In the same way may refer back to 2.18, which would mean that wives should submit to their husbands in the same manner that slaves submit to their masters. Taken in this way, the verse may echo accurately the social situation at that time, in which the status of women was no better than a slave (compare Augustine Confessions 9.19).

It is possible, however, that in the same way is merely a formal way of introducing a new section in this whole division of the letter, and refers then to the general idea of submission which is introduced in 2.13. The sense of the verse then would be that since Christians are expected to “be submissive,” it is likewise expected that wives should submit to their husbands. Most translations are ambiguous at this point; one translation (New American Bible) omits the expression, thereby leaning towards the second of these alternatives. Unfortunately, in most languages it is difficult, if not impossible, to be completely ambiguous in rendering the phrase In the same way, for any expression such as “same” or “similar” frequently requires the comparison to be explicit, for example, “in the same way that slaves are submissive to masters” or “in the manner in which Christians should be submissive.”

You wives must submit yourselves to your husbands is sometimes expressed figuratively as “you wives must bow before your husbands,” but more frequently submit yourselves is rendered as “obey.”

The expression you wives must be expressed in some languages as “you who are wives” or “you women who are married.” In certain instances, however, it may be both awkward and misleading to use a second person plural of address. Therefore, a more satisfactory equivalent may be “wives should obey their husbands.”

It is apparent that a majority of the wives being addressed are married to non-Christian husbands, and Peter now points out that such submission can become a way to win them over into the Christian faith. Any of them do not believe God’s word is literally “some do not obey the word.” For word, see 1.22 and 1.25. As there, the word, or God’s word, is equivalent to the gospel, the Good News of what God has done in Jesus Christ. For “obey,” see 2.8. The whole expression is a description of husbands who are not Christians, and it is possible to translate it as such, without finding the equivalent of every word in it (for example, Barclay “any of them who refuse to believe”). In certain instances the more satisfactory equivalent of any of them do not believe God’s word is simply “any of those who are not believers” or “any of those who have not become believers.” It may even be necessary to specify the goal of such belief, and therefore one may say “believers in Christ,” but a close equivalent of the Greek text is “believers in the message about Christ.”

These husbands will become believers, not through words but through the conduct of their wives. “May be won” (Revised Standard Version) has reference to the husbands becoming Christians (compare 1 Cor 9.19-22, where the same verb is used in a similar manner).

Your conduct may be rendered as “the way in which you live” or “how you conduct yourselves.”

Will win them over to believe is frequently expressed as a causative, for example, “will cause them to believe” or “will cause them to become believers.”

“Without a word” may mean “without preaching to them the word of God,” or more probably “without saying anything.” The conduct of the wives is much more important than any word they can say.

A strictly literal translation of It will not be necessary for you to say a word might suggest that the wives were not to talk to their husbands. In reality, of course, this is a suggestion that it will not be necessary to talk to them about believing, for example, “it will not be necessary for you to tell them that they should believe.”

For they will see, see 2.12.

For conduct, see 1.15, 18 and 2.12. In verse 2, this conduct is described as pure and reverent. Pure is not limited to sexual chastity or marital fidelity (as the word “chaste” would imply; compare Moffatt), but is used here in the broader sense of good, sincere, honest, acceptable behavior. The Greek construction allows for the interpretation that pure conduct stems from or is motivated by “fear,” that is, respect and reverence for God (as in 1.17; 2.18; compare Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “the pure life you are living in obedience to God”). Many translations, however, take pure and reverent as coordinates, allowing for the possibility that reverence is directed toward the husband (compare SPCL “pure and respectful conduct”).

In the context of this verse pure may be rendered as “without double motives” or “without pretending.” They will see how pure … your conduct is may be rendered figuratively as “they will see how all that you do comes from your heart.”

If reverent is related to reverence to God, then one may translate they will see how … reverent your conduct is as “they will see how sincerely you worship God” or “they will see your fine attitude concerning God.” On the other hand, if reverent refers to the attitude of wives toward their husbands, then they will see how … reverent your conduct is may be rendered as “they will see how well you obey them” or “… do what they want you to do.” Because of the significant differences in the implications of pure and reverent, it may be necessary to use two completely different clauses rather than trying to combine them into a single clause.

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The First Letter from Peter. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .