3:6a

just as Sarah obeyed Abraham: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as just as introduces an example of one of the holy women who adorned herself by submitting to her own husband. Peter is using Sarah as an example, not as a comparison. If using a comparison with “like” or “as” might suggest in your language that Sarah was not one of these holy women, you could say:

Sarah was ⌊an example of⌋ one of these

Sarah obeyed Abraham: In some languages it may be necessary to make it explicit that Sarah was Abraham’s wife or that Abraham was Sarah’s husband. For example:

Sarah, who obeyed her husband Abraham
-or-
Sarah, the wife of Abraham, who obeyed him

called him lord: This is an allusion to Genesis 18:12. In the Genesis passage, Sarah was speaking about rather than directly to her husband.

The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as lord was a common title of respect for any person in authority. It did not imply that the speaker was a servant or slave. In your translation, you could:

• Use a word that women in your culture use to speak politely of and to their husbands.

• Use a general expression such as:

gave honor to her husband when she spoke to/of him

3:6b

And you are her children: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you are her children is literally “you became her children.” The term could refer to descendants, but most of Peter’s readers were probably not physical descendants of Abraham and Sarah (that is, Jews). Peter meant this in a figurative sense: “you became like Sarah in character.” Consider if your readers would understand a literal translation. If not, you may need to say something like:

you have become like her

3:6c

refuse to give way to fear: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as refuse to give way to fear is literally “not fearing any terror.” Peter was probably implying that the women should not be afraid of their non-Christian husbands. But he did not limit it to this, and so it is better to supply a general object:

do not be terrified ⌊of anyone/anything⌋

General Comment on 3:6b–c

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 3:6b and c. For example:

6c By doing good and showing no fear, 6b you have become her daughters. (Revised English Bible)

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