BOOK 60 OF 66 · GENERAL EPISTLES · KING JAMES BIBLE

1 Peter 3

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1 Peter 3 Overview

Peter gives instructions to wives and husbands, emphasizing godly conduct, inner character, understanding, and honor. He then addresses all believers with unity, compassion, blessing rather than retaliation, readiness to answer for their hope, and willingness to suffer for righteousness. Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.

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Before you read 1 Peter 3

Coming from

Peter calls believers newborn babes who should desire the word, living stones built into a spiritual house around Christ the chief cornerstone, and a chosen generation and royal priesthood meant to show God’s praises. As strangers and pilgrims they should abstain from fleshly lusts, live honestly among Gentiles, submit to human authorities, and follow Christ’s example when suffering wrongfully.

In this chapter

Leads into

Peter tells believers to arm themselves with Christ’s mind toward suffering and no longer live for former lusts. He urges fervent charity, hospitality, faithful stewardship of gifts, and God-glorifying speech and service. He warns them not to think fiery trials strange, distinguishes suffering for Christ from suffering as an evildoer, and calls those suffering according to God’s will to entrust themselves to the faithful Creator.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Verse 18 clearly presents substitution: Christ the just suffers for the unjust to bring us to God.

The difficult spirits-in-prison and baptism verses must be interpreted carefully. Peter explicitly says the baptism figure is ‘not the putting away of the filth of the flesh’ and points to the answer of a good conscience toward God by Christ’s resurrection.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Marriage conduct can witness powerfully

Peter emphasizes respectful conduct and understanding honor.

Believers should answer hostility with blessing

Christian hope should be defended with meekness and fear.

Christ’s suffering is unique and sufficient

He suffered once for sins to bring unjust people to God.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Genesis 18:12

Sarah is cited in Peter’s instruction to wives.

Matthew 5:44

Jesus commands blessing and prayer toward enemies.

Hebrews 10:10

Christ’s sacrifice is likewise described as once for all.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not use submission to justify a husband’s cruelty

Husbands are commanded to dwell with knowledge and give honor.

Do not make water baptism the cause of regeneration

Peter explicitly denies mere outward washing and grounds hope in Christ’s resurrection.

Do not dogmatize the spirits-in-prison passage beyond what the text clearly says

Its details have long been debated.

Read 1 Peter 3 watching for…

Wives’ conduct and inward adornment.

Husbands giving honor.

Blessing instead of retaliation.

Readiness to answer for hope.

Christ’s once-for-sins statement.

The qualifications Peter gives to baptism language.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-7Wives and husbands are instructed concerning godly conduct and honor in marriage 8-12All believers are called to unity, compassion, blessing, peace, and righteous living 13-17Those who suffer for righteousness are blessed and should be ready to answer with meekness and a good conscience 18-22Christ suffered once for sins, was raised, and is at God’s right hand with all powers subject to him

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

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:

Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.