complete verse (1 Peter 3:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of 1 Peter 3:1:

  • Uma: “So also you women, submit to your husbands, so that if you have husbands who do not believe in the Word of God, your behavior will cause them to believe. You do not need to say anything to them,” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Now you also, women you should follow/obey what your husbands wish so that if there are those who don’t yet believe God’s word/message they will finally believe if they see your good customs. Even if you do not talk to persuade them, finally they will believe in Isa,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “As for you women also, it is necessary that you submit yourselves to your husbands, and then even though they do not believe the Word of God, they still might believe if they can see your good works. It is not necessary for you to preach at them,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Now you women who are married, submit-yourselves also to your spouses so that if there are any of them who don’t believe/obey the word of God, they will be persuaded to believe because of your good behavior. Even if you say nothing, they will believe nonetheless,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Now you women, you must submit well to the leadership/management of your husband, for if it’s like that, even if your husband doesn’t acknowledge-as-true the word of God, when they observe these good natures/ways of yours, maybe that will lead them to believe in the Lord, even though no-one is storying/teaching them.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, you women. Obey your husbands. Concerning a woman who has a husband who doesn’t believe God’s word, there will come the day he will believe when he sees the good life you live. It isn’t necessary that you tell him to believe the word.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Chichewa (interconfessional translation, 1999): “In the same way you ladies, obey your husbands, so that if any of them do not obey the words of God, they might be attracted by the character of you, their wives.” (Source: Wendland 1998, p. 112)

word / command (of God) (Japanese honorifics)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-kotoba (みことば) or “word (of God)” in the referenced verses.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 1 Peter 3:1 – 3:2

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Peter 3:1

Section 3:1–7

Husbands and wives should honor one another

In this section, Peter gave instructions about family life. The wife should accept her husband’s authority, even if he is not a Christian, and try to influence him to faith in Christ by her good behavior. Husbands also should show honor towards their wives. Peter also said that when both husband and wife are believers, they share equally in the blessings of their new life in Christ.

Some other headings for this section are:

Wives and Husbands (New International Version)
-or-
Instructions for wives and husbands

Paragraph 3:1–6

3:1a

Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands: Peter wanted each married woman to accept the authority of her husband. He expected that each wife would have one husband and that each husband would have one wife. In some languages it may be necessary to make this clear by using the singular forms. For example:

Let each wife submit to her husband
-or-
Every married woman should be submissive to her husband

in the same way: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as in the same way here introduces a new subject on the same general theme. Peter gave another example of how Christians should behave respectfully towards those who are in authority over them. Some other ways to translate this are:

in a similar way (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Likewise (Revised Standard Version)

submit yourselves to your husbands: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as submit yourselves is the same as in 2:18a. Peter wanted women who were believers to choose to respect their husbands, even if their husbands were not believers. Some other ways to translate this phrase include:

accept the authority of your husbands (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
place yourselves under your husbands’ authority (God’s Word)

3:1b

so that: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that introduces a purpose or goal. This purpose is stated in 3:1c. Here is another way to translate this:

then (NET Bible)

even if they refuse to believe the word: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as even if they refuse to believe the word assumes that some husbands refused to believe the word. Peter had no doubt that there were many such men. In some languages it may be necessary to make this clear. For example, it may be possible to say:

as many as do not obey the word
-or-
those who do not believe the word

refuse to believe the word: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as refuse to believe the word is literally “disobey the word.” Here it means “disobey the message from God by not believing in Jesus.” Peter was referring to men who were not Christians. The verb refuse to believe is the same as in 2:8c (note on “disobey the word”).

the word: The phrase the word refers to the word of God and means “the word that comes from God.” If people in your area would not understand that, you may want to include the implied words.

