The Message Bible MSG
New Living Translation NLT
1 The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated
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In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over
2 by your life of holy beauty.
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by observing your pure and reverent lives.
3 What matters is not your outer appearance - the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes -
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Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.
4 but your inner disposition.
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You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.
5 The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way, and were good, loyal wives to their husbands.
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This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands.
6 Sarah, for instance, taking care of Abraham, would address him as "my dear husband." You'll be true daughters of Sarah if you do the same, unanxious and unintimidated.
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For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.
7 The same goes for you husbands: Be good husbands to your wives. Honor them, delight in them. As women they lack some of your advantages. But in the new life of God's grace, you're equals. Treat your wives, then, as equals so your prayers don't run aground. Suffering for Doing Good
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In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.
8 Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble.
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Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.
9 That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless - that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.
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Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.
10 Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here's what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful;
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For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.
11 Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth.
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Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
12 God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he's asked; But he turns his back on those who do evil things.
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The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil.”
13 If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped?
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Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?
14 Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought.
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But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.
15 Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy.
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Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.
16 Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath.
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But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.
17 It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad.
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Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!
18 That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all - was put to death and then made alive - to bring us to God.
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Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.
19 He went and proclaimed God's salvation to earlier generations who ended up in the prison of judgment
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So he went and preached to the spirits in prison—
20 because they wouldn't listen. You know, even though God waited patiently all the days that Noah built his ship, only a few were saved then, eight to be exact - saved from the water by the water.
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those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.
21 The waters of baptism do that for you, not by washing away dirt from your skin but by presenting you through Jesus' resurrection before God with a clear conscience.
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And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
22 Jesus has the last word on everything and everyone, from angels to armies. He's standing right alongside God, and what he says goes.
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Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.