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

1Similarly also, wives should be subject to their husbands, so that, even if some do not believe the Word, they may benefit without the Word, through the behavior of these wives, 2as they consider with fear your chaste behavior. 3For you, there should be no unnecessary adornment of the hair, or surrounding with gold, or the wearing of ornate clothing. 4Instead, you should be a hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptibility of a quiet and a meek spirit, rich in the sight of God. 5For in this way, in past times also, holy women adorned themselves, hoping in God, being subject to their own husbands. 6For so Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You are her daughters, well-behaved and unafraid of any disturbance.

7Similarly, you husbands should live with them in accord with knowledge, bestowing honor on the female as the weaker vessel and as co-heirs of the life of grace, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Turning from Evil

8And finally, may you all be of one mind: compassionate, loving brotherhood, merciful, meek, humble, 9not repaying evil with evil, nor slander with slander, but, to the contrary, repaying with blessings. For to this you have been called, so that you may possess the inheritance of a blessing.

10For whoever wants to love life and to see good days should restrain his tongue from evil, and his lips, so that they utter no deceit.

11Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it.

12For the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears are with their prayers, but the countenance of the Lord is upon those who do evil.

13And who is it who can harm you, if you are zealous in what is good?

Suffering for Righteousness

14And yet, even when you suffer something for the sake of justice, you are blessed. So then, do not be afraid with their fear, and do not be disturbed. 15But sanctify Christ the Lord in your hearts, being always ready to give an explanation to all who ask you the reason for that hope which is in you. 16But do so with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, so that, in whatever matter they may slander you, they shall be confounded, since they falsely accuse your good behavior in Christ. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if it is the will of God, than for doing evil. 18For Christ also died once for our sins, the Just One on behalf of the unjust, so that he might offer us to God, having died, certainly, in the flesh, but having been enlivened by the Spirit. 19And in the Spirit, he preached to those who were in prison, going to those souls 20who had been unbelieving in past times, while they waited for the patience of God, as in the days of Noah, when the ark was being built. In that ark, a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. 21And now you also are saved, in a similar manner, by baptism, not by the testimony of sordid flesh, but by the examination of a good conscience in God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 22He is at the right hand of God, devouring death, so that we may be made heirs to eternal life. And since he has journeyed to heaven, the Angels and powers and virtues are subject to him.