to be discreet, chaste, (A)homemakers, good, (B)obedient to their own husbands, (C)that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

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to be self-controlled(A) and pure, to be busy at home,(B) to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands,(C) so that no one will malign the word of God.(D)

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The Virtuous Wife

10 (A)Who[a] can find a [b]virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15 (B)She also rises while it is yet night,
And (C)provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [c]her profits she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
20 (D)She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 (E)Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10–31 are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew; cf. Ps. 119
  2. Proverbs 31:10 Lit. a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence
  3. Proverbs 31:16 Lit. the fruit of her hands

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10 [a]A wife of noble character(A) who can find?(B)
    She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband(C) has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.(D)
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.(E)
14 She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.(F)
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders(G) of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.(H)
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise(I) at the city gate.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

The Christian Home(A)

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

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Instructions for Christian Households(A)

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

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10 well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

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10 and is well known for her good deeds,(A) such as bringing up children, showing hospitality,(B) washing the feet(C) of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble(D) and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

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Submission to Husbands

Wives, likewise, be (A)submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, (B)they, without a word, may (C)be won by the conduct of their wives, (D)when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. (E)Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be (F)the hidden person of the heart, with the [a]incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands,

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 3:4 imperishable

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, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.(D) 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) 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,

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13 And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. 14 Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

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13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies(A) who talk nonsense,(B) saying things they ought not to. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry,(C) to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.(D)

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16 To the woman He said:

“I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
(A)In pain you shall bring forth children;
(B)Your desire shall be [a]for your husband,
And he shall (C)rule over you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 3:16 Lit. toward

16 To the woman he said,

“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
    with painful labor you will give birth to children.(A)
Your desire will be for your husband,
    and he will rule over you.(B)

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33 Nevertheless (A)let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she (B)respects her husband.

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33 However, each one of you also must love his wife(A) as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

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Marriage—Christ and the Church(A)

22 Wives, (B)submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For (C)the husband is head of the wife, as also (D)Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands (E)in everything.

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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.

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Dorcas Restored to Life

36 At Joppa there was a certain disciple named [a]Tabitha, which is translated [b]Dorcas. This woman was full (A)of good works and charitable deeds which she did.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 9:36 Lit., in Aram., Gazelle
  2. Acts 9:36 Lit., in Gr., Gazelle

36 In Joppa(A) there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good(B) and helping the poor.

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Honor Masters

Let as many (A)bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.

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All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect,(A) so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.(B)

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11 (A)She was loud and rebellious,
(B)Her feet would not stay at home.

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11 (She is unruly(A) and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;

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11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. 12 And (A)I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.

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11 A woman[a] should learn in quietness and full submission.(A) 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;[b] she must be quiet.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Timothy 2:11 Or wife; also in verse 12
  2. 1 Timothy 2:12 Or over her husband