Some other ways the word has been translated include:

God’s word (God’s Word)
-or-
God’s teaching (New Century Version)
-or-
the Good News (New Living Translation (2004))

3:1c

they will be won over…by the behavior of their wives: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they will be won over…by the behavior of their wives is in the passive. In some languages it may be necessary to use an active verb:

the behavior of their wives might win them over
-or-
the way their wives behave will win them

won over: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as won over here is a figure of speech. It means “gained for the Lord,” that is, convinced or persuaded to become a Christian. Some other ways to translate this expression are:

• Keep the figure. For example:

win these men for Christ (God’s Word)
-or-
win them over to believe (Good News Translation)

• Translate the meaning. For example:

persuaded to believe (New Century Version)
-or-
convinced to believe in Christ

of their wives: If you translated 3:1a as a direct command to wives, it may be natural to translate of their wives as:

of you, their wives
-or-
your(fem/plur)

without words: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as without words here means “without the wife talking to her husband about Jesus.” It does not mean that the wife refuses to talk to her husband, or that she never even tells him that she is a Christian. It means that the way she acts should be so attractive to her husband that she will not need to keep on speaking to him about Jesus. Some other ways to translate this phrase include:

without saying anything (God’s Word)
-or-
It will not be necessary for you to say a word (Good News Translation)

© 2018 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Commentaire sur la traduction de la première lettre de Pierre 3.1

3.1-7

Cette troisième section de la série des exhortations pratiques est centrée sur les rapports entre époux. D’autres passages du NT traitent du même sujet, par exemple Éph 5.22-33 ; Col 3.18-19 ; 1 Tim 2.9-15 ; Tite 2.4. Certains commentateurs pensent que Pierre se fonde sur des textes chrétiens utilisés pour l’enseignement des nouveaux convertis, textes formant une espèce de code social, familial ou communautaire.

L’exhortation adressée aux femmes ( 1 Pierre 3.1) est beaucoup plus longue que celle concernant les maris (1 Pierre 3.7). Ce fait peut être dû à deux raisons : premièrement, il pouvait y avoir plus de femmes que d’hommes parmi les chrétiens d’Asie Mineure. Deuxièmement, les femmes pouvaient rencontrer plus de difficultés que les hommes, en particulier si les maris n’étaient pas chrétiens. A l’époque, les épouses dépendaient entièrement de leurs maris, non seulement financièrement mais d’une façon générale. C’est pourquoi, si une femme devenait chrétienne alors que le mari était non croyant, il pouvait y avoir de nombreux problèmes. Tel n’aurait pas été le cas pour un mari devenu chrétien dont la femme aurait été non croyante.

Vous, de même : littéralement « De même (vous les) femmes… ». L’adverbe grec ὁμοίως homoiôs, traduit par de même lie cette exhortation à ce qui précède. Mais la question se pose, à quel texte se réfère-t-elle : à la section concernant les esclaves ou à tous les textes précédents traitant la soumission ? Si la référence est à ce qui précède directement, cela signifierait que les femmes doivent se soumettre à leurs maris tout comme les esclaves à leurs maîtres (1 Pierre 2.18). Compris de cette façon, le verset refléterait bien la situation sociale de l’époque, où la condition de la femme n’était guère meilleure que celle d’un esclave. Cependant, il est plus probable que cet adverbe englobe le texte plus large sur la soumission. Alors ce mot servira de transition ou de formule d’introduction à une nouvelle section traitant le même sujet, un thème déjà abordé en 1 Pierre 2.13. Le sens serait alors : la soumission étant exigée de tous les chrétiens, il convient également que les femmes soient soumises à leurs maris. Voir aussi 1 Pierre 3.7. En adoptant une relation plus générale, on pourra dire, « de la même façon que les chrétiens doivent être soumis… »

Vous… femmes : Pierre s’adresse directement aux femmes, mais il est clair qu’il s’agit de femmes mariées. On pourrait donc dire « vous, les épouses » ou « vous, femmes qui êtes mariées… ». Si l’emploi du vocatif n’est pas naturel, on pourrait utiliser un style indirect : « Je m’adresse maintenant aux femmes (mariées). Elles doivent… »

soyez soumises à vos maris : pour le verbe soumettre, voir 1 Pierre 2.13. Dans la plupart des langues, ce verbe sera exprimé par un terme comme « respecter » ou, à la limite, « obéir ».

