In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.
Parallel translations
- WEB You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.
- KJV Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
- BSB Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
- NKJV Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
- NASB You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Husbands are to live considerately with their wives, honoring them as fellow heirs of grace, so their prayers are not hindered. Husbands must treat their wives with understanding and honor before God.
Overview
Peter now addresses husbands, calling them to live 'according to knowledge'—with understanding and thoughtful care. Though the wife is called 'the weaker vessel' (likely a reference to physical strength or social vulnerability), she is fully an equal 'joint heir of the grace of life.' Failure to honor her actually hinders a husband's prayers, showing that how he treats his wife affects his relationship with God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Col 3:19Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them.
- Gen 2:23–24The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.”
- Matt 19:3–9Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
- Eph 5:25–28Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;
- Eph 5:33Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
- Mal 2:14–16Yet you say, ‘Why?’ Because Yahweh has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant.
- 1 Cor 7:3Let the husband give his wife the affection owed her, and likewise also the wife her husband.
- Matt 18:19Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
- 1 Th 4:4that each one of you know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor,
- Prov 5:15–19Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well.
- Matt 5:23–24“If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you,
- Rom 8:26–27In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.
- Eph 6:18with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
- Eph 3:6that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus through the Good News,
- Job 42:8Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.”
- Titus 3:7that being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
- Eph 4:30Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
- 1 Cor 12:22–24No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
- Heb 1:14Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?
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