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¹ In a similar way, you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands so that, even if some of them refuse to obey the word, they may be won over without a word through your conduct as wives[xr] ² when they see your pure and reverent lives.[xr] ³ Your beauty should not be an external one, consisting of braided hair or the wearing of gold ornaments and dresses.[xr] ⁴ Instead, it should be the inner disposition of the heart, consisting in the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great value in the sight of God.[xr] ⁵ After all, this is how holy women who set their hope on God used to make themselves beautiful in the past. They submitted themselves to their husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. You have become her daughters by doing good and by not letting anything terrify you.[xr] ⁷ In a similar way, you husbands must live with your wives in an understanding manner, as with a most delicate vessel.[fn] Honor them as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing may interfere with your prayers.[xr]

⁸ Finally, all of you must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love as brothers, and be compassionate and humble.[xr] ⁹ Do not pay others back evil for evil or insult for insult. Instead, bless them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.[xr] ¹⁰ For[xr] "the person who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. ¹¹ He must turn away from evil and do good.[xr] He must seek peace and pursue it. ¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,[xr] and his ears are attentive to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do wrong."[fn] ¹³ Who will harm you if you are devoted to doing what is good?[xr] ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Never be afraid of their threats, and never get upset.[xr] ¹⁵ Instead, exalt[fn] Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you to explain the hope you have.[xr]

¹⁶ But do this[fn] with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak evil of your good conduct in Christ will be ashamed of slandering you.[xr] ¹⁷ After all, if it is the will of God, it is better to suffer for doing right than for doing wrong.

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered[fn] for sins once for all, an innocent person for the guilty, so that he could bring you[fn] to God. He was put to death in the sphere of the flesh but was made alive in the sphere of the spirit,[fn][xr] ¹⁹ in which he went and made a proclamation to those imprisoned spirits[xr] ²⁰ who disobeyed long ago in the days of Noah, when God waited patiently while the ark was being built. In it a few, that is, eight persons, were saved by water.[xr]

²¹ Baptism, which is symbolized by that water, now saves you also, not by removing dirt from the body, but by asking God for a clear conscience based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ,[xr] ²² who has gone to heaven and is at the right hand of God, where angels, authorities, and powers have been made subject to him.[xr]