3:1 In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then, 1 even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live, 2 3:2 when they see your pure and reverent conduct. 3 3:3 Let your 4 beauty 5 not be external – the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry 6 or fine clothes – 3:4 but the inner person 7 of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight. 3:5 For in the same way the holy women who hoped in God long ago adorned themselves by being subject to their husbands, 3:6 like Sarah who obeyed 8 Abraham, calling him lord. You become her children 9 when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so. 10 3:7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners 11 and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers. 12
3:8 Finally, all of you be harmonious, 13 sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. 3:9 Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless 14 others 15 because you were called to inherit a blessing. 3:10 For
the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep 16 his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit.
3:11 And he must turn away from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are 17 upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. 18
3:13 For 19 who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good? 3:14 But in fact, if you happen to suffer 20 for doing what is right, 21 you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them 22 or be shaken. 23 3:15 But set Christ 24 apart 25 as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess. 26 3:16 Yet do it with courtesy and respect, 27 keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. 28 3:17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, 29 than for doing evil.
3:18 30 Because Christ also suffered 31 once for sins,
the just for the unjust, 32
to bring you to God,
by being put to death in the flesh
but 33 by being made alive in the spirit. 34
3:19 In it 35 he went and preached to the spirits in prison, 36
3:20 after they were disobedient long ago 37 when God patiently waited 38 in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark 39 a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water. 3:21 And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you 40 – not the washing off of physical dirt 41 but the pledge 42 of a good conscience to God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 3:22 who went into heaven and is at the right hand of God 43 with angels and authorities and powers subject to him. 44
4:1 So, since Christ suffered 45 in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same attitude, because the one who has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin, 46 4:2 in that he spends the rest of his time 47 on earth concerned about the will of God and not human desires. 4:3 For the time that has passed was sufficient for you to do what the non-Christians 48 desire. 49 You lived then 50 in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking bouts, 51 and wanton idolatries. 52 4:4 So 53 they are astonished 54 when you do not rush with them into the same flood of wickedness, and they vilify you. 55 4:5 They will face a reckoning before 56 Jesus Christ 57 who stands ready to judge the living and the dead. 4:6 Now it was for this very purpose 58 that the gospel was preached to those who are now dead, 59 so that though 60 they were judged in the flesh 61 by human standards 62 they may live spiritually 63 by God’s standards. 64
4:7 For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer. 65 4:8 Above all keep 66 your love for one another fervent, 67 because love covers a multitude of sins. 68 4:9 Show hospitality 69 to one another without complaining. 4:10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another 70 as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 4:11 Whoever speaks, let it be with 71 God’s words. 72 Whoever serves, do so with the strength 73 that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong 74 the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
4:12 Dear friends, do not be astonished 75 that a trial by fire is occurring among you, 76 as though something strange were happening to you. 4:13 But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed 77 you may also rejoice and be glad. 78 4:14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, 79 who is the Spirit of God, 80 rests 81 on you. 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker. 82 4:16 But if you suffer as a Christian, 83 do not be ashamed, but glorify 84 God that you bear such a name. 85 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house 86 of God. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate 87 of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? 4:18 And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of 88 the ungodly and sinners? 89 4:19 So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good. 90
5:1 So as your fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings and as one who shares in the glory that will be revealed, I urge the elders among you: 5:2 Give a shepherd’s care to 91 God’s flock among you, exercising oversight 92 not merely as a duty 93 but willingly under God’s direction, 94 not for shameful profit but eagerly. 5:3 And do not lord it over 95 those entrusted to you, 96 but be examples to the flock. 5:4 Then 97 when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away.
5:5 In the same way, you who are younger, 98 be subject to the elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 99 5:6 And God will exalt you in due time, 100 if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand 101 5:7 by casting 102 all your cares 103 on him because he cares for you. 5:8 Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, 104 is on the prowl looking for someone 105 to devour. 5:9 Resist him, 106 strong in your faith, because you know 107 that your brothers and sisters 108 throughout the world 109 are enduring 110 the same kinds of suffering. 111 5:10 And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ 112 will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 113 5:11 To him belongs 114 the power forever. Amen.
