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.
1 Tāpat, sievas, esiet paklausīgas saviem vīriem, lai, ja arī kādi neklausa vārdiem, tie ar sievu dzīvi bez sludināšanas tiktu iegūti, 2 redzēdami jūsu dievbijīgo skaidro dzīvi. 3 Jūsu rota lai nav ārišķīgs matu pinums, zelta lietas, kuras sev apliekat, vai tērps, kurā tērpjaties, 4 bet apslēptais sirds cilvēks neiznīcīgs savā lēnajā un klusajā garā - tas ir Dievam dārgs. 5 Jo tā arī citkārt greznojās svētās sievas, kuras cerēja uz Dievu, būdamas paklausīgas saviem vīriem, 6 kā Sāra bija paklausīga Ābrahāmam, saukdama viņu par kungu; par viņas meitām jūs esat kļuvušas, kad jūs darāt labu un nebīstaties ne no kādiem draudiem. 7 Tāpat, vīri, sadzīvojiet prātīgi ar sievu kā ar vājāko radījumu, godājiet viņas kā tādas, kas ir žēlastībā dotās dzīvības līdzmantinieces, lai jūsu lūgšanas netaptu traucētas. 8 Bet beidzot esiet visi vienprātīgi, līdzcietīgi, brālīgi, žēlsirdīgi, pazemīgi, 9 neatmaksādami ļaunu ar ļaunu, nedz zaimus ar zaimiem, turpretim svētījiet, jo uz to jūs esat aicināti, lai jūs iemantotu svētību. 10 Jo, kas mīl dzīvību un grib redzēt labas dienas, tas lai attur savu mēli no ļauna un savas lūpas, ka tās nerunā viltu. 11 Lai viņš novēršas no ļauna un dara labu, lai viņš meklē mieru un dzenas pēc tā. 12 Jo Tā Kunga acis ir vērstas uz taisnajiem un Viņa ausis atvērtas viņu lūgšanām, bet Tā Kunga vaigs ir pret tiem, kas dara ļaunu. 13 Un, kas jums varēs ļaunu darīt, ja jūs no visas sirds dzīsities pēc tā, kas labs? 14 Bet, ja arī jūs ciestu taisnības dēļ, svētīgi jūs esat. Bet nebīstieties no viņiem, nedz iztrūkstieties. 15 Bet turiet Kungu Kristu svētu savās sirdīs, būdami arvien gatavi aizstāvēties pret ikvienu, kas vaicā par cerības pamatu jūsos; 16 tomēr gan ar lēnprātību un bijību, paturot labu sirdsapziņu, lai, kur jums ceļ neslavu, top kaunā tie, kas nopeļ jūsu labo dzīvi iekš Kristus. 17 Jo ir labāki ciest, darot labu, ja Dieva griba to prasītu, nekā darot ļaunu. 18 Jo arī Kristus ir vienreiz grēku dēļ miris, taisnais par netaisniem, lai jūs pievestu Dievam, nonāvēts gan miesā, bet dzīvs darīts garā. 19 Tanī Viņš ir nogājis un arī sludinājis gariem cietumā, 20 kas kādreiz bija nepaklausīgi, kad Dieva pacietība nogaidīja Noas dienās, kad taisīja šķirstu, kurā izglābās nedaudzas, proti, astoņas, dvēseles cauri ūdenim. 21 Tas attēlo kristību, kura tagad arī jūs glābj. Tā nav miesas netīrības mazgāšana, bet ir labas sirdsapziņas izlūgšanās Dievā caur Jēzus Kristus augšāmcelšanos, 22 kas ir pie Dieva labās rokas, pēc tam kad Viņš uzkāpis debesīs un Viņam kļuvuši paklausīgi eņģeļi, varas un spēki.
