4. In what sense was the woman man’s helper and complement?

⁴ God said that the woman would be man’s helper and complement. Since they were made in God’s image, he would expect them to manifest his qualities​—justice, love, wisdom, and power—​in their relationship with each other. Therefore, Eve would be “a complement,” not a competitor. The family would not be like a ship with two competing captains, but headship would be exercised by Adam.​—1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:22-24; 1 Timothy 2:12, 13.

Deep Respect​—A Challenge

6, 7. (a) How may unbelieving husbands be won over to the truth? (b) How could a wife possibly be failing to show “deep respect” for her unbelieving husband?

⁶ The apostle Peter detailed Christ’s example in conduct and explained that Jesus left us ‘a model to follow his steps closely.’ Then Peter stated: “In like manner, you wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, in order that, if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives, because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct together with deep respect.” (1 Peter 2:21–3:2) How can Christian wives manifest this “deep respect”?

⁷ Many of our Christian sisters have unbelieving and sometimes opposing husbands. Do these circumstances mean that Peter’s counsel is then null and void? No, subjection and respect are required even if “any are not obedient to the word.”