1Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
7Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Suffering for Doing Good
8Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
11They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”3:12 Psalm 34:12-16
13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats3:14 Or fear what they fear; do not be frightened.”3:14 Isaiah 8:12 15But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19After being made alive,3:18,19 Or but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which also he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.3:21 Or but an appeal to God for a clear conscience It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
Mafundisho Kwa Wake Na Waume
13:1 1Pet 2:18; Efe 5:22; 1Kor 7:16Kadhalika enyi wake, watiini waume zenu, ili kama kunao wasioamini lile neno, wapate kuvutwa na mwenendo wa wake zao pasipo neno, 23:2 1Pet 2:12kwa kuuona utakatifu na uchaji wa Mungu katika maisha yenu. 33:3 Isa 3:18-23; 1Tim 2:9; 1Pet 3:4; Rum 7:22; Efe 3:16Kujipamba kwenu kusiwe kwa nje tu, kama vile kusuka nywele, kuvalia vitu vilivyofanyizwa kwa dhahabu na kwa mavazi. 43:4 Za 45:13; Rum 2:29; 7:22; 2Kor 4:16Badala yake, kujipamba kwenu kuwe katika utu wenu wa moyoni, yaani uzuri usioharibika wa roho ya upole na utulivu, ambayo ni ya thamani sana machoni pa Mungu. 53:5 1Tim 5:5Kwa kuwa hivi ndivyo walivyokuwa wakijipamba wanawake watakatifu wa zamani, waliomtumaini Mungu. Wao walikuwa ni watiifu kwa waume zao, 63:6 Mwa 18:12kama Sara alivyomtii mumewe Abrahamu, hata akamwita bwana. Ninyi ni watoto wa Sara kama mkitenda yaliyo mema, bila kuogopa jambo lolote.
73:7 Kol 3:19; 1Kor 7:3; Efe 5:25; Kol 3:10; 1Kor 12:23; 1The 4:14Vivyo hivyo ninyi waume, kaeni na wake zenu kwa akili, nanyi wapeni heshima mkitambua ya kuwa wao ni wenzi walio dhaifu, na kama warithi pamoja nanyi wa kipawa cha neema cha uzima, ili kusiwepo na chochote cha kuzuia maombi yenu.
Kuteseka Kwa Kutenda Mema
83:8 Rum 12:10; Efe 4:2Hatimaye, ninyi nyote kuweni na nia moja, wenye kuhurumiana, mkipendana kama ndugu, na mwe wasikitivu na wanyenyekevu. 93:9 Rum 12:17; 1The 5:15; 1Pet 2:21-23; Ebr 6:14Msilipe ovu kwa ovu, au jeuri kwa jeuri, bali barikini, kwa maana hili ndilo mliloitiwa ili mpate kurithi baraka. 103:10 Za 34:12; Yak 1:26; 1Pet 2:1, 22; Ufu 14:5Kwa maana,
“Yeyote apendaye uzima
na kuona siku njema,
basi auzuie ulimi wake usinene mabaya,
na midomo yake isiseme hila.
113:11 Za 37:27; Isa 1:16, 17; 3Yn 11; Rum 12:8; 14:19Mtu huyo lazima aache uovu, akatende mema;
lazima aitafute amani na kuifuatilia sana.
123:12 Za 34:12-16; Yn 9:31; Yak 5:16Kwa maana macho ya Bwana
huwaelekea wenye haki,
na masikio yake yako makini
kusikiliza maombi yao.
Bali uso wa Bwana uko kinyume
na watendao maovu.”
Kuvumilia Mateso
133:13 Mit 16:7; Tit 2:14Basi, ni nani atakayewadhuru mkiwa wenye juhudi katika kutenda mema? 143:14 1Pet 4:15-16; Isa 8:12-14Lakini mmebarikiwa hata kama ikiwalazimu kuteseka kwa ajili ya haki. “Msiogope vitisho vyao, wala msiwe na wasiwasi.” 153:15 Kol 4:6Bali mtakaseni Kristo kuwa Bwana mioyoni mwenu. Siku zote mwe tayari kumjibu mtu yeyote atakayewauliza kuhusu sababu ya tumaini lililomo ndani yenu. Lakini fanyeni hivyo kwa upole na kwa heshima, 163:16 Mdo 23:1; Ebr 13:18; 1Pet 2:12-15mkizitunza dhamiri zenu ziwe safi, ili wale wasemao mabaya dhidi ya mwenendo wenu mzuri katika Kristo waaibike kwa ajili ya masingizio yao.
173:17 1Pet 4:19; 2:20; 4:15-16Kwa maana ni afadhali kupata mateso kwa ajili ya kutenda mema, kama kuteseka huko ndiyo mapenzi ya Mungu, kuliko kuteseka kwa kutenda maovu. 183:18 1Pet 2:21; Kol 1:22; 1Pet 4:1-6Kwa kuwa Kristo naye aliteswa mara moja tu kwa ajili ya dhambi, mwenye haki kwa ajili ya wasio haki, ili awalete ninyi kwa Mungu. Mwili wake ukauawa, lakini akafanywa hai katika Roho. 193:19 1Pet 1:12; 4:6; Isa 42:7; 49:9; 61:1Baada ya kufanywa hai, alikwenda na kuzihubiria roho zilizokuwa kifungoni: 203:20 Mwa 6:3; Ebr 11:7roho hizo ambazo zamani hazikutii, wakati ule uvumilivu wa Mungu ulipokuwa ukingoja katika siku za Noa, wakati wa kujenga safina, ambamo watu wachache tu, yaani watu wanane, waliokolewa ili wasiangamie kwa gharika. 213:21 Mdo 22:16; Tit 3:5Nayo maji hayo ni kielelezo cha ubatizo ambao sasa unawaokoa ninyi pia: si kwa kuondoa uchafu kwenye mwili, bali kama ahadi ya dhamiri safi kwa Mungu, kwa njia ya ufufuo wa Yesu Kristo. 223:22 Mk 16:19; Mt 28:18; Rum 8:38Yeye ameingia mbinguni na amekaa mkono wa kuume wa Mungu; nao malaika, mamlaka na nguvu zote wametiishwa chini yake.