à vos maris : littéralement « à vos propres maris ». L’utilisation de ce pluriel ne signifie pas qu’il y a des femmes ayant plusieurs maris. C’est pourquoi la Parole de Vie préfère utiliser le singulier : « obéissez à votre mari ». On pourra aussi dire « chacune doit se soumettre à son (propre) mari ».

afin que… la conjonction ἵνα hina introduit le but de ce comportement respectueux. Comme déjà suggéré plus haut, il est probable qu’un certain nombre des femmes exhortées ici étaient les épouses de maris non chrétiens. Pierre va donc montrer qu’une telle soumission peut être un moyen de gagner ces hommes à la foi chrétienne.

même si quelques-uns refusent de croire à la Parole est une proposition conditionnelle où la conjonction si introduit une possibilité réelle. même si (grec : καί εἴ kai ei) exprime une sorte d’insistance. La Parole de Vie commence une nouvelle phrase à cet endroit : « Alors, même si votre mari ne croit pas… »

si quelques-uns refusent de croire à la Parole : quelques-uns se réfère aux maris. On pourra aussi dire « si certains d’entre eux ». Le verbe grec utilisé ici signifie souvent « désobéir » (ainsi Rom 11.30), mais dans plusieurs contextes le sens est refuser de croire (Voir 1 Pierre 2.8, plus haut, Act 14.2 ; 19.9). La Bible en français courant propose « …ne croient pas à la parole de Dieu ».

Pour la Parole, voir 1 Pierre 1.25. Ici comme là, la Parole équivaut à l’Évangile, la Bonne Nouvelle de ce que Dieu a réalisé en Jésus-Christ. On peut rester assez près du texte source en parlant de « la parole de Dieu » (Bible en français courant) ou rendre cela explicitement en disant « qui ne croient pas au message concernant le Christ ». La Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, ainsi que d’autres versions, met une lettre majuscule à Parole, mais le grec ne fait pas cette distinction. A ce sujet, les traducteurs devraient s’en tenir aux normes dans leur langue.

ils soient gagnés, sans parole, par la conduite de leurs femmes présente la conséquence de ce comportement discret, sans parole : selon Pierre, les maris des femmes soumises seront « gagnés à la foi » (Bible en français courant) grâce à la conduite de leurs épouses. Le même verbe gagner est utilisé dans un sens semblable en 1 Cor 9.19-22. Selon le présent texte, les maris seront convaincus de la véracité de l’Évangile et seront amenés à croire au Christ grâce à la conduite de leurs femmes. En grec, les éléments de la phrase se présentent en ordre inverse : « par le comportement de leurs femmes, sans parole, ils seront gagnés ». Là encore, l’utilisation du pluriel, femmes, n’implique pas que ces maris soient polygames.

Le passif du verbe gagnés peut poser un problème dans certaines langues, auquel cas on pourra dire « la conduite de leurs femmes fera en sorte qu’ils soient gagnés (à la foi) ».

sans parole peut signifier « sans qu’elles leur annoncent la parole de Dieu » mais il vaut mieux suivre le texte en disant, par exemple, « sans qu’elles leur disent un mot ». La conduite ou le comportement des épouses est censé avoir plus de poids que tout ce qu’elles peuvent dire. Cependant, il ne faudrait pas que la traduction de sans parole suggère que les épouses doivent cesser de parler à leurs maris. La Bible en français courant peut servir de modèle avec « Des paroles ne seront même pas nécessaires », sous-entendu « pour les amener à la foi », ou bien on pourra dire « Il ne vous sera pas nécessaire de dire un mot ». La Parole de Vie offre une autre possibilité en mettant sans parole à la fin de la phrase : « il (le mari) sera gagné à la foi par votre conduite, sans que vous lui en parliez ».

par la conduite de leurs femmes : litt. « par la conduite des femmes ». Comme Pierre s’adresse directement aux femmes, il est légitime de dire « par votre conduite » (Bible en français courant, La Bible du Semeur, Parole de Vie). Le mot traduit par conduite se trouve également en 1 Pierre 1.15, 1 Pierre 1.18 ; 1 Pierre 2.12 et 1 Pierre 3.2. On pourra dire « votre façon de vivre », « votre manière de vivre » ou « la façon dont vous vous comportez ».

Source: Margot, Jean-Claude. La première lettre de Pierre – Manuel de traduction – Commentaire linguistique et exégétique de la Bible. Alliance biblique universelle, 2021.