5:12 Through Silvanus, 115 whom I know to be a faithful brother, 116 I have written to you briefly, in order to encourage you and testify 117 that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. 118 5:13 The church 119 in Babylon, 120 chosen together with you, 121 greets you, and so does Mark, my son. 5:14 Greet one another with a loving kiss. 122 Peace to all of you who are in Christ. 123
1 tn Grk “that…they may be won over,” showing the purpose of “being subject” (vs. 1b). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
2 tn Grk “by the wives’ behavior.”
3 tn Grk “behavior,” the same word translated “the way you live” in vs. 1.
4 tn Grk “whose,” referring to the wives.
5 tn Or “adornment.”
6 tn The word “jewelry” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate that gold ornaments or jewelry is intended; otherwise the reader might assume wearing gold-colored clothing was forbidden.
7 tn Grk “the hidden man.” KJV’s “the hidden man of the heart,” referring to a wife, could be seriously misunderstood by the modern English reader.
8 tn Grk “as Sarah obeyed.”
9 tn Grk “whose children you become.”
10 tn Grk “doing good and not fearing any intimidation.”
11 tn Grk “living together according to knowledge, as to the weaker, female vessel.” The primary verbs of vs. 7 are participles (“living together…showing honor”) but they continue the sense of command from the previous paragraphs.
12 tn Grk “so that your prayers may not be hindered.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek, this clause was translated as a separate sentence.
13 tn There is no main verb in this verse (Grk “Finally, all [ ] harmonious”), but it continues the sense of command from the previous paragraphs.
14 tn Grk “not returning…but blessing,” continuing the sense of command from the preceding.
15 tn The direct object “others” is omitted but implied in Greek, and must be supplied to suit English style.
16 tn Grk “stop.”
17 tn The verbs are implied but not expressed in this verse: “the Lord’s eyes [ ] on the righteous and his ears [ ] to their prayer, but his face [ ] against those who do evil.”
18 sn Verses 10-12 are a quotation from Ps 34:12-16.
19 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “For” to indicate that what follows gives an explanation.
20 sn The Greek construction here implies that such suffering was not the norm, even though it could happen, and in fact may well have happened to some of the readers (cf. 4:4, 12-19).
21 tn Grk “because of righteousness.”
22 tn Grk “do not fear their fear,” referring to those who cause their suffering. The phrase “their fear” may mean “what they fear” (subjective genitive), but in a situation of persecution it more likely means “fear of them” (objective genitive).
23 sn A quotation from Isa 8:12.
24 tc Most later
25 tn Or “sanctify Christ as Lord.”
26 tn Grk “the hope in you.”
27 tn Grk “but with courtesy and respect,” continuing the command of v. 15. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
28 tn Grk “when you are spoken against.”
29 tn Grk “if the will of God should will it.” As in 3:14 the Greek construction here implies that suffering for doing good was not what God normally willed, even though it could happen, and in fact may have happened to some of the readers (cf. 4:4, 12-19).
30 sn This passage has been typeset as poetry because many scholars regard this passage as poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage, so the decision to typeset it as poetry should be viewed as a tentative decision about its genre.
31 tc The variants here are legion (B. M. Metzger produces eight variants in a nice layout of the evidence [TCGNT 622]). Most of these variants involve pronouns, prepositions, or word order changes, but the major problem involves whether Christ “suffered” (ἔπαθεν, epaqen) or “died” (ἀπέθανεν, apeqanen). The witnesses that read ἀπέθανεν are Ì72 א A Cvid Ψ 0285 33 614 630 945 1241 1505 1739; the witnesses that read ἔπαθεν are B L P 81 Ï. Although the external evidence slightly favors ἀπέθανεν, such may be a secondary reading. Intrinsically, ἔπαθεν both fits the context better, especially the verbal link between v. 17 and v. 18 (note in particular the introductory causal ὅτι [{oti, “because”] and the emphatic καί [kai, “also”]), and fits the author’s style (1 Peter never uses ἀποθνῄσκω [apoqnhskw], but uses πάσχω [pascw] 11 other times, more than any other NT book). However, scribes would most likely realize this, and might conform the verb in v. 18 to the author’s typical usage. It may be argued, however, that scribes tended to alter the text in light of more common NT idioms, and did not have as much sensitivity to the literary features in the immediate context. In this instance, it may not be insignificant that the NT collocates ἀποθνῄσκω with ἁμαρτία (Jamartia, “sin”) seven other times, though only once (1 Cor 15:3) with a meaning similar to what would be demanded here, but collocates πάσχω with ἁμαρτία in only one other place, 1 Pet 4:1, where the meaning also detours from what is seen here. All in all, a decision is difficult, but ἔπαθεν is to be preferred slightly.
