³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, ^(A)not malicious gossips nor ^(B)enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, ⁴ so that they may ^[a]encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible, pure, ^(C)workers at home, kind, being ^(D)subject to their own husbands, ^(E)so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

Godly Living

3 ^(A)In the same way, you wives, ^(B)be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be ^(C)won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, ² as they observe your pure ^[a]and respectful behavior. ^3 (D)Your adornment must not be merely the external—braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or putting on apparel; ⁴ but it should be ^(E)the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For in this way the holy women of former times, ^(F)who hoped in God, also used to adorn themselves, being subject to their own husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^(G)calling him lord; and you have proved to be her children if you do what is right ^[b](H)without being frightened by any fear.

^21 [a](A)and subject yourselves to one another in the ^[b](B)fear of Christ.

Marriage like Christ and the Church

^22 (C)Wives, ^(D)subject yourselves to your own husbands, ^(E)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(F)the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the ^(G)head of the church, He Himself ^(H)being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

^25 (I)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and ^(J)gave Himself up for her,

Family Relations

^18 (A)Wives, ^(B)be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.