Bible / 1 Peter
1 Peter 3
World English Bible, Catholic edition, in plain modern English. About the translations
Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision, the traditional Catholic English Bible. About the translations
1 In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word, CCC
2 seeing your pure behavior in fear. CCC
3 Let your beauty come not from the outward adorning of braiding your hair, and of wearing gold ornaments or of putting on fine clothing, CCC
4 but from the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight. CCC
5 For this is how in the past the holy women who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands. CCC
6 So Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are if you do well and are not put in fear by any terror. CCC
7 You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman as to the weaker vessel, as also being joint heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. CCC
8 Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,
9 not rendering evil for evil or insult for insult; but instead blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. CCC · Fathers
10 For, “He who would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears open to their prayer; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
13 Now who will harm you if you become imitators of that which is good?
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.”
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear,
16 having a good conscience. Thus, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.
17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, that you suffer for doing what is right than for doing evil.
18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit,
19 in whom he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,
20 who before were disobedient when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. CCC · Fathers
21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you – not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, CCC
22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
1 In like manner also, let wives be subject to their husbands: that, if any believe not the word, they may be won without the word, by the conversation of the wives, CCC
2 Considering your chaste conversation with fear. CCC
3 Whose adorning, let it not be the outward plaiting of the hair, or the wearing of gold, or the putting on of apparel: CCC
4 But the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptibility of a quiet and a meek spirit which is rich in the sight of God. CCC
5 For after this manner heretofore, the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands: CCC
6 As Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters you are, doing well and not fearing any disturbance. CCC
7 Ye husbands, likewise dwelling with them according to knowledge, giving honour to the female as to the weaker vessel and as to the co-heirs of the grace of life: that your prayers be not hindered. CCC
8 And in fine, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, being lovers of the brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble:
9 Not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing: for unto this are you called, that you may inherit a blessing. CCC · Fathers
10 For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.
11 Let him decline from evil and do good: Let him seek after peace and pursue it:
12 Because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears unto their prayers but the countenance of the Lord upon them that do evil things.
13 And who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good?
14 But if also you suffer any thing for justice’ sake, blessed are ye. And be not afraid of their fear: and be not troubled.
15 But sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you.
16 But with modesty and fear, having a good conscience: that whereas they speak evil of you, they may be ashamed who falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
17 For it is better doing well (if such be the will of God) to suffer than doing ill.
18 Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit,
19 In which also coming he preached to those spirits that were in prison:
20 Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. CCC · Fathers
21 Whereunto baptism, being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but, the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. CCC
22 Who is on the right hand of God, swallowing down death that we might be made heirs of life everlasting: being gone into heaven, the angels and powers and virtues being made subject to him.
This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church
Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2204 “The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason it can and should be called…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2204 “The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason it can and should be called…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2204 “The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason it can and should be called…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2204 “The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason it can and should be called…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2204 “The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason it can and should be called…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2204 “The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason it can and should be called…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2204 “The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason it can and should be called…”
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 1669 “Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a "blessing," and to bless. Hence lay people may…”
“love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing,”
Quoted in Letter to the Philippians, St. Polycarp of Smyrna (early 2nd century), Chapter II. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 845 “To reunite all his children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into…”
- CCC 1219 “The Church has seen in Noah's ark a prefiguring of salvation by Baptism, for by it "a few, that is, eight persons,…”
“Noah preached repentance, and as many as listened to him were saved.”
Quoted in First Letter to the Corinthians, St. Clement of Rome (c. AD 96), Chapter VII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism
- CCC 845 “To reunite all his children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into…”
- CCC 1094 “It is on this harmony of the two Testaments that the Paschal catechesis of the Lord is built, and then, that of…”
- CCC 1794 “A good and pure conscience is enlightened by true faith, for charity proceeds at the same time "from a pure heart and…”