1Pe 3:1
3:1 Likewise, {1} ye wives, [be] in subjection to your own
    husbands; {2} that, if any obey not the word, they also may
    without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

 (1) In the third place he sets forth the wives' duties to their
     husbands, commanding them to be obedient.
 (2) He speaks namely of those who had husbands who were not
     Christians, who ought so much the more be subject to their
     husbands, that by their honest and chaste conversation,
     they may win them to the Lord.

1Pe 3:3
3:3 {3} Whose adorning let it not be that outward [adorning] of
    plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on
    of apparel;

 (3) He condemns the unrestrained indulgences and excesses of
     women, and sets forth their true apparel, such as is
     precious before God, that is, the inward and incorruptible,
     which consists in a meek and quiet spirit.

1Pe 3:4
3:4 But [let it be] the {a} hidden man of the heart, in that
    which is not corruptible, [even the ornament] of a meek and
    quiet spirit, which is {b} in the sight of God of great
    price.

    (a) Who has his abiding place fastened in the heart: so that
        the hidden man is set against the outward adorning of
        the body.
    (b) Precious indeed and so taken of God.

1Pe 3:5
3:5 {4} 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:

 (4) An argument taken from the example of women, and especially
     of Sarah, who was the mother of all believers.

1Pe 3:6
3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose
    daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are {5} not
    afraid with any amazement.

 (5) Because women are by nature fearful, he gives them to
     understand that he requires of them that subjection, which
     is not wrung out from them either by force or fear.

1Pe 3:7
3:7 {6} Likewise, ye husbands, {c} dwell with [them] according
    to {d} knowledge, {7} giving {e} honour unto the wife, as
    unto the weaker {f} vessel, {8} and as being heirs together
    of the {g} grace of life; {9} that your prayers be not
    hindered.

 (6) He also teaches husbands their duties, that is, that the
     more understanding and wisdom they have, the more wisely
     and circumspectly they behave themselves.
    (c) Do all the duties of wedlock.
    (d) The more wisdom the husband has, the more circumspectly
        he must behave himself in bearing those inconveniences,
        which through the woman's weakness often cause trouble
        both to the husband and the wife.
 (7) The second argument: because the wife nonetheless is weaker
     by nature than the man, she is an excellent instrument of the
     man, made for far more excellent uses: upon which it
     follows that she is not therefore to be neglected, because
     she is weak, but on the contrary she ought to be so much
     more cared for.
    (e) Having an honest care for her.
    (f) The woman is called a vessel after the manner of the
        Hebrews, because the husband uses her as his friend and
        helper, to live faithfully before God.
 (8) The third argument: for that they are equal in that which
     is the most important (that is to say, in the benefit of
     eternal life) who otherwise are unequal concerning the
     leadership and conduct at home, and therefore they are
     not to be despised although they are weak.
    (g) Of that gracious and free benefit, by which we have
        everlasting life given to us.
 (9) The fourth argument: All fighting and rebuking must be
     avoided, because they hinder prayers and the whole service
     of God, to which both the husband and wife are equally
     called.

1Pe 3:8
3:8 {10} Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one
    of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous:

 (10) He turns to common exhortations, and commends harmony and
      whatever things pertain to the maintenance of peace and
      mutual love.

1Pe 3:9
3:9 {11} Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing:
    but contrariwise blessing; {12} knowing that ye are
    thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

 (11) We must not only not recompense injury for injury, but we
      must also recompense them with benefits.
 (12) An argument taken by comparison: Seeing that we ourselves
      are unworthy of so great bountifulness, than forgive one
      another's faults?  And from this verse to the end of the
      chapter, 1Pe 3:9-22, there is a digression, to exhort
      us valiantly to bear afflictions.

1Pe 3:10
3:10 {13} For he that will love life, and {h} see good days, let
     him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they
     speak no guile:

 (13) A secret objection: But this our patience shall be nothing
      else but an inciting and hardening of the wicked in their
      wickedness, to make them set upon us more boldly and
      destroy us. Indeed (faith the apostle by the words of David)
      to live without doing harm, and to follow after peace when
      it flies away, is the way to that happy and quiet peace.
      If so be any man be afflicted for doing justly, the Lord
      marks all things, and will in his time deliver the godly,
      who cry to him, and will destroy the wicked.
     (h) Lead a blessed and happy life.

1Pe 3:12
3:12 For the eyes of the Lord [are] over the righteous, and his
     ears [are open] unto their prayers: but the {i} face of the
     Lord [is] against them that do evil.

