Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong! Let all that you do be done in love.
Many of the passages men look for were first spoken to particular men: Joshua as Israel renewed its covenant, Timothy as a young church leader, Joseph in a dream. Others were written to whole communities of women and men. This collection notes which is which. Almost everything here applies to every Christian; what these passages offer men is a picture of strength joined to love, faithfulness and humility.
Strength and love together
Paul’s closing charge to the Corinthians moves straight from “Be strong!” to love (1 Corinthians 16:13–14). The strength in Ephesians 6:10–11 is “in the Lord,” and the armor that follows is for standing firm, not for fighting people. Timothy is told to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:11–12), but the list of what he is to pursue ends with gentleness.
Friendship and integrity
Proverbs 27:17 is a favorite for good reason: people grow when friends are honest with them. Micah 6:8 sums up what God asks in three phrases, and Psalm 119:9 and Proverbs 3:5–6 point to a life steered by God’s word rather than by one’s own understanding.
Joseph of Nazareth
The Gospels record no words of Joseph at all, only what he did (Matthew 1:19–24). Before the angel came, he had already chosen mercy over public shame. Afterward he took Mary as his wife, named the child, and later took his family to Egypt by night to protect them (Matthew 2:13-14). Catholic and Orthodox Christians honor him as a saint, and many Catholics pray to him as a patron of fathers and workers.
For husbands and fathers
Ephesians 5:25 asks husbands to love as Christ loved, giving Himself up. The surrounding passage is one of the New Testament’s household codes, and Christians read these passages differently; this page does not settle that debate. All agree that the standard set for husbands here is self-giving love. Fathers are told not to provoke their children but to bring them up in “the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
Short verses for cards: Proverbs 27:17, Micah 6:8 and 1 Corinthians 16:13–14. Every passage here can be downloaded as an image card.
The passages
Iron sharpens iron;
so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
Iron sharpens iron: friends make each other better, sometimes through friction. A proverb about friendship that fits any group that meets to be honest with one another.
He has shown you, O man, what is good.
What does the Lord require of you, but to act justly,
to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God. “O man” here means any human being: the prophet is answering what God asks of everyone.
Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
She shall give birth to a son. You shall name Him Jesus, for it is He who shall save His people from their sins.”
Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child,
and shall give birth to a son.
They shall call His name Immanuel,”
which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”
Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself;
Joseph is called righteous, and his righteousness shows as mercy: he would not shame Mary in public. Then he listens, sets fear aside and acts.
If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
“As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” — Joshua’s challenge to all Israel as they renewed the covenant. He leads by committing himself first.
But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you confessed the good confession in the sight of many witnesses.
“Fight the good fight of faith,” written to Timothy, a young church leader. The fight is for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and don’t lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart: part of a father’s teaching to his son (3:1). A promise of guidance, not of an easy road.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Strength “in the Lord,” not in oneself. The armor is given to the whole church, and the struggle is spiritual, “not against flesh and blood” (6:12).
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to Your word.
“How can a young man keep his way pure?” The psalm’s answer is simple: by living according to God’s word.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave Himself up for her,
Husbands are to love their wives “even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave Himself up for her.” The verse sits within household instructions that begin with mutual submission (5:21) and that Christians read in different ways; the measure it sets for husbands is Christ’s self-giving love.
