And the LORD God said,
It is not good
that the man
should be alone;
I will make him
an help meet
for him.
And Adam said,
This is now bone
of my bones,
and flesh
of my flesh:
she shall be called Woman,
because
she
was taken out of Man.
Therefore shall
a man
leave his father
and his mother,
and shall cleave
unto his wife:
and
they shall be
one flesh.
Unto the woman
he said,
I will greatly multiply
thy sorrow
and thy conception;
in sorrow
thou shalt bring forth children;
and thy
desire
shall be
to thy husband,
and
he shall rule
over thee.
And
when the king's decree
which he
shall make
shall be published
throughout all his empire,
(for it is great,)
all the wives
shall give
to their husbands honour,
both to great
and small.
And the saying
pleased
the king
and the princes;
and the king
did according to
the word
of Memucan:
For he
sent letters
into all
the king's provinces,
into every province
according to the writing
thereof,
and
to every people
after their language,
that every man
should bear
rule
in his own house,
and
that it
should be published according to
the language
of every people.
Thy wife
shall be as a fruitful vine
by the sides
of thine house:
thy children like olive plants round
about thy table.
Behold,
that thus
shall
the man
be blessed that
feareth the LORD.
A virtuous woman
is a crown
to her husband:
but she
that maketh ashamed
is as rottenness
in his bones.
Every wise woman
buildeth her house:
but the foolish
plucketh it down
with her hands.
Whoso
findeth
a wife
findeth a good thing,
and obtaineth
favour
of the LORD.
A foolish son
is the calamity
of his father:
and
the contentions
of a wife
are a continual dropping.
House and riches
are the inheritance
of fathers:
and a prudent wife
is from the LORD.
It is
better
to dwell
in the corner
of the housetop,
than with a brawling woman
and
in a wide house.
For three things
the earth
is disquieted,
and for four which it cannot bear:
For a servant
when he reigneth;
and a fool
when
he is filled
with meat;
For an odious woman
when
she is married;
and an handmaid
that is heir
to her mistress.
Who can find
a virtuous woman?
for her price
is far above rubies.
The heart
of her husband
doth safely trust
in her,
so that
he
shall have
no need
of spoil.
She will do him
good
and not evil all
the days
of her life.
She seeketh wool,
and flax,
and worketh willingly
with her hands.
She is like
the merchants' ships;
she bringeth her food
from afar.
She riseth also
while it
is yet night,
and giveth meat
to her household,
and a portion
to her maidens.
She considereth a field,
and buyeth it:
with the fruit
of her hands
she planteth a vineyard.
She girdeth her loins
with strength,
and strengtheneth her arms.
She perceiveth
that her merchandise
is good:
her candle
goeth not out
by night.
She layeth her hands
to the spindle,
and her hands
hold the distaff.
She stretcheth out her hand
to the poor;
yea,
she reacheth forth her hands
to the needy.
She is not afraid
of the snow
for her household:
for all
her household
are clothed
with scarlet.
She maketh herself coverings
of tapestry;
her clothing
is silk
and purple.
Her husband
is known
in the gates,
when
he sitteth among the elders
of the land.
She maketh fine linen,
and selleth it;
and delivereth
girdles
unto the merchant.
Strength
and honour
are
her clothing;
and
she shall rejoice
in time
to come.
She openeth her mouth
with wisdom;
and in her tongue
is the law
of kindness.
She looketh
well to the ways
of her household,
and eateth not
the bread
of idleness.
Her children
arise up,
and call
her blessed;
her husband also,
and
he praiseth her.
Many daughters
have done virtuously,
but
thou excellest them all.
Favour is deceitful,
and beauty
is vain:
but a woman
that feareth the LORD,
she shall be praised.
Give her
of the fruit
of her hands;
and let
her own works
praise her
in the gates.
Nevertheless,
to avoid fornication,
let every man
have his own wife,
and let every woman
have her own husband.
Let the husband
render
unto the wife due benevolence:
and likewise
also the wife
unto the husband.
The wife
hath not
power
of her own body,
but the husband:
and likewise also
the husband
hath not
power
of his own body,
but the wife.
Defraud
ye not
one the other,
except it
be
with consent
for a time,
that ye
may give yourselves
to fasting
and prayer;
and come
together again,
that Satan
tempt you
not for your incontinency.
But
I speak this
by permission,
and
not of commandment.
And unto the married
I command,
yet not I,
but the Lord,
Let not
the wife
depart
from her husband:
But and
if she depart,
let her
remain
unmarried
or be reconciled
to her husband:
and let not
the husband
put away
his wife.
But to the rest
speak I,
not the Lord:
If any brother
hath
a wife that believeth not,
and
she be pleased
to dwell with him,
let him
not put her away.
And the woman
which hath
an husband that believeth not,
and
if he
be pleased
to dwell
with her,
let her
not leave him.
For the unbelieving husband
is sanctified
by the wife,
and the unbelieving wife
is sanctified
by the husband:
else were your children unclean;
but now are
they holy.
