1 Peter 3
1 Similarly, it includesa women cooperating with their own men, so that even if some of the men refuse to be persuaded by the Conversation, they will be won over by the women’s way of life, separate from the Conversation, 2 after watching their pureb and respectful way of life. 3 Don’t have itc be done externally,d such as by braiding hair and wearing gold jewelry and putting on clothing of the world system,e 4 but rather have it be the hidden person of the heart with what is imperishable,f the gentle and peacefulg Life-breath, which is highly valuableh in God’s view. 5 That’s also how the women dedicated for sacred purposes who put their hope in God used to arrangei themselves, cooperating withj their own men. 6 For example, Sarah listened to Abraham, calling him ‘Lord.’ You become her children when you treat people wellk and don’t fear anyone who is frightening.
7 Similarly, it includesl men living alongside them in a way that is based on understanding that they hold less social influence and statusm based on having a feminine body,n giving them their shareo of honor since the men are also co-heirsp with them of the generosity of life, so as not to hinderq your prayers.
8 Finally, all of you—being united in purpose,r empathetic, caring as family members, deeply compassionate, and humble— 9 don’t give out hostility against hostility or insult against insult, but do just the opposite, speaking well overs people because that’s what you were called to do so that you would inherit the well-being that has been spoken,t 10 that “The one who wants to nurtureu life and see favorablev days, restrain their tongue from hostility and their lips from speaking deception. 11 Turn away from hostility and do kind things,w look for peace and pursue it 12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the just and his ears are toward their plea for help,x but the Lord’s face is against those who do harm.”y 13 Who exactly will there be to harm you if you were devoted to being helpfulz? 14 However, even if you suffer because of being just, you are gratified. “Don’t fear the scary among them nor be stirred up,”aa 15 but designate the Lord Christ for sacred purposesbb in your hearts, always ready with a response for anyone who asks you for a conversation about the hope among you. 16 However, do so with gentleness and respect, maintaining attentioncc on kindness,dd so that way those who insult and accuse you would feel ashamed because of your kindee way of life with Christ. 17 You see, suffering while doing kind thingsff is more useful—if it’s possiblegg that God wants it that way—than while doing harm.
18 “Because Christ suffered definitivelyhh because of deviations,
The just one for the sake of the unjust ones
So that he could bring you to God
First, when being put to death physically
And, second, when being made alive spiritually
19 which is how he traveled and made his announcement to the life-breaths in prison, 20 to those who long ago refused to be persuaded when God was patiently waiting to welcome them during the days of Noah while an ark was being constructed in which a few, specifically eight living beings, were brought safely through the water. 21 Now, a corresponding submersion also restores you, not a washing of a dirty body, but instead an inquiring with God about a benevolentii attentiveness, through the Reawakening of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God after proceeding to the heavens with him with messengers, authorities, and powers being coordinated under him.jj
FOOTNOTES:
a The grammar indicates that ‘women cooperating’ is expanding on the instruction in 1 Peter 2:13 to cooperate with every human power structure.
b This is not about sex. Both 1 Peter and 2 Peter speak frequently about being purified, that is, being conformed to Christ’s way of living characterized by seeking well-being for everyone and all traces of the world system’s way of harming or using others for one’s own benefit being removed.
c While traditional translations include ‘beauty’ or ‘adornment’ here, neither of those words are in the Greek. The Greek is ‘it’ and it refers to ‘way of life’ in verse 2.
d This word can mean physically external or outside, and it can also mean ‘irrelevant,’ such as ‘outside the scope’ or ‘beside the point.’
e This is a literal translation. Other translations translate kosmos as ‘fine’ or omit it altogether (ESV), but kosmos means ‘world.’ ‘Fine clothes’ fits what’s in view, which is trying to attract men to Christ by offering power and status and wealth, the values of the world system.
f Most translations add ‘beauty’ here, but it is not in the Greek. The KJV is the most accurate to the Greek of the widely used translations: “in that which is not corruptible.”
g This Greek word can mean both ‘at peace with others’ or ‘living peaceably’ as well as ‘at peace in oneself’ or ‘tranquil.’
