than for doing evil [harm, wrong]. word study 18 For Christ [the Anointed One, Jesus] also suffered [went through pain, endured hardship] for sins [missing the mark, falling short of God’s standards] once [one time, for all time] for all, the righteous [just, fair, innocent] for the unrighteous [unjust, wicked], to bring you [to lead us, that we might come] to God [the one true deity]. He was put to death [killed, slain] in the body [flesh, physical form] but made alive [given life, vivified] in the Spirit [the vital principle, God’s breath], word study 19 in whom [through the Spirit, by His divine power] He also went [traveling, journeying] and preached [proclaimed, heralded the gospel] to the spirits [evil spirits, unclean spirits, or the spirits of those who had died] in prison [a place of confinement, a state of bondage] word study 20 who disobeyed [refused to believe, went against God’s orders] long ago when God [the one true deity, Elohim] waited patiently [with longsuffering, expecting] in the days of Noah [a patriarch, a righteous man] while the ark [a wooden box, a means of salvation] was being built [prepared, made ready]. In the ark a few [only eight, a small number] people, only eight souls [breaths of life, living beings], were saved [rescued, brought to safety] through [by means of, because of] water [the flood]. word study 21 And this water symbolizes [represents, is an antitype of] the baptism [ceremonial act of washing or immersion] that now [in this present time] saves you also [delivers you from harm]—not [by no means] the removal [putting away] of dirt [filth, moral depravity] from the body [physical flesh], but [on the contrary] the pledge [inquiry, question] of a clear [good, pure] conscience [moral awareness] toward [in relation to] God [the one true deity]—through [because of, by means of] the resurrection [standing up again from death] of Jesus [God is salvation] Christ [the anointed, Messiah], word study 22 who has gone [traveled, ascended] into heaven [the sky, God’s home] and is at the right [dominant, favored] hand of God [the supreme deity], with angels [messengers, heavenly beings], authorities [powers, freedoms to act], and powers [strengths, miraculous abilities] subject [obedient, under control] to Him. word study