32 sn The reference to the just suffering for the unjust is an allusion to Isa 53:11-12.
33 tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two phrases more than can be easily expressed in English.
34 sn Put to death in the flesh…made alive in the spirit. The contrast of flesh and spirit is not between two parts of Christ’s person (material versus immaterial) but between two broader modes of existence: the realm of unregenerate earthly life versus eternal heavenly life. The reference may not be to the Holy Spirit directly, but indirectly, since the Spirit permeates and characterizes the spiritual mode of existence. However, ExSyn 343 (n. 76) states “It is often objected that the Holy Spirit cannot be in view because the two datives of v 18 (σαρκί, πνεύματι [sarki, pneumati]) would then have a different syntactical force (sphere, means). But if 1 Pet 3:18 is a hymnic or liturgical fragment, this can be no objection because of ‘poetic license’: poetry is replete with examples of grammatical and lexical license, not the least of which is the use of the same morpho-syntactic categories, in parallel lines, with entirely different senses (note, e.g., the dat. expressions in 1 Tim 3:16).”
35 tn Grk “in which.” ExSyn 343 notes: “The antecedent of the RP [relative pronoun] is by no means certain. Some take it to refer to πνεύματι immediately preceding, the meaning of which might be either the Holy Spirit or the spiritual state. Others see the phrase as causal (‘for which reason,’ ‘because of this’), referring back to the entire clause, while still other scholars read the phrase as temporal (if so, it could be with or without an antecedent: ‘on which occasion’ or ‘meanwhile’). None of these options is excluded by syntax. It may be significant, however, that every other time ἐν ᾧ is used in 1 Peter it bears an adverbial/conjunctive force (cf. 1:6; 2:12; 3:16 [here, temporal]; 4:4).” Also, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
36 sn And preached to the spirits in prison. The meaning of this preaching and the spirits to whom he preached are much debated. It is commonly understood to be: (1) Christ’s announcement of his victory over evil to the fallen angels who await judgment for their role in leading the Noahic generation into sin; this proclamation occurred sometime between Christ’s death and ascension; or (2) Christ’s preaching of repentance through Noah to the unrighteous humans, now dead and confined in hell, who lived in the days of Noah. The latter is preferred because of the temporal indications in v. 20a and the wider argument of the book. These verses encourage Christians to stand for righteousness and try to influence their contemporaries for the gospel in spite of the suffering that may come to them. All who identify with them and their Savior will be saved from the coming judgment, just as in Noah’s day.
37 tn This reflects a Greek participle, literally “having been disobedient formerly,” that refers to the “spirits” in v. 19. Many translations take this as adjectival describing the spirits (“who had once been disobedient”; cf. NASB, NIV, NKJV, NLT, NRSV, TEV), but the grammatical construction strongly favors an adverbial interpretation describing the time of the preaching, as reflected above.
38 tn Grk “the patience of God waited.”
39 tn Grk “in which,” referring to the ark; the referent (the ark) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
40 tn Grk “which also, [as] an antitype, now saves you, [that is] baptism.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
41 tn Grk “the removal of the dirt of the flesh,” where flesh refers to the physical make-up of the body with no moral connotations.
42 tn Or “response”; “answer.”
43 tn Grk “who is at the right hand…having gone into heaven.”
44 tn Grk “angels…having been subjected to him.”
45 tc Most
46 sn Has finished with sin. The last sentence in v. 1 may refer to Christ as the one who suffered in the flesh (cf. 2:21, 23; 3:18; 4:1a) and the latter part would then mean, “he has finished dealing with sin.” But it is more likely that it refers to the Christian who suffers unjustly (cf. 2:19-20; 3:14, 17). This shows that he has made a break with sin as vs. 2 describes.
47 tn This verse may give the purpose or result of their “arming” themselves as called for in v. 1b and then the translation would be: “so that you may spend the rest of your time…” But it is better to take it as explanatory of the last phrase in v. 1: what it means to be finished with sin.
48 tn Grk “the Gentiles,” used here of those who are not God’s people.