 (i) This word "face" after the manner of the Hebrews, is taken
     for "anger".

1Pe 3:13
3:13 {14} And who [is] he that will harm you, if ye be followers
     of that which is good?

 (14) The second argument: when the wicked are provoked, they
      are more wayward: therefore they must instead be won by
      good deeds. If they cannot be gained by that means also,
      yet nonetheless we shall be blessed if we suffer for
      righteousness sake.

1Pe 3:14
3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy [are
     ye]: {15} and be not afraid of their {k} terror, neither be
     troubled;

 (15) A most certain counsel in afflictions, be they never so
      terrible, to be of a steady mind and to stand fast. But
      how shall we attain to it?  If we sanctify God in our
      minds and hearts, that is to say, if we rest upon him as
      one that is almighty that loves mankind, that is good and
      true indeed.
     (k) Be not dismayed as they are.

1Pe 3:15
3:15 But {l} sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: {16} 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:

    (l) Give him all prayers and glory, and hang only on him.

 (16) He will have us, when we are afflicted for righteousness
      sake, to be careful not for redeeming of our life, either
      with denying or renouncing the truth, or with like
      violence, or any such means: but rather to give an account
      of our faith boldly, and yet with a meek spirit, and full
      of godly reverence, that the enemies may not have anything
      justly to object, but may rather be ashamed of themselves.

1Pe 3:17
3:17 {17} For [it is] better, if the will of God be so, that ye
     suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

 (17) A reason which stands upon two general rules of
      Christianity, which nonetheless all men do not allow.  The
      one is, if we must suffer afflictions, it is better to
      suffer wrongfully than rightfully: the other is this,
      because we are so afflicted not by accident, but by the
      will of our God.

1Pe 3:18
3:18 {18} For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, {19} the
     just for the unjust, {20} that he might bring us to God,
     {21} being put to death in the {m} flesh, but quickened by
     the Spirit:

 (18) A proof of either of the rules, by the example of Christ
      himself our chief pattern, who was afflicted not for his
      own sins (which were none) but for ours, and that
      according to his Father's decree.
 (19) An argument taken by comparison: Christ the just, suffered
      for us that are unjust and shall it grieve us who are
      unjust, to suffer for the cause of Christ.
 (20) Another argument being partly taken of things coupled
      together, that is, because Christ brings us to his Father
      that same way that he went himself, and partly from the
      cause efficient: that is, because Christ is not only set
      before us for an example to follow, but also he holds us
      up by his power in all the difficulties of this life,
      until he bring us to his Father.
 (21) Another argument taken from the happy end of these
      afflictions, in which Christ also goes before us both in
      example and power, as one who suffered most grievous
      torments even to death, although but only in one part of
      him, that is, in the flesh or man's nature: but yet became
      conqueror by virtue of his divinity.
     (m) As touching his manhood, for his body was dead, and his
         soul felt the sorrows of death.

1Pe 3:19
3:19 {22} By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in
     prison;

 (22) A secret objection: Christ indeed might do this, but what
      is that to us? Indeed (faith the apostle) for Christ has
      showed his power in all ages both in the preservation of
      the godly, were they never so few and miserable, and in
      avenging the rebellion of his enemies, as it appears by
      the history of the flood: for Christ is he who in those
      days (when God through his patience appointed a time of
      repentance to the world) was present, not in corporal
      presence, but by his divine power, preaching repentance,
      even by the mouth of Noah himself who then prepared the
      ark, to those disobedient spirits who are now in prison,
      waiting for the full recompence of their rebellion, and
      saved those few, (that is, only eight people) in the
      water.

1Pe 3:20
3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when {n} once the
     longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the
     ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight {o} souls
     were saved by water.

     (n) This word "once" shows that there was a furthermost day
         appointed, and if that were once past, there should be
         no more.
     (o) Men.

1Pe 3:21
3:21 {23} 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 {p} God,) {24}
     by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

 (23) A proportional applying of the former example to the time
      which followed the coming of Christ: for the preservation
      of Noah in the waters, was a figure of our baptism, not as
      though the material water of baptism shows us, as those
      waters which bare up the ark saved Noah, but because
      Christ with his inward virtue, which the outward baptism
      shadows, preserves us being washed, so that we may call
      upon God with a good conscience.
     (p) The conscience being sanctified, may freely call upon
         God.
 (24) That same virtue, by which Christ rose again, and now
      being carried up into heaven has received all power, does
      at this day defend and preserve us.