CHAPTER FOURTEEN—Your Family Can Be Happy
Question 1, 2. What does Jehovah want for families?
1 Jehovah God performed the first marriage. The Bible tells us that he made the first woman and “brought her to the man.” Adam was so happy that he said: “This is at last bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” (Genesis 2:22, 23) This tells us that Jehovah wants married people to be happy.
2 Sadly, many people have never experienced a happy family life. However, the Bible contains many principles that will help all members of the family to make their family life successful and to enjoy being together.—Luke 11:28.
What God Expects From Husbands
Question 3, 4. (a) How should a husband treat his wife? (b) Why is it important for a husband and wife to forgive each other?
3 The Bible says that a good husband should treat his wife with love and respect. Please read Ephesians 5:25-29. A husband will always treat his wife in a loving way. He will also protect her, look after her, and do nothing that would harm her.
4 But what should a husband do when his wife makes mistakes? Husbands are told: “Keep on loving your wives and do not be bitterly angry with them.” (Colossians 3:19) Husbands, remember that you too make mistakes. And if you want God to forgive you, you must forgive your wife. (Matthew 6:12, 14, 15) When a husband and wife are both willing to forgive, it will help them to have a happy marriage.
[“Read” scripture.] Ephesians 5:25-29: Husbands, continue loving your wives, just as the Christ also loved the congregation and gave himself up for it, in order that he might sanctify it, cleansing it with the bath of water by means of the word, so that he might present the congregation to himself in its splendor, without a spot or a wrinkle or any of such things, but holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself, for no man ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cherishes it, just as the Christ does the congregation, [End of “Read” scripture.]
Question 5. Why should a husband honor his wife?
5 Jehovah expects a husband to honor his wife. A husband should think carefully about his wife’s needs. This is a very serious matter. If a husband does not treat his wife well, Jehovah may refuse to listen to his prayers. (1 Peter 3:7) What makes people valuable to Jehovah is that they love him. He does not prefer men over women.
Question 6. What does it mean for a husband and wife to be “one flesh”?
6 Jesus explained that a husband and wife “are no longer two, but one flesh.” (Matthew 19:6) They are loyal to each other and would never be unfaithful to each other. (Proverbs 5:15-21; Hebrews 13:4) Husbands and wives should unselfishly care for each other’s sexual needs. (1 Corinthians 7:3-5) A husband should remember that “no man ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cherishes it.” So he should love and cherish his wife. More than anything else, a wife wants her husband to be kind and loving to her.—Ephesians 5:29.
What God Expects From Wives
Question 7. Why does a family need a family head?
7 Every family needs a head, someone to guide the family so that they work well together. The Bible says at 1 Corinthians 11:3: “The head of every man is the Christ; in turn, the head of a woman is the man; in turn, the head of the Christ is God.”
Question 8. How can a wife show deep respect for her husband?
8 Every husband makes mistakes. But when a wife supports her husband’s decisions and cooperates with him willingly, the whole family benefits. (1 Peter 3:1-6) The Bible says: “The wife should have deep respect for her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33) What if a husband does not share his wife’s beliefs? She still needs to have deep respect for him. The Bible says: “You wives, be in subjection to your husbands, so 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 3:1, 2) A wife’s good example can help her husband to understand and respect her faith.
Question 9. (a) What should a wife do if she disagrees with her husband? (b) What is the advice for wives at Titus 2:4, 5?
9 What can a wife do when she disagrees with her husband? She should express her opinions in a respectful way. For example, Sarah said something that Abraham did not like, but Jehovah told him: “Listen to her.” (Genesis 21:9-12) Rarely will a Christian husband’s final decision be against what the Bible says, so his wife should support him. (Acts 5:29; Ephesians 5:24) A good wife will take care of the family. (Read Titus 2:4, 5.) When her husband and children see how hard she works for them, they will love and respect her even more.—Proverbs 31:10, 28.
[“Read” scripture.] Titus 2:4, 5: so that they may advise the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sound in mind, chaste, working at home, good, subjecting themselves to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be spoken of abusively. [End of “Read” scripture.]
