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 greznums nav ārīgs – matu cirtas, zelta rotaslietas vai koši tērpi –, 4 bet gan sirdī apslēptais cilvēks, rāms un kluss gara neiznīcīgajā skaistumā: tas Dievam ir dārgs. 5 Šādi greznojās dievbijīgās sievas, kas cerēja uz Dievu. Tās pakļāvās saviem vīriem, 6 gluži kā Sāra paklausīja Ābrahāmu un sauca viņu par kungu. Jūs esat viņas meitas, darīdamas labu un neļaudamās izmisumam. 7 Tāpat, vīri, lai jūsu lūgšanām nav šķērslis, sadzīvojiet prātīgi ar sievietēm, apzinoties, ka viņas ir trauslāks trauks, un godājiet viņas kā līdzmantinieces tai žēlastībai, kas dāvā dzīvību.
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 tā, no kā viņi bīstas, un nesatraucieties. 15 Turiet svētu Kristu kā Kungu savās sirdīs, būdami arvien gatavi atbildēt ikvienam, kas prasa jums paskaidrot, kāda ir tā cerība, kura mīt jūsos. 16 Tomēr atbildiet savaldīgi un bijīgi, paturot 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 toreiz bija nepaklausīgi, kad Noasa dienās Dievs pacietīgi gaidīja, kamēr tika uzbūvēts šķirsts; kurā tikai daži, tas ir, astoņi cilvēki, tika izglābti caur ūdeni. 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.
Wives and Husbands
1 In the same way you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands, so that if any of them do not believe God's word, your conduct will win them over to believe. It will not be necessary for you to say a word, 2 because they will see how pure and reverent your conduct is. 3 You should not use outward aids to make yourselves beautiful, such as the way you fix your hair, or the jewelry you put on, or the dresses you wear. 4 Instead, your beauty should consist of your true inner self, the ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God's sight. 5 For the devout women of the past who placed their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful by submitting themselves to their husbands. 6 Sarah was like that; she obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are now her daughters if you do good and are not afraid of anything.
7 In the same way you husbands must live with your wives with the proper understanding that they are more delicate than you. Treat them with respect, because they also will receive, together with you, God's gift of life. Do this so that nothing will interfere with your prayers.
Suffering for Doing Right
8 To conclude: you must all have the same attitude and the same feelings; love one another, and be kind and humble with one another. 9 Do not pay back evil with evil or cursing with cursing; instead, pay back with a blessing, because a blessing is what God promised to give you when he called you. 10 As the scripture says,
“If you want to enjoy life
and wish to see good times,
you must keep from speaking evil
and stop telling lies.
11 You must turn away from evil and do good;
you must strive for peace with all your heart.
12 For the Lord watches over the righteous
and listens to their prayers;
but he opposes those who do evil.”
13 Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, how happy you are! Do not be afraid of anyone, and do not worry. 15 But have reverence for Christ in your hearts, and honor him as Lord. Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, 16 but do it with gentleness and respect. Keep your conscience clear, so that when you are insulted, those who speak evil of your good conduct as followers of Christ will become ashamed of what they say. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if this should be God's will, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ died for sins once and for all, a good man on behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God. He was put to death physically, but made alive spiritually, 19 and in his spiritual existence he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits. 20 These were the spirits of those who had not obeyed God when he waited patiently during the days that Noah was building his boat. The few people in the boat—eight in all—were saved by the water, 21 which was a symbol pointing to baptism, which now saves you. It is not the washing off of bodily dirt, but the promise made to God from a good conscience. It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone to heaven and is at the right side of God, ruling over all angels and heavenly authorities and powers.
