Wives and Husbands

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

1In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behaviour of their wives; 2beholding your chaste behaviour coupled with fear. 3Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on apparel; 4but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5For after this manner aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands: 6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.

7Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honour unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered.

Turn from Evil

8Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded: 9not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

10For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:

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

12For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication: But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil.

13And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good?

Suffering for Righteousness

(Romans 6:15-23)

14But and if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; 15but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear: 16having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ. 17For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. 18Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the spirit; 19in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, 20which aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: 21which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ; 22who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.