Picture on page 147: How is Sarah a good example for wives?
Question 10. What does the Bible say about separation and divorce?
10 Sometimes couples quickly decide to separate or divorce. However, the Bible says that “a wife should not separate from her husband” and that “a husband should not leave his wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:10, 11) There are certain extreme circumstances when couples may separate, but this is a serious decision. What about divorce? The Bible shows that the only valid reason for divorce is if a husband or a wife has sex with someone other than his or her mate.—Matthew 19:9.
What God Expects From Parents
Question 11. What do children need more than anything else?
11 Parents, spend as much time as possible with your children. Your children need you, and more than anything else, they need you to teach them about Jehovah.—Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
Question 12. What should parents do to protect their children?
12 Satan’s world is becoming more and more wicked, and there are some people who may want to harm our children, even sexually abuse them. Some parents find it difficult to talk about this subject. But parents need to warn their children about such people and teach them how to avoid them. Parents, you must protect your children. * —1 Peter 5:8.
[Footnote.] * You can find more information on how to protect your children in chapter 32 of the book Learn From the Great Teacher, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. [End of Footnote.]
Question 13. How should parents teach their children?
13 Parents have the responsibility to teach their children how to behave. How can you teach your children? Your children need training, but correction should never be cruel or harsh. (Jeremiah 30:11) So never discipline your children when you are angry. You do not want your words to be like “the stabs of a sword” and hurt them. (Proverbs 12:18) Teach your children to understand why they need to be obedient.—Ephesians 6:4; Hebrews 12:9-11; see Endnote 30.
What God Expects From Children
Question 14, 15. Why should children be obedient to their parents?
14 Jesus always obeyed his Father, even when it was not easy. (Luke 22:42; John 8:28, 29) Jehovah also expects children to obey their parents.—Ephesians 6:1-3.
15 Children, even if you feel that it is hard for you to obey your parents, remember that when you are obedient, Jehovah and your parents are pleased with you. *—Proverbs 1:8; 6:20; 23:22-25.
[Footnote.] * A child doesn’t have to obey his parents if they want him to do something that is against God’s law.—Acts 5:29. [End of Footnote.]
Question 16. (a) How does Satan try to tempt young people to do what is bad? (b) Why is it important to choose friends who love Jehovah?
16 The Devil can use your friends and other young people to tempt you to do what is wrong. He knows that this pressure can be very hard to resist. For example, Jacob’s daughter Dinah had friends who didn’t love Jehovah. This caused a lot of trouble for her and her family. (Genesis 34:1, 2) If your friends do not love Jehovah, they may tempt you to do something that Jehovah hates, which would cause a lot of pain to you, to your family, and to God. (Proverbs 17:21, 25) That is why it is very important that you find friends who love Jehovah.—1 Corinthians 15:33.
Picture on page 151: What will help young people to be faithful to God when tempted to do wrong?
Your Family Can Be Happy
Question 17. What responsibility does each person in a family have?
17 When the members of a family follow God’s instructions, they avoid trouble and many problems. So if you are a husband, love your wife and treat her with love. If you are a wife, be respectful and submissive to your husband and imitate the example of the wife described at Proverbs 31:10-31. If you are a parent, teach your children to love God. (Proverbs 22:6) If you are a father, guide your family “in a fine manner.” (1 Timothy 3:4, 5; 5:8) And children, obey your parents. (Colossians 3:20) Remember that each person in the family can make mistakes, so be humble and ask one another for forgiveness. Yes, the Bible contains Jehovah’s guidance for every person in the family.
Picture on page 149: Jesus is a good example for each member of the family

Box on page 152, 153
[Box.] Summary

Truth 1: Jehovah Created the Family
“For this reason I bend my knees to the Father, to whom every family in heaven and on earth owes its name.”—Ephesians 3:14, 15
How can your family be happy?
Genesis 1:26-28
Jehovah created the first family.
Ephesians 5:1, 2
The key to happy family life is imitating Jehovah and Jesus.

Truth 2: How to Be a Good Husband or Wife
“Each one of you must love his wife ... The wife should have deep respect for her husband.”—Ephