Wives and Husbands

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

1In like manner, the wives, be ye subject to your own husbands, that even if certain are disobedient to the word, through the conversation of the wives, without the word, they may be won, 2having beheld your pure behaviour in fear, 3whose adorning -- let it not be that which is outward, of plaiting of hair, and of putting around of things of gold, or of putting on of garments, 4but -- the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible thing of the meek and quiet spirit, which is, before God, of great price, 5for thus once also the holy women who did hope on God, were adorning themselves, being subject to their own husbands, 6as Sarah was obedient to Abraham, calling him 'sir,' of whom ye did become daughters, doing good, and not fearing any terror.

7The husbands, in like manner, dwelling with them, according to knowledge, as to a weaker vessel -- to the wife -- imparting honour, as also being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

Turn from Evil

8And finally, being all of one mind, having fellow-feeling, loving as brethren, compassionate, courteous, 9not giving back evil for evil, or railing for railing, and on the contrary, blessing, having known that to this ye were called, that a blessing ye may inherit;

10for 'he who is willing to love life, and to see good days, let him guard his tongue from evil, and his lips -- not to speak guile;

11let him turn aside from evil, and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it;

12because the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears -- to their supplication, and the face of the Lord is upon those doing evil;'

13and who is he who will be doing you evil, if of Him who is good ye may become imitators?

Suffering for Righteousness

(Romans 6:15-23)

14but if ye also should suffer because of righteousness, happy are ye! and of their fear be not afraid, nor be troubled, 15and the Lord God sanctify in your hearts. And be ready always for defence to every one who is asking of you an account concerning the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16having a good conscience, that in that in which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may be ashamed who are traducing your good behaviour in Christ; 17for it is better doing good, if the will of God will it, to suffer, than doing evil; 18because also Christ once for sin did suffer -- righteous for unrighteous -- that he might lead us to God, having been put to death indeed, in the flesh, and having been made alive in the spirit, 19in which also to the spirits in prison having gone he did preach, 20who sometime disbelieved, when once the long-suffering of God did wait, in days of Noah -- an ark being preparing -- in which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water; 21also to which an antitype doth now save us -- baptism, (not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the question of a good conscience in regard to God,) through the rising again of Jesus Christ, 22who is at the right hand of God, having gone on to heaven -- messengers, and authorities, and powers, having been subjected to him.