Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech: 1 Peter | Page 3

come back to the Shepherd and Protector
of your souls. 003:001 Married women, in the same way, be submissive
to your husbands, so that even if some of them disbelieve the Message,
they may, apart from the Message, be won over by the daily life of their
wives, after watching your daily life-- 003:002 so full of reverence, and
so blameless! 003:003 Your adornment ought not to be a merely
outward thing--one of plaiting the hair, putting on jewelry, or wearing
beautiful dresses. 003:004 Instead of that, it should be a new nature
within-- the imperishable ornament of a gentle and peaceful spirit,
which is indeed precious in the sight of God. 003:005 For in ancient
times also this was the way the holy women who set their hopes upon
God used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their husbands.
003:006 Thus, for instance, Sarah obeyed Abraham, acknowledging his
authority over her. And you have become Sarah's children if you do
what is right and permit nothing whatever to terrify you. 003:007
Married men, in the same way, live with your wives with a clear
recognition of the fact that they are weaker than you. Yet, since you are
heirs with them of God's free gift of Life, treat them with honour; so
that your prayers may not be hindered. 003:008 In conclusion, all of
you should be of one mind, quick to sympathize, kind to the brethren,
tenderhearted, lowly-minded, 003:009 not requiting evil with evil nor
abuse with abuse, but, on the contrary, giving a blessing in return,
because a blessing is what you have been called by God to inherit.
003:010 For "He who wishes to be well-satisfied with life and see
happy days--let him restrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from

deceitful words; 003:011 Let him turn from evil, and do good; Let him
inquire for peace and go in pursuit of it. 003:012 For the eyes of the
Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their supplication;
but the face of the Lord is set against evil-doers." 003:013 And who
will be able to harm you, if you show yourselves zealous for that which
is good? 003:014 But even if you suffer for righteousness' sake, you are
to be envied. So do not be alarmed by their threats, nor troubled;
003:015 but in your hearts consecrate Christ as Lord, being always
ready to make your defence to any one who asks from you a reason for
the hope which you cherish. 003:016 Yet argue modestly and
cautiously, keeping your consciences free from guilt, so that, when you
are spoken against, those who slander your good Christian lives may be
put to shame. 003:017 For it is better that you should suffer for doing
right, if such be God's will, than for doing evil; 003:018 because Christ
also once for all died for sins, the innocent One for the guilty many, in
order to bring us to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made
alive in the spirit, 003:019 in which He also went and proclaimed His
Message to the spirits that were in prison, 003:020 who in ancient times
had been disobedient, while God's longsuffering was patiently waiting
in the days of Noah during the building of the Ark, in which a few
persons-- eight in number--were brought safely through the water.
003:021 And, corresponding to that figure, the water of baptism now
saves you-- not the washing off of material defilement, but the craving
of a good conscience after God--through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, 003:022 who is at God's right hand, having gone into Heaven,
angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
004:001 Since, then, Christ has suffered in the flesh, you also must arm
yourselves with a determination to do the same-- because he who has
suffered in the flesh has done with sin-- 004:002 that in future you may
spend the rest of your earthly lives, governed not by human passions,
but by the will of God. 004:003 For you have given time enough in the
past to the doing of the things which the Gentiles delight in--pursuing,
as you did, a course of habitual licence, debauchery, hard drinking,
noisy revelry, drunkenness and unholy image-worship. 004:004 At this
they are astonished--that you do not run into the same excess of
profligacy as they do; and they speak abusively of you. 004:005 But
they will have to give account to Him who stands ready to pronounce

judgement on the living and the dead. 004:006 For it is with this end in
view that the Good News was proclaimed even to some who were dead,
that they may be judged, as all mankind will be judged, in the body, but
may be