For what
knowest thou,
O wife,
whether thou
shalt save
thy husband?
or how knowest thou,
O man,
whether thou
shalt save
thy wife?
Art
thou bound
unto a wife?
seek not
to be loosed.
Art
thou loosed
from a wife?
seek not
a wife.
But and
if thou marry,
thou hast not sinned;
and
if a virgin marry,
she hath not sinned.
Nevertheless such
shall have
trouble
in the flesh:
but
I spare you.
But this
I say,
brethren,
the time
is short:
it remaineth,
that both
they that
have
wives be as
though they
had none;
But
I would have you
without carefulness.
He that is unmarried
careth
for the things
that belong
to the Lord,
how he
may please
the Lord:
But
he that is married
careth
for the things
that are of the world,
how he
may please
his wife.
There is difference
also between a wife
and a virgin.
The unmarried woman
careth
for the things
of the Lord,
that she
may be holy both
in body
and in spirit:
but
she that is married
careth
for the things
of the world,
how she
may please
her husband.
So then he
that
giveth
her in marriage
doeth well;
but he
that
giveth
her
not in marriage
doeth better.
The wife
is bound
by the law
as long
as her husband liveth;
but
if her husband
be dead,
she is at liberty
to be married
to whom she will;
only in the Lord.
But
she is happier
if she so abide,
after my judgment:
and
I think also that
I have
the Spirit
of God.
But I
would have
you know,
that the head
of every man
is Christ;
and the head
of the woman
is the man;
and
the head
of Christ is God.
For a man
indeed ought not
to cover his head,
forasmuch as he
is the image
and glory of God:
but the woman
is the glory
of the man.
For the man
is not
of the woman:
but the woman
of the man.
Neither was
the man
created for the woman;
but the woman
for the man.
Nevertheless
neither is the man
without the woman,
neither the woman
without the man,
in the Lord.
For as the woman
is of the man,
even so
is the man
also by the woman;
but all things
of God.
Let your women
keep silence
in the churches:
for it
is not permitted
unto them to speak;
but they
are commanded to be
under obedience
as also saith the law.
And
if they
will learn any thing,
let them
ask
their husbands
at home:
for it
is a shame
for women
to speak
in the church.
Wives,
submit yourselves
unto your own husbands,
as unto the Lord.
For the husband
is the head
of the wife,
even as Christ
is the head
of the church:
and
he is the saviour
of the body.
Therefore as the church
is subject
unto Christ,
so let
the wives
be to their own husbands
in every thing.
Husbands,
love your wives,
even as Christ
also loved
the church,
and gave himself
for it;
So ought men
to love their wives
as their own bodies.
He that
loveth
his wife
loveth himself.
For this cause
shall a man
leave his father
and mother,
and shall be joined
unto his wife,
and
they two
shall be one flesh.
Nevertheless let every one
of you
in particular so
love his wife
even as himself;
and the wife
see that
she reverence her husband.
Wives,
submit yourselves
unto your own husbands,
as it is fit
in the Lord.
Husbands,
love your wives,
and be not bitter
against them.
Even so
must their wives
be grave,
not slanderers,
sober,
faithful
in all things.
Let not a widow
be taken
into the number
under threescore years old,
having been the wife
of one man.
Well reported of
for good works;
if she
have brought
up children,
if she
have lodged strangers,
if she
have washed
the saints' feet,
if she
have relieved
the afflicted,
if she
have diligently followed
every good work.
I will therefore
that the younger women marry,
bear children,
guide the house,
give none occasion
to the adversary
to speak reproachfully.
The aged women likewise,
that they
be
in behaviour
as becometh holiness,
not false accusers,
not given
to much wine,
teachers
of good things;
That they
may teach
the young women
to be sober,
to love their husbands,
to love their children,
To be discreet,
chaste,
keepers at home,
good,
obedient
to their own husbands,
that the word
of God
be not blasphemed.
Likewise,
ye wives,
be in subjection
to your own husbands;
that,
if any
obey not
the word,
they also may
without the word
be won
by the conversation
of the wives;
While they
behold your chaste conversation
coupled with fear.
Whose adorning
let
it not be
that outward adorning
of plaiting the hair,
and
of wearing
of gold,
or of putting on
of apparel;
But let
it be
the hidden man
of the heart,
in that which
is not corruptible,
even the ornament
of a meek
and quiet spirit,
which is in the sight
of God
of great price.
For after this manner
in the old
time the holy women also,
who trusted
in God,
adorned themselves,
being
in subjection
unto their own husbands:
Even as Sara
obeyed Abraham,
calling him lord:
whose daughters
ye are,
as long as ye
do well,
and are not afraid
with any amazement.
Likewise,
ye husbands,
dwell
with them according to knowledge,
giving
honour
unto the wife,
as unto the weaker vessel,
and
as being heirs
together of the grace
of life;
that your prayers
be not hindered.