Wives and Husbands

^22 (A)Wives, ^(B)submit to your own husbands, ^(C)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(D)the husband is the head of the wife even as ^(E)Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is ^(F)himself its Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit ^(G)in everything to their husbands.

^25 (H)Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and ^(I)gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by ^(J)the washing of water ^(K)with the word, ²⁷ so ^(L)that he might present the church to himself in splendor, ^(M)without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.^{[a] 28} In the same way ^(N)husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because ^(O)we are members of his body. ^31 (P)“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and ^(Q)the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. ³³ However, ^(R)let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she ^(S)respects her husband.

Rules for Christian Households

^18 (A)Wives, submit to your husbands, as ^(B)is fitting in the Lord.

Wives and Husbands

3 Likewise, wives, ^(A)be subject to your own husbands, so that ^(B)even if some do not obey the word, ^(C)they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, ² when they see your ^(D)respectful and pure conduct. ^3 (E)Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— ⁴ but let your adorning be ^(F)the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. ⁵ For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, ⁶ as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(G)calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and ^(H)do not fear anything that is frightening.

⁷ Likewise, ^(I)husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker ^(J)vessel, since they are heirs with you^[a] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.