3 But I want you to understand that the ^jhead of every man is Christ, ^kthe head of a wife¹ is her husband,² and ^lthe head of Christ is God.

Wives and Husbands

22 ^xWives, ^ysubmit to your own husbands, ^zas to the Lord. 23 For ^athe husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the ^bhead of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

25 ^cHusbands, love your wives, as Christ ^dloved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might ^esanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 ^fso that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be ^gholy and without blemish.¹ 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as ^htheir own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because ⁱwe are ^jmembers of his body. 31 ^k“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and ^lthe two shall become one flesh.” 32 This ^mmystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Rules for Christian Households

18 ^qWives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 ^rHusbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

8 I desire then that in every place the men should ⁿpray, lifting ^oholy hands without anger or ^pquarreling; 9 likewise also that ^qwomen should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and ^rself-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 ^sLet a woman learn quietly ^twith all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For ^uAdam was formed first, ^vthen Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but ^wthe woman was ^xdeceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved ^ythrough ^zchildbearing—if they continue in ^afaith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Qualifications for Overseers

1 ^bThe saying is trustworthy: ^cIf anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an ^doverseer¹ must be above reproach, ^ethe husband of one wife,² sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must ^fmanage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, ^ghow will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become ^hpuffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a ⁱsnare of the devil.

Qualifications for Deacons

8 ^jDeacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued,³ not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must ^khold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And ^llet them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise⁴ must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be ^mthe husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great ⁿconfidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.