Thematic Bible: Fulfilling domestic duties


Thematic Bible



Children, obey your parents, for this is right. "You must honor your father and mother" -- this is the first commandment, with a promise to make it good "so that you may prosper and live a long life on earth." read more.
You parents, too, must stop exasperating your children, but continue to bring them up with the sort of education and counsel the Lord approves. You slaves must practice obedience to your earthly masters, with reverence and awe, with sincerity of heart, as you would obey Christ, not serving them as though they were watching you, but as true slaves of Christ, trying to carry out the will of God. Heartily and cheerfully keep on working as slaves, as though it were for the Lord and not for men, for you know that everyone, slave or free, will get his reward from the Lord for anything good he has done.

You married women, in the same way, must be submissive to your husbands, so that, if any of them do not believe the message, they may be won over without a word through the living of the wives, when they see how chaste and respectful you are. Your adornments must be not of an external nature, with braids of hair or ornaments of gold, or changes of dress, read more.
but they must be of an internal nature, the character concealed in the heart, in the imperishable quality of a quiet and gentle spirit, which is of great value in the sight of God. For this is the way the pious women of olden times, who set their hope on God, used to adorn themselves. They were submissive to their husbands, as Sarah, for example, obeyed Abraham and called him master. You have become true daughters of hers, if you practice doing right and cease from every fear. You married men, in the same way, must live with your wives in an intelligent consideration of them; you must show them deference, too, as the weaker sex, as they share with you the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.