And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. | And where a single man can be overcome, two together will be able to resist. A cord with three strands is not easily broken. |
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. | Who can find a worthy wife? She is far more precious than pearls. |
|
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. | And if one should fall, his companion will help him up. How pathetic is the man who is alone and falls and has no one to assist him to his feet. |
Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. | You are all-beautiful, my love, without the slightest blemish. |
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. | In view of all this, you should make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with piety, and piety with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. |
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. | Two are better than one: they earn a far greater reward for their toil. |
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. | Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her in order to sanctify her by cleansing her with water and the word. |
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you. | May the Lord cause your love to increase and overflow for one another and for everyone else, just as our love does for you. |
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. | In everything, deal with others as you would like them to deal with you. This is the Law and the Prophets. |
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. | Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not treat them harshly. |
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? | Do not associate with unbelievers. For what basis can there be for a partnership between righteousness and lawlessness? What do light and darkness have in common? |
House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord. | A house and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is a gift from the Lord. |
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 the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I wish to make another creature who will be like him.” |
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. | However, to avoid the temptation to immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. |
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. | As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the wits of his neighbor. |
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. | Does it now appear to you that I am trying to gain the approval of human beings rather than the approval of God? Am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. |
But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. | And whoever does not provide for relatives, especially for those who are living with him, has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. |
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. | A true friend is one at all times, and a brother is born to render help in time of need. |
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. | Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, the body of which he is the Savior. |
So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. | In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. The man who loves his wife loves himself. |
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. | An honorable name is more to be desired than great riches, and high esteem is preferable to silver and gold. |
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. | However, each one of you should love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife should respect her husband. |
Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. | You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother. Love your neighbor as yourself. |