1 Peter 3:1
What does 1 Peter 3:1 mean?
A plain-English look at 1 Peter 3:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What 1 Peter 3:1 means
Peter urges Christian wives to place themselves under the leadership of their own husbands, not as doormats but as a deliberate act of faith in God’s order. The aim is missional: when a husband “obeys not the word,” he may be won over, not primarily by arguments, but by the steady witness of a wife’s godly conduct. This teaches the power of a quiet, consistent testimony within the closest human relationship. Submission here is not absolute—it never means obeying sin—but it does mean a respectful posture that makes the gospel attractive at home. God often uses the beauty of holiness in a believing spouse to soften resistant hearts and display the transforming grace of Christ.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000In like manner, ye wives, bein subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives;
KJV
King James Version · 1611Likewise, 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;
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901In like manner, ye wives, bein subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Wives, be ruled by your husbands; so that even if some of them give no attention to the word, their hearts may be changed by the behaviour of their wives,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862In like manner, the wives, be ye subject to your own husbands, that even if certain are disobedient to the word, through the conversation of the wives, without the word, they may be won,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752In 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,
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Likewise, wives, [be] subject to your own husbands, that, even if any are disobedient to the word, they may be gained without [the] word by the conversation of the wives,
Context
Peter continues the theme of honorable conduct begun in chapter 2, where he addressed submission to rulers and masters for the Lord’s sake. Now he turns to the household, starting with wives and then, in verse 7, addressing husbands. The purpose remains evangelistic and God-centered: the believer’s way of life adorns the gospel. Verses 2–6 will describe the nature of this witness—pure, reverent, and marked by inner beauty—before moving to reciprocal instruction for husbands and then broad exhortations to the whole church (verses 8–12).
v.1This passage
v.2beholding your chaste behaviorcoupledwith fear.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Peter 3:7
Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell withyour wivesaccording to knowledge, giving honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered.
- 1 Corinthians 11:3
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
- Titus 2:3
that aged women likewise be reverent in demeanor, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;
- 1 Corinthians 7:16
For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
- 1 Timothy 2:11
Let a woman learn in quietness with all subjection.
- Ephesians 5:22
Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
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