49 tn Grk “to accomplish the desire of the Gentiles.”
50 tn Grk “having gone along,” referring to the readers’ behavior in time past.
51 tn According to BDAG 857 s.v. πότος the term refers to a social gathering at which wine is served, hence “drinking parties” (cf. TEV, NASB). However, the collocation with the other terms in v. 4 suggests something less sophisticated and more along the lines of wild and frenzied drinking bouts.
52 tn The Greek words here all occur in the plural to describe their common practice in the past.
53 tn Grk “in/by which,” referring to the change of behavior described in v. 3. The unbelievers are astonished by the readers’ moral transformation. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
54 tn Or “are surprised, are taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:12.
55 tn Grk “blaspheming,” giving the result of their astonishment. Here the target of their “blasphemy/vilification” is not God but the Christian.
56 tn Grk “give an account to.”
57 tn Grk “the one”; the referent (Jesus Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
58 tn Grk “since for this purpose the gospel was preached even to the dead,” referring to the purpose described in the clause to follow in v. 6b.
59 sn In context the phrase those who are dead refers to those now dead who had accepted the gospel while they were still living and had suffered persecution for their faith. Though they “suffered judgment” in this earthly life (i.e., they died, in the midst of physical abuse from the ungodly), they will enjoy life from God in the spiritual, heavenly realm because of the gospel (v. 6b). It clearly does not assume a second chance for conversion offered to unbelievers who had died; why would Peter urge people to suffer in this life for the sake of the gospel if he believed that mercy would be extended to all the dead in the hereafter (cf. 2:7-8; 4:1-5, 12-19)?
60 tn Grk “so that they may be judged…but may live.” Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.
61 tn Or “in their earthly lives,” since “flesh” here denotes the physical, earthly life. The phrase “in the flesh” is retained to preserve the links with 3:18 and 4:1 which use the same wording.
62 tn Grk “according to men.”
63 tn Grk “in spirit,” referring to the heavenly, eternal realm of existence (cf. 3:18).
64 tn Grk “according to God.”
65 tn Grk “for prayers.”
66 tn The primary verb of v. 8 is a participle (“having”) but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.
67 tn Or “constant.”
68 sn The statement of v. 8b, love covers a multitude of sins, is proverbial: It is quoted from Prov 10:12 (cf. Jas 5:20). It speaks of the forbearance that comes with love: Christian love is patient and forgiving toward the offenses of a fellow Christian (Matt 18:21-22; 1 Cor 13:4-7).
69 tn There is no main verb in this verse (“showing hospitality” translates the adjective φιλόξενοι [filoxenoi]), but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.
70 tn Grk “serving it to one another.” The primary verb is a participle but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.
71 tn Grk “if anyone speaks – as God’s words.”
72 tn Or “oracles.”
73 tn Grk “if anyone serves – with strength…”
74 tn Grk “is/are.”
75 tn Or “do not be surprised, taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:4.
76 tn Grk “at the burning among you, occurring to you for testing.”
77 tn Grk “in the revelation of his glory.”
78 tn The verb “be glad” is used also in 1:6 and 1:8. The verbs of v. 13b are used together in Matt 5:12 and Rev 19:7.
79 tc Many
80 tn Grk “the Spirit of glory and of God.”
81 sn A quotation taken from Isa 11:2.
82 tn The meaning of the Greek word used here is uncertain. It may mean “spy, informer,” “revolutionary,” or “defrauder, embezzler.” But the most likely meaning is “busybody, one who meddles in the affairs of others, troublesome meddler.” The translation given in the text is intended to suggest this general idea.
83 tn The verb is implied by the context but not expressed; Grk “but if as a Christian.”
84 tn These are third-person imperatives in Greek (“if [one of you suffers] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed…let him glorify”), but have been translated as second-person verbs since this is smoother English idiom.
85 tn Grk “in this name.”
86 tn Grk “to begin from the house.”
87 tn Or “the end.”
88 tn Grk “where will he appear.”
89 tn The personal references in v. 18 are generic singulars, but they have been changed to the plural in English to maintain consistency with the plurals of v. 17.
90 tn Grk “in doing good.”
91 tn Grk “shepherd,” “tend,” “pastor.”
92 tc A few important
93 tn Or “not under compulsion/coercion.”
94 tn Grk “according to God.”
