Wives are exhorted to submit (hypotassomenai) to their husbands, just as citizens should submit to ruling authorities (2:13) and slaves to their masters (

Voluntary submission is in view here. Husbands do not have the responsibility to ensure that wives submit to them. The participle “submitting” (translating literally) functions as an imperative here.126 It is difficult to see, against Achtemeier, how the participle could modify the imperatives in 2:17, for the latter verse is quite distant from the present verse

Peter’s words are addressed in particular to wives with unbelieving husbands—“even if some of them do not obey the word” (NRSV). Still, all wives are addressed, not only those with disobedient husbands, for the words “even if” (NASB) may indicate that the majority of the husbands were believers

All disobedience, of course, stems from unbelief, but the emphasis here is on the rebellion of husbands who refuse to adhere to the gospel. Again the parallel to what is said about slaves is noteworthy, for just as slaves are to submit to morally bankrupt masters (2:18), so Christian wives are called on to submit to unbelieving husbands.

Many commentators argue that Peter’s advice to wives should be understood within the same framework as his counsel to slaves. In both cases he commends submission, but in neither instance does he endorse the patriarchal institution that enforces submission.

Wives are to submit to unbelieving husbands because this is the means by which husbands can be “won” (kerdēthēsontai) for the faith. Peter knew, according to this view, that it would be futile to try to overturn the social structure of his day, and his primary concern was the conversion of unbelieving husbands, not the pursuit of female rights. Hence, submission is commended for the sake of the mission of the church, but Peter, these scholars insist, did not actually sanction the idea that wives should submit to their husbands. He addressed a particular situation in which he explained how wives should relate to unbelieving husbands.

Femmes, soyez soumises à vos maris, comme au Seigneur; 23car le mari est le chef de la femme, comme Christ est le chef de l’Église, qui est son corps, et dont il est le Sauveur. 24Or, de même que l’Église est soumise à Christ, les femmes aussi doivent l’être à leurs maris en toutes choses

Ayez, non cette parure extérieure qui consiste dans les cheveux tressés, les ornements d’or, ou les habits qu’on revêt, 4mais la parure intérieure et cachée dans le coeur, la pureté incorruptible d’un esprit doux et paisible, qui est d’un grand prix devant Dieu. 5Ainsi se paraient autrefois les saintes femmes qui espéraient en Dieu

Peter was hardly suggesting that wives submit and obey in the same way as children, for the relationship is between two adults

We also learn from Paul that mutuality also characterizes the marriage relationship (1 Cor 7:3–5)

Que le mari rende à sa femme ce qu’il lui doit, et que la femme agisse de même envers son mari. 4La femme n’a pas autorité sur son propre corps, mais c’est le mari; et pareillement, le mari n’a pas autorité sur son propre corps, mais c’est la femme. 5Ne vous privez point l’un de l’autre, si ce n’est d’un commun accord pour un temps, afin de vaquer à la prière; puis retournez ensemble, de peur que Satan ne vous tente par votre incontinence. 6

Elle rit en elle-même, en disant: Maintenant que je suis vieille, aurais-je encore des désirs? Mon seigneur aussi est vieux.