1Wives, follow the lead of your own husbands. Suppose some of them don’t believe God’s word. Then let them be won to Christ without words by seeing how their wives behave. 2Let them see how pure you are. Let them see that your lives are full of respect for God. 3Fancy hairstyles don’t make you beautiful. Wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes doesn’t make you beautiful. 4Instead, your beauty comes from inside you. It is the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Beauty like this doesn’t fade away. God places great value on it. 5This is how the holy women of the past used to make themselves beautiful. They put their hope in God. And they followed the lead of their own husbands. 6Sarah was like that. She obeyed Abraham. She called him her master. Do you want to be like her? Then do what is right. And don’t give in to fear.
7Husbands, consider the needs of your wives. They are weaker than you. So treat them with respect. Honor them as those who will share with you the gracious gift of life. Then nothing will stand in the way of your prayers.
Suffering for Doing Good
8Finally, I want all of you to agree with one another. Be understanding. Love one another. Be kind and tender. Be humble. 9Don’t pay back evil with evil. Don’t pay back unkind words with unkind words. Instead, pay back evil with kind words. This is what you have been chosen to do. You will receive a blessing by doing this. 10Scripture says,
“Suppose someone wants to love life
and see good days.
Then they must keep their tongues from speaking evil.
They must keep their lips from telling lies.
11They must turn away from evil and do good.
They must look for peace and go after it.
12The Lord’s eyes look on godly people, and he blesses them.
His ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord doesn’t bless those who do evil.” (Psalm 34:12–16)
13Who is going to hurt you if you really want to do good? 14But suppose you do suffer for doing what is right. Even then you will be blessed. Scripture says, “Don’t fear what others say they will do to hurt you. Don’t be afraid.” (Isaiah 8:12) 15But make sure that in your hearts you honor Christ as Lord. Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you about the hope you have. Be ready to give the reason for it. But do it gently and with respect. 16Live so that you don’t have to feel you’ve done anything wrong. Some people may say evil things about your good conduct as believers in Christ. If they do, they will be put to shame for speaking like this about you. 17God may want you to suffer for doing good. That’s better than suffering for doing evil. 18Christ also suffered once for sins. The one who did what is right suffered for those who don’t do right. He suffered to bring you to God. His body was put to death. But the Holy Spirit brought him back to life. 19After that, Christ went and made an announcement to the spirits in prison. 20Long ago these spirits did not obey. That was when God was patient while Noah was building the ark. And only a few people went into the ark. In fact, there were only eight. Those eight people were saved through water. 21The water of the flood is a picture. It is a picture of the baptism that now saves you too. This baptism has nothing to do with removing dirt from your body. Instead, it promises God that you will keep a clear sense of right and wrong. This baptism saves you by the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. 22He has gone into heaven. He is at God’s right hand. Angels, authorities and powers are under his control.
Akazi ndi Amuna
1Momwemonso, akazi inu gonjerani amuna anu kuti ngati ena a iwo sakhulupirira Mawu a Mulungu, akopeke ndi makhalidwe a akazi awo ndipo sipadzafunikanso mawu 2pamene aona moyo wanu wachiyero ndi moyo woopa Mulungu. 3Kudzikongoletsa kwanu kusakhale kwa maonekedwe akunja, monga kuluka tsitsi ndi kuvala zokometsera zagolide ndi zovala zamberewere. 4Mʼmalo mwake kudzikongoletsa kwanu kukhale kwa munthu wa mʼkatimo, kukongola kosatha kwa mtima ofatsa ndi mzimu wachete, zimene ndi za mtengowapatali pamaso pa Mulungu. 5Pakuti umo ndi mmene akazi oyera mtima akale amene anali ndi chiyembekezo pa Mulungu anadzikongoletsera. Iwo ankagonjera amuna awo, 6monga Sara, amene anamvera Abrahamu namutcha iye mbuye wake. Akazi inu ndinu ana ake ngati muchita zoyenera, ndipo musaope choopsa chilichonse.
7Momwemonso amuna inu, khalani mwanzeru ndi akazi anu, ndipo muwachitire ulemu monga anzanu ofowoka ndiponso olandira nanu pamodzi mphatso ya moyo wosatha, kuti pasakhale kanthu kotsekereza mapemphero anu.
Kumva Zowawa Chifukwa cha Chilungamo
8Potsiriza, nonse khalani a mtima umodzi, omverana chisoni. Kondanani monga abale, muchitirane chifundo ndi kudzichepetsa. 9Wina akakuchitirani choyipa musabwezere pochitanso choyipa, kapena kubwezera chipongwe akakuchitirani chipongwe, koma muwadalitse. Munayitanidwa kuti mulandire mdalitso. 10Pakuti,
“Iye amene angakonde moyo
ndi kuona masiku abwino,
aletse lilime lake kuyankhula zoyipa,
ndiponso milomo yake kunena mabodza.
11Apewe zoyipa, ndipo azichita zabwino.
Afunefune mtendere ndi kuyesetsa kuwupeza.
12Pakuti Ambuye amayangʼanira bwino anthu olungama
ndipo amatchera khutu ku mapemphero awo.
Koma Ambuye sawayangʼana bwino amene amachita zoyipa.”
13Ndani angakuchitireni zoyipa ngati muchita changu kuchita zabwino? 14Koma ngakhale mumve zowawa chifukwa cha chilungamo, ndinu odala. “Musaope anthu, musachite mantha.” 15Koma lemekezani Khristu mʼmitima mwanu ngati Ambuye wanu. Khalani okonzeka nthawi zonse kuyankha aliyense amene akufunsani za chiyembekezo chimene muli nacho. 16Koma chitani zimenezi mofatsa ndi mwaulemu, mukhale ndi chikumbumtima chosakutsutsani, kuti anthu ena akanena zoyipa za makhalidwe anu abwino mwa Khristu, achite okha manyazi ndi chipongwe chawocho. 17Nʼkwabwino ngati ndi chifuniro cha Mulungu kumva zowawa chifukwa chochita zabwino kusiyana ndi kumva zowawa chifukwa chochita zoyipa. 18Pakuti Khristu anafa chifukwa cha machimo kamodzi kokha kufera onse, wolungama kufera osalungama, kuti akufikitseni kwa Mulungu. Anaphedwa ku thupi koma anapatsidwa moyo mu mzimu. 19Ndipo ali ngati mzimu chomwecho anapita ndi kukalalikira mizimu imene inali mʼndende, 20ya anthu amene sanamvere Mulungu atadikira moleza mtima pa nthawi imene Nowa ankapanga chombo. Mʼchombo chija anthu owerengeka okha, asanu ndi atatu, ndiwo anapulumutsidwa ku madzi. 21Madziwo akufanizira ubatizo umene lero ukukupulumutsaninso, osati chifukwa chochotsa litsiro la mʼthupi koma chifukwa cha chikumbumtima choona pamaso pa Mulungu. Umakupulumutsani chifukwa cha kuuka kwa Yesu Khristu, 22amene anapita kumwamba ndipo ali kudzanja lamanja la Mulungu komwe angelo ndi maulamuliro ndi amphamvu amamvera Iye.
