What does the Bible say about being a good wife?

Answer 1

If you want to know what The Bible says about a bad husband, go read the story of Samson (Judges 13:1-16:31) and if you want a good book on something in that subject area, I recommend The Samson Syndrome by Mark Atterberry.

What the Bible does say is how to be a good husband. Paul talks about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7. Starting at verse 1 he says (ESV)

"Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: 'It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.' But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband."

These first verse is just given to address the context, which I have said, is marriage. The next 2 verses are aimed more towards what you are asking, or, what the Bible said about how to be a good husband.

"The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does."

The Greek word for conjugal used is εϋνοια which literally means "favor" or "affection". So husbands are to give their wives affection. This makes sense because most women desire affection; that's the way God created them. Then Paul says that a wife has no authority over her own body, because it's her husband's, but the same applies with the man. As guys, we like this part because we think about sex, but how can a man give his body to his wife? Listening. When our wife walks in the room while we're watching football and starts talking about her day, or chores or something, we don't want to listen. The purpose of these verses is to emphasize selflessness. Selfishness is probably the thing that makes marriage the hardest.

Verse 5, "Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."

These appear to be obvious, the only time you should deprive each other of sex is for a so to speak "fast", because the purpose of food fasting is praying using the time you would normally use to eat. Besides that, God expects husbands and wives to have sex, it's part of being a good husband.

Ephesians 5:23-33 says, "For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."

Basically what this passage is saying it: husbands are the head of the wife, meaning he is the leader, not ethically superior; husbands should love their wives as much as Christ loved the church, which is literally to death because Christ was crucified on the cross; husbands should love their wives as much as they love themselves because a husband and wife are one flesh, so the husband is essentially loving himself by loving his wife.

The final thing you may wonder is how do you love your wife? 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a tells us how.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

Answer 2

Ephesians 5: 22-33 This is about good husbands and wives 22. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23. 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. 24. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing. 25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife [see] that she reverence [her] husband.

Answer 3

(Ephesians 5:25) "Husbands, continue loving YOUR wives, just as the Christ also loved the congregation and delivered up himself for it..."

(Ephesians 5:28-33) "In this way husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself, for no man ever hated his own flesh; but he feeds and cherishes it, as the Christ also does the congregation....For this reason a man will leave [his] father and [his] mother and he will stick to his wife, and the two will become one flesh .... Nevertheless, also, let each one of YOU individually so love his wife as he does himself; on the other hand, the wife should have deep respect for her husband."

(Colossians 3:19) ". . .YOU husbands, keep on loving [your] wives and do not be bitterly angry with them...."(Ephesians 4:31-32)

(1 Peter 3:7-9) ". . .YOU husbands, continue dwelling in like manner with them according to knowledge, assigning them honor as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one, since YOU are also heirs with them of the undeserved favor of life, in order for YOUR prayers not to be hindered. Finally, all of YOU be like-minded, showing fellow feeling, having brotherly affection, tenderly compassionate, humble in mind, not paying back injury for injury or reviling for reviling, but, to the contrary, bestowing a blessing, because YOU were called to this [course], so that YOU might inherit a blessing."

(Matthew 19:3-9)Divorce (Malachi 2:16)

(Matthew 5:27-30) Flirting (Job 31:1)

Answer 4

Titus 2:3-4

mentions wives loving their husbands.
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There are many Scriptures picturing how a wife should 'love' her husband. Perhaps the most popular chapter used to describe this is in Ephesians 5, specifically for this question here:

Ephesians 5:22-24

New King James Version (NKJV)

Marriage—Christ and the Church

22Wives,submitto your own husbands, as to the Lord.

23For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

24Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, soletthe wivesbeto their own husbands in everything.

Technically:

The Bible tells wives to "OBEY" their husbands... not "love" them.

"You wives will SUBMIT to your husbands out of reverence for Christ." (Eph.5:21 NLT New Living Translation)

(same verse; LVB Living Bible): "You wives must SUBMIT to your husband's leadership in the same way you submit to the Lord."

The Bible tells us: "...you HUSBANDS MUST LOVE YOUR WIVES with the same Love Christ showed the church. He gave up His Life for her to make her Holy and Clean... In the same way, husbands ought to LOVE their wives as they love their own bodies..." (Eph.5:25-28 NLT)

Love is a process... aLiving, Growing, Developing thing. God ordains the male to initiate intimacy and Love with a woman. And in the proper spirit in which God designed marriage [as Christ Loves His Church; caring and respect for each other]... that Love will grow between them, binding them Eternally.

Answer 5

Proverbs 18:22 [Full Chapter]

He who finds a wife finds a goodthing, And obtains favor from the Lord.