¹⁸ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.”^(A)

The Value of a Friend

⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up the other, but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?^{(A) 12} And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

⁷ Husbands, in the same way, show consideration for your wives in your life together, paying honor to the woman—though the weaker vessel,^[a] they are joint heirs of the gracious gift of life—so that nothing may hinder your prayers.^(A)

⁷ For a man ought not to have his head veiled, since he is the image and reflection^[a] of God, but woman is the reflection^[b] of man.^{(A) 8} Indeed, man was not made from woman but woman from man.^{(B) 9} Neither was man created for the sake of woman but woman for the sake of man.^{(C) 10} For this reason a woman ought to have authority over her head,^[c] because of the angels.^{(D) 11} Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man or man independent of woman. ¹² For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman, but all things come from God.

¹¹ Let a woman^[a] learn in silence with full submission. ¹² I do not permit a woman^[b] to teach or to have authority over a man;^[c] she is to keep silent. ¹³ For Adam was formed first, then Eve,^(A)

³⁶ If anyone thinks that he is behaving indecently toward his fiancée,^[a] if his passions are strong and so it has to be, let him marry as he wishes; it is no sin. Let them marry.

Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

3 Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you.^(A)

¹² The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.”^(A)

³¹ God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.^(A)