¹⁸wServants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.5 ¹⁹For this is a gracious thing, when, xmindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But yif when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. ²¹For zto this you have been called, ybecause Christ also suffered for you, aleaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ²²bHe committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. ²³cWhen he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, dbut continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴eHe himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we fmight die to sin and glive to righteousness. hBy his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵For iyou were straying like sheep, but have now returned to jthe Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

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Wives and Husbands

¹Likewise, wives, kbe subject to your own husbands, so that leven if some do not obey the word, mthey may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, ²when they see your nrespectful and pure conduct. ³oDo not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— ⁴but let your adorning be pthe hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. ⁵For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, ⁶as Sarah obeyed Abraham, qcalling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and rdo not fear anything that is frightening.

⁷Likewise, shusbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker tvessel, since they are heirs with you1 of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Suffering for Righteousness' Sake

⁸Finally, all of you, uhave unity of mind, sympathy, vbrotherly love, wa tender heart, and xa humble mind. ⁹yDo not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, zbless, for ato this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. ¹⁰For

b“Whoever desires to love life

and see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from speaking deceit;

¹¹let him turn away from evil and do good;

let him seek peace and pursue it.

¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

¹³Now cwho is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ¹⁴dBut even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. eHave no fear of them, fnor be troubled, ¹⁵but gin your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, halways being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and irespect, ¹⁶jhaving a good conscience, so that, kwhen you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷For lit is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

¹⁸For Christ also msuffered2 nonce for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, othat he might bring us to God, being put to death pin the flesh but made alive qin the spirit, ¹⁹in which3 he went and qproclaimed4 to the spirits in prison, ²⁰because5 they formerly did not obey, rwhen God's patience waited in the days of Noah, swhile the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, teight persons, were brought safely through water. ²¹Baptism, which corresponds to this, unow saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but vas an appeal to God for a good conscience, wthrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who has gone into heaven and xis at the right hand of God, ywith angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

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