Wives and Husbands
1 If you are a wife, you must put your husband first. Even if he opposes our message, you will win him over by what you do. No one else will have to say anything to him, 2 because he will see how you honor God and live a pure life. 3 Don't depend on things like fancy hairdos or gold jewelry or expensive clothes to make you look beautiful. 4 Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.
5 Long ago those women who worshiped God and put their hope in him made themselves beautiful by putting their husbands first. 6 For example, Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her true children, if you do right and don't let anything frighten you.
7 If you are a husband, you should be thoughtful of your wife. Treat her with honor, because she isn't as strong as you are, and she shares with you in the gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers.
Suffering for Doing Right
8 Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. 9 Don't be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God's chosen ones, and he will bless you. The Scriptures say,
10 “Do you really love life?
Do you want to be happy?
Then stop saying cruel things
and quit telling lies.
11 Give up your evil ways
and do right,
as you find and follow
the road to peace.
12 The Lord watches over
everyone who obeys him,
and he listens
to their prayers.
But he opposes everyone
who does evil.”
13 Can anyone really harm you for being eager to do good deeds? 14 Even if you have to suffer for doing good things, God will bless you. So stop being afraid and don't worry about what people might do. 15 Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life.
Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope. 16 Give a kind and respectful answer and keep your conscience clear. This way you will make people ashamed for saying bad things about your good conduct as a follower of Christ. 17 You are better off to obey God and suffer for doing right than to suffer for doing wrong.
18 Christ died once for our sins.
An innocent person died
for those who are guilty.
Christ did this
to bring you to God,
when his body
was put to death
and his spirit
was made alive.
19 Christ then preached to the spirits that were being kept in prison. 20 They had disobeyed God while Noah was building the boat, but God had been patient with them. Eight people went into that boat and were brought safely through the flood.
21 Those flood waters were like baptism that now saves you. But baptism is more than just washing your body. It means turning to God with a clear conscience, because Jesus Christ was raised from death. 22 Christ is now in heaven, where he sits at the right side of God. All angels, authorities, and powers are under his control.
Sievas un vīri
1 Tāpat arī jūs, sievas, pakļaujieties saviem vīriem, lai, ja arī kādi netic vārdam, tie bez runām tiek pārliecināti savas sievas dzīves veida dēļ, 2 kad viņi redzēs jūsu šķīsto dzīvošanu bijībā. 3 Lai jūsu skaistums nav ārīgs – matu cirtas vai zelta rotaslietas, vai dažādi tērpi, 4 bet gan sirdī paslēptais iekšējais cilvēks rāma un klusa gara neiznīcīgajā skaistumā, kas Dieva priekšā ir dārgs. 5 Tāpat reiz dievbijīgās sievas, kas paļāvās uz Dievu, sevi izrotāja, pakļaudamās saviem vīriem, 6 tās gluži kā Sāra paklausīja Ābrahāmu un sauca viņu par kungu; krietni dzīvodamas un neļaudamās izmisumam, jūs visas esat viņas meitas. 7 Tāpat arī jūs, vīri, lai jūsu lūgšanām nekas nestāvētu ceļā, dzīvojiet kopā ar savām sievām, apzinoties, ka viņas ir vājākas un, tāpat kā jūs, arī ir žēlastībā iemantojušas ticību.
Svētīgas ir ciešanas taisnības dēļ
8 Un beidzot esiet visi vienprātīgi, pilni līdzjūtības, brāļu mīlestības, sirds iejūtības, pazemības, 9 neatmaksājiet ļaunu ar ļaunu, lamas ar lamām, bet – tieši otrādi – dodiet svētību, jo jūs esat aicināti, lai iemantotu svētību!
10 Jo, kas grib dzīvi mīlēt
un redzēt labas dienas,
lai attur mēli no ļauna un lūpas no viltus runām,
11 lai novēršas no ļauna un dara labu,
lai meklē mieru un pēc tā dzenas,
12 jo Kungs uzlūko taisnos
un uzklausa viņu lūgšanas,
bet Kunga vaigs ir vērsts pret tiem,
kas dara ļaunu.
13 Kas gan jums varēs nodarīt pāri, ja jūs dedzīgi tieksieties pēc labā? 14 Pat ja arī jūs ciestu taisnības dēļ, jūs esat laimīgi, bet nebīstieties no tiem, kas jums liek ciest, un nesatraucieties. 15 Svēti godājiet Kristu kā Kungu savās sirdīs, esiet vienmēr gatavi atbildēt ikvienam, kas prasa jums paskaidrojumu par cerību, kas mīt jūsos. 16 Un atbildiet sirsnībā un bijībā, ar tīru sirdsapziņu, lai tajās lietās, kurās jūs tiekat apsūdzēti, paliktu kaunā viņi paši, kas noniecina jūsu krietno dzīvi Kristū. 17 Jo labāk ir ciest, darot labu, ja tāda ir Dieva griba, nevis darot ļaunu. 18 Arī Kristus ir vienreiz par visām reizēm grēku dēļ cietis – taisnais par netaisnajiem –, lai jūs pievestu pie Dieva; nonāvēts miesā, bet dzīvs darīts Garā, 19 kurā viņš devās pasludināt arī tiem gariem, kas cietumā, 20 kas Noas dienās palika savā nepaklausībā. Tolaik Dievs ilgi un pacietīgi gaidīja, kamēr tika uzbūvēts šķirsts; tajā tikai nedaudzas, tas ir, astoņas, dvēseles Dievs izglāba caur ūdeni. 21 Tas ir pirmtēls kristībai, kas tagad jūs glābj; tā nav miesas netīrumu mazgāšana, bet Dieva piesaukšana, lai gūtu skaidru sirdsapziņu caur Jēzus Kristus augšāmcelšanos, 22 kas ir pie Dieva labās rokas pēc tam, kad viņš uzkāpis debesīs un viņam pakļaujas eņģeļi, varas un spēki.
