¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites,^(A) in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household,^(B) we will serve the Lord.”^(C)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(A)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice^(B) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands^(A) as you do to the Lord.^{(B) 23} For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,^(C) his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands^(D) in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives,^(E) just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her^{(F) 26} to make her holy,^(G) cleansing^[a] her by the washing^(H) with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself^(I) as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.^{(J) 28} In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives^(K) as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body.^{(L) 31} “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”^{[b](M) 32} This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife^(N) as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.^{(O) 2} “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³ “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”^[c](P)

⁴ Fathers,^[d] do not exasperate your children;^(Q) instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.^(R)

Instructions for Christian Households^(A)

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

¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

²¹ Fathers,^[a] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

3 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves^(A) to your own husbands^(B) so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over^(C) without words by the behavior of their wives, ² when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. ³ Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.^{(D) 4} Rather, it should be that of your inner self,^(E) the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.^{(F) 5} For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God^(G) used to adorn themselves.^(H) They submitted themselves to their own husbands, ⁶ like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.^(I) You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

⁷ Husbands,^(J) in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.