1Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. 7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. 8Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
13And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 14But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Upute ženama
1I vi se, žene, pokoravajte svojim muževima, čak i ako vam muž ne prihvaća Radosnu vijest. Vaš će ih pobožan život pridobiti snažnije od riječi 2kad vide vaše čisto, pobožno ponašanje.
3Ne kitite se upadljivim frizurama, zlatnim nakitom ni skupom odjećom. 4Budite lijepe iznutra, neprolaznom ljepotom, blagoga i smirenog duha. To je dragocjeno u Božjim očima. 5Time su se nekoć kitile svete žene. Pouzdavale su se u Boga i pokoravale se svojim muževima. 6I Sara se pokorila Abrahamu i nazvala ga svojim gospodarom. Njezine ste kćeri činite li dobro ne bojeći se nikakva zastrašivanja.
Upute muževima
7Muževi, budite obzirni prema svojim ženama kao prema slabijem spolu. Iskazujte im poštovanje kao subaštinicama Božje milosti i vječnoga života jer vam inače molitve neće biti uslišane.
Trpljenje zbog dobra
8I na koncu, budite svi jednodušni, puni suosjećanja, bratske ljubavi, milosrđa i poniznosti. 9Ne uzvraćajte zlo za zlo i ne vraćajte uvredu za uvredu. Umjesto toga blagoslivljajte, jer ste na to pozvani, da baštinite blagoslov od Boga!
10“Tko želi uživati u životu
i doživjeti sretne dane,
neka suspregne svoj jezik od zla,
a usne da ne govore laži!
11Neka se kloni zla i neka čini dobro.
Neka se trsi živjeti u miru s drugima:
12jer oči Gospodnje bdiju nad pravednicima,
i uši mu spremno slušaju njihove molbe,
ali Gospodin okreće svoje lice
od onih koji čine zlo.”3:10-12 Psalam 34:13-17.
13Tko će vam nauditi ako se trudite činiti dobro? 14Ali ako i trpite zbog toga što činite dobro, blago vama! Bog će vas za to nagraditi. Zato se ne dajte zastrašiti ni smesti. 15Morate, naprotiv, štovati Krista kao Gospodara svojeg života. Upita li vas tko zašto vjerujete i u što se nadate, budite spremni odgovoriti, 16ali obzirno i s dužnim poštovanjem. Neka vam savjest bude čista, da se oni koji o vama zlo govore postide kad vidite kakvim uzornim životom u Kristu živite. 17Jer ako je već Božja volja da patite, bolje je da trpite zato što ste činili dobro, nego zato što ste činili zlo. 18Doista i Krist je jednom umro zbog grijeha, pravedan za nepravedne, da nas privede k Bogu. Iako mu je tijelo bilo mrtvo, Duh ga je oživio. 19I u njemu je posjetio duhove u tamnici i propovijedao im, 20i to onima koji su u Noino doba bili nepokorni Bogu iako ih je Bog strpljivo čekao dok je Noa gradio lađu. Samo je osmero ljudi spašeno od smrti u potopu.3:20 U grčkome: Spašeno vodom. 21Slika je to krštenja, koje vas spašava silom uskrsnuća Isusa Krista. Krštenje nije pranje tjelesne nečistoće. Ono je Bogu upućena molitva za dobru savjest.
22A Krist je uzišao na nebo i sjedi zdesna Bogu pošto su mu se pokorili svi anđeli, sve vlasti i sile.