h In contrast with what the world values listed in verse 3
i The word kosmeo can sometimes mean ‘adorn,’ but the meaning of ‘arrange’ or ‘put in order’ or makes more sense in context. It was sometimes used to refer to ‘arrange troops in formation.’ Two words later, hupotasso is used. It is translated here as ‘cooperate with’ to maintain continuity with the other instances of it earlier in this chapter and the previous chapter; however, it was also used to mean ‘be arranged in formation by’ referring to troops being arranged by a military commander.
j See previous footnote
k Traditionally, ‘do good’
l The grammar indicates that ‘men living alongside’ is expanding on something earlier. It could either be the instruction in 1 Peter 2:13 to cooperate with every human power structure, or it may be connecting it with women cooperating with men in 1 Peter 3:1. Grammatically, the first option would be more likely, but either is possible.
m ‘have less social influence and status’ is translating asthenestero, which is the comparative form of asthenes, ‘without influence or status.’ Traditionally, it has been translated here as ‘weaker.’ According to The Cambridge Greek Lexicon (2021), ‘weak’ is one possible translation, related to having less physical strength or being weak with illness. Another possible definition listed in the lexicon is ‘vulnerable’ having been used of troop positions in battle, which would be appropriate with the other troop arrangement metaphors used in verse 5. The sense of that would be that their position in society makes them more vulnerable to attacks by others. Another possible definition listed in the lexicon is what is used here, ‘without influence or status / uninfluential / insignificant / helpless.’
n The word for ‘body’ here is skeuos, which has traditionally been translated as ‘vessel’ (KJV, ESV), but has also been translated here as ‘partner’ (NET, NIV), ‘sex’ (NRSV), and ‘someone’ (NASB). The most literal meaning is a ship (which is what is meant by ‘vessel’). It was a commonly used metaphor in the 1st century to refer to a person’s body, as if it were the ship in which their spirit navigated life.
o The phrasing here is not ‘show them’ as simply behave in a way that treats them with honor, but as something owed them, saying to ‘allocate their appropriate portion.’
p This word is masculine. It could either refer to both the men and women together as a group, or to the men. Grammatically, it does not refer to the women. Some translations word it something like ‘as fellow heirs’ which allows it to be both men and women together but places it so that it seems to be about women (NET, KJV) while others force it to read explicitly about the women, which is not a grammatical option (NIV, NASB, ESV, NRSV). I have added words here to clarify that it is referring to the men being addressed in this verse, as evidenced by the masculine word form.
q The grammar here is interesting, using an infinitive. The implication is not that treating people well will prevent prayers from being hindered but that if the men do not treat women as equals and even with equity—actively seeking to raise them up since the world treats them worse than the men—then the men hinder their own prayers.
r Like allies
s Traditionally, ‘blessing’
t Traditionally, ‘the blessing.’ It may be a reference to the blessing to Abraham that through his descendants all people groups would be blessed/spoken well of (Genesis 12:2).
u Literally, ‘love.’ However, it is not about enjoying it but about agape love, the kind of love committed to acting for the benefit and wellbeing of whatever is loved.
v Traditionally, ‘good’
w Traditionally, ‘good.’ The word here is plural.
x Or ‘need’ or ‘request’
y Quotation of Psalm 23:12-16
z Or ‘kind’ or ‘beneficial to others.’ Traditionally, ‘good’
aa Quotation of Isaiah 8:12
bb Traditionally, ‘make holy’
cc Consciousness vs. conscience
dd Traditionally, ‘good.’ The whole phrase is very literally, ‘holding a good consciousness’
ee Traditionally, ‘good,’ but the word specifically means ‘good to others,’ not to be confused with something like ‘obedient.’
ff Traditionally, ‘doing good,’ but the word specifically means ‘good to others,’ not to be confused with something like ‘being obedient.’
gg This verb form is a fairly rare ‘optative mood.’ It signifies something that is possibly true. It is sometimes used to express a wish or endorsement for that possibility.
hh Or ‘once’ or ‘once and for all’ (in the sense of finality, definitiveness, not ‘once for everyone’)
ii Traditionally, ‘good,’ but the word specifically means ‘good to others,’ not to be confused with something like ‘obedient.’
jj Or ‘cooperating with him.’ Traditionally, ‘being subject to him’ or ‘submitting to him.’ The term has to do with being arranged in military formation by a commander, being assigned to their proper place.