womanhood

¹A wise woman builds up her household. But a foolish one will pull down with her own hands what has been built up.

¹⁰Who shall find a strong woman? Far away, and from the furthest parts, is her price. ¹¹The heart of her husband confides in her, and he will not be deprived of spoils. ¹²She will repay him with good, and not evil, all the days of her life. ¹³She has sought wool and flax, and she has worked these by the counsel of her hands. ¹⁴She has become like a merchant’s ship, bringing her bread from far away. ¹⁵And she has risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and provisions to her maids.

³Old women, similarly, should be in holy attire, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teaching well, ⁴so that they may teach prudence to the young women, so that they may love their husbands, love their children, ⁵be sensible, chaste, restrained, have concern for the household, be kind, be subordinate to their husbands: so that the Word of God may be not blasphemed.

²²A beautiful and senseless woman is like a gold ring in the snout of a swine.

⁵For in this way, in past times also, holy women adorned themselves, hoping in God, being subject to their own husbands.

²²He who has found a good wife has found goodness, and he shall draw contentment from the Lord. He who expels a good wife expels goodness. But he who holds on to an adulteress is foolish and impious.

¹⁴A house and its riches are given by parents. But a prudent wife is particularly from the Lord.

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,

¹²The Lord will give the word to evangelizers, along with great virtue.

²⁷And God created man to his own image; to the image of God he created him; male and female, he created them.

¹⁶To the woman, he also said: “I will multiply your labors and your conceptions. In pain shall you give birth to sons, and you shall be under your husband’s power, and he shall have dominion over you.”

²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither servant nor free; there is neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.

²²Wives should be submissive to their husbands, as to the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church. He is the Savior of his body. ²⁴Therefore, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so also should wives be subject to their husbands in all things.

¹²For just as woman came into existence from man, so also does man exist through woman. But all things are from God.

³So I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ. But the head of woman is man. Yet truly, the head of Christ is God.

⁹Similarly also, women should be dressed fittingly, adorning themselves with compunction and restraint, and not with plaited hair, nor gold, nor pearls, nor costly attire, ¹⁰but in a manner proper for women who are professing piety by means of good works. ¹¹Let a woman learn in silence with all subjection. ¹²For I do not permit a woman to teach, nor to be in authority over a man, but to be in silence.

¹⁷She has wrapped her waist with fortitude, and she has strengthened her arm.

⁹He causes a barren woman to live in a house, as the joyful mother of sons.

³⁸Now it happened that, while they were traveling, he entered into a certain town. And a certain woman, named Martha, received him into her home. ³⁹And she had a sister, named Mary, who, while sitting beside the Lord’s feet, was listening to his word. ⁴⁰Now Martha was continually busying herself with serving. And she stood still and said: “Lord, is it not a concern to you that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, speak to her, so that she may help me.” ⁴¹And the Lord responded by saying to her: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled over many things. ⁴²And yet only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the best portion, and it shall not be taken away from her.”

³⁶And there was a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher. She was very advanced in years, and she had lived with her husband for seven years from her virginity. ³⁷And then she was a widow, even to her eighty-fourth year. And without departing from the temple, she was a servant to fasting and prayer, night and day. ³⁸And entering at the same hour, she confessed to the Lord. And she spoke about him to all who were awaiting the redemption of Israel.

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.