Wives and Husbands
(Song of Solomon 1:1–17; Ephesians 5:22–33)

1Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if any are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without word by the conduct of the wives, 2having witnessed your⁺ respectful, pure conduct, 3whose adornment let not be the external, of braiding of hair and putting around of gold or putting on of garments, 4but the hidden man of the heart, in the imperishable quality of the gentle and quiet† spirit, which is of great worth before God. 5For in this way formerly the holy women also hoping in God used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, 6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, of whom you⁺ became children, doing good and not fearing any terror.

7Husbands do likewise, dwelling with them according to knowledge, as with a weaker vessel, with the female, rendering honor as co-heirs also of the grace of life, in order for your⁺ prayers not to be hindered.

Turning from Evil

8Now the end: All be single-minded, sympathetic, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, humble,† 9not giving back evil for evil or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary blessing, because† to this you⁺ were called, so that you⁺ should inherit a blessing. 10For,

“The one wanting to love life

and to see good days,

let him stop the tongue from evil,

and the lips not speak deceit.

11And let him turn away from evil, and let him do good;

let him seek peace and let him pursue it.

12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and His ears toward their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is on

those doing evil.Ӡ

13And who is the one who will do evil to you⁺ if you⁺ should be zealous† for that which is good?

Suffering for Righteousness

14But even if you⁺ should suffer because of righteousness, you are blessed. “And you⁺ should not be afraid of their fear, nor should you⁺ be troubled.”† 15But in your⁺ hearts sanctify Christ as Lord,† always ready for a defense to everyone who is asking you⁺ an account concerning the hope in you⁺, but with meekness and fear, 16having a good conscience, so that in that which they speak against you⁺,† they shall be put to shame—those reviling your⁺ good conduct in Christ. 17For it is better to suffer doing good, if the will of God wills it, than doing evil, 18because Christ also suffered† once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He might bring you⁺† to God, having been put to death indeed in the flesh, but having been made alive in the Spirit, 19in whom† also, having gone, He preached to the spirits in prison 20at one time having disobeyed, when the longsuffering of God was waiting in the days of Noah, of the ark being prepared, in which a few—that is, eight souls—were saved through water, 21which also corresponds to the baptism now saving you⁺,† not a putting away of the filth of flesh, but the demand† of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers having been subjected to Him.

Footnotes:

4 WH quiet and gentle
8 BYZ and TR courteous
9 BYZ and TR blessing, knowing that
12 Psalm 34:12–16 (see also LXX)
13 BYZ and TR imitators of
14 Or “Do not fear their threats; do not be shaken.” Isaiah 8:12
15 BYZ and TR But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. This sentence may also be included with the quotation from the previous verse; see Isaiah 8:13.
16 BYZ and TR include as evildoers.
18 NE and WH died
18 GOC, F35, and TR us
19 Or in the Spirit, 19in which
21 BYZ and TR us
21 Or appeal for