95 tn Grk “not as lording it over…but being examples.” The participles continue the command of v. 2 by describing how the shepherding should be carried out.
96 tn Grk “the ones allotted,” referring to those God has given over to their care.
97 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then” to reflect the logical sequence of events.
98 sn In this context younger and elder are terms that combine two meanings: relative age and an official structure of leadership in the church. As in v. 1, elder here denotes those who exercise spiritual leadership, who for the most part are older in years. Likewise younger means the rest of the community, who for the most part are younger in age, who are urged to accept the authority of their leaders.
99 sn A quotation from Prov 3:34 (cf. Jas 4:6).
100 tn Grk “in time,” but connoting “the proper time, when the time is right” as in Matt 24:45; Luke 12:42.
101 tn Grk “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that in due time he may exalt you.” The sentence was rearranged so that the English reader could more clearly see the connection between “casting” (v. 7) and “humble” (v. 6).
102 tn Or “throwing on”; “loading.” Some scholars take the participle to function imperativally, or as attendant circumstance – thus, “cast.” See below for discussion.
103 tn Or “anxiety, burden,” but using a word from the same root as the verb “cares” in the last part of the verse.
104 sn This phrase may be an allusion to Ps 22:13.
105 tc A few
106 tn Grk “whom,” referring to the devil in v. 8. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
107 tn Grk “knowing,” a participle that usually denotes a reason for the related action.
108 tn Grk “your brotherhood.” The Greek term “brotherhood” is used in a broad sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 19 s.v. ἀδελφότης 1). Another alternative translation would be “your fellow believers,” though this would weaken the familial connotations. This same word occurs in 2:17; there it has been translated “family of believers.”
109 tn Grk “your brotherhood in the world,” referring to the Christian community worldwide.
110 tn This verb carries the nuance “to accomplish, complete,” emphasizing their faithful endurance in suffering. The verb is passive in Greek (“suffering is being endured by your brotherhood”), but has been translated as an active to give a smoother English style.
111 tn Grk “the same things of sufferings.”
112 tc ‡ A few important
113 tn The pronoun “you” is not used explicitly but is clearly implied by the Greek.
114 tn No verb is expressed here but the verb “is” or “belongs” is clearly implied. This doxology expresses a fact for which God should be glorified (as in 4:11), rather than a wish or prayer (“may power be to him”).
115 sn The phrase Through Silvanus means either that Silvanus was the secretary (amanuensis) who assisted Peter in writing or composing the letter (cf. Rom 16:22) or that he carried the letter to the churches. The latter sense is more likely since this is the meaning of the Greek wording when it is used elsewhere (cf. Acts 15:23; Ignatius, Letter to the Romans 10:1; Letter to the Philadelphians 11:2; Letter to the Smyrnaeans 12:1; Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians 14), though it is perhaps possible that both ideas could be incorporated by this expression. For a detailed argument regarding this issue, see E. R. Richards, “Silvanus Was Not Peter’s Secretary: Theological Bias in Interpreting διὰ Σιλουανοῦ…ἔγραψα,” JETS 43 (September 2000): 417-32.
116 tn Grk “the faithful brother, as I think.”
117 tn These are participles (“encouraging and testifying”) showing purpose. The pronoun object “you” is omitted in Greek but implied by the context.
118 tn Grk “in which stand fast.” For emphasis, and due to constraints of contemporary English, this was made a separate sentence in the translation.
119 tn Grk “the one in Babylon,” which could refer to some individual woman (“she who is in Babylon”) since the Greek article (here “the one”) is feminine. But it is much more likely to be a veiled reference to a church (the Greek word “church” is also feminine in gender).
120 sn Most scholars understand Babylon here to be a figurative reference to Rome. Although in the OT the city of Babylon in Mesopotamia was the seat of tremendous power (2 Kgs 24-25; Isa 39; Jer 25), by the time of the NT what was left was an insignificant town, and there is no tradition in Christian history that Peter ever visited there. On the other hand, Christian tradition connects Peter with the church in Rome, and many interpreters think other references to Babylon in the NT refer to Rome as well (Rev 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 10, 21). Thus it is likely Peter was referring to Rome here.
121 tn Grk “chosen together,” implying the connection “with you” in context.
122 tn Grk “a kiss of love.”
123 tc Most