Wives and Husbands

(Song of Solomon 1:1-3; Ephesians 5:22-33)

1Likewise, wives, [be] subject to your own husbands, that, even if any are disobedient to the word, they may be gained without [the] word by the conversation of the wives, 2having witnessed your pure conversation [carried out] in fear; 3whose adorning let it not be that outward one of tressing of hair, and wearing gold, or putting on apparel; 4but the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible [ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price. 5For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands; 6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children ye have become, doing good, and not fearing with any kind of consternation.

7[Ye] husbands likewise, dwell with [them] according to knowledge, as with a weaker, [even] the female, vessel, giving [them] honour, as also fellow-heirs of [the] grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

Turn from Evil

8Finally, [be] all of one mind, sympathising, full of brotherly love, tender hearted, humble minded; 9not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but on the contrary, blessing [others], because ye have been called to this, that ye should inherit blessing.

10For he that will love life and see good days, let him cause his tongue to cease from evil and his lips that they speak no guile.

11And let him avoid evil, and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it;

12because [the] eyes of [the] Lord [are] on [the] righteous, and his ears towards their supplications; but [the] face of [the] Lord [is] against them that do evil.

13And who shall injure you if ye have become imitators of that which [is] good?

Suffering for Righteousness

(Romans 6:15-23)

14But if also ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed [are ye]; but be not afraid of their fear, neither be troubled; 15but sanctify [the] Lord the Christ in your hearts, and [be] always prepared to [give] an answer [to] every one that asks you to give an account of the hope that [is] in you, but with meekness and fear; 16having a good conscience, that [as to that] in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may be ashamed who calumniate your good conversation in Christ. 17For [it is] better, if the will of God should will it, to suffer [as] well-doers than [as] evildoers; 18for Christ indeed has once suffered for sins, [the] just for [the] unjust, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in flesh, but made alive in [the] Spirit, 19in which also going he preached to the spirits [which are] in prison, 20heretofore disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in [the] days of Noah while the ark was preparing, into which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: 21which figure also now saves you, [even] baptism, not a putting away of [the] filth of flesh, but [the] demand as before God of a good conscience, by [the] resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who is at [the] right hand of God, gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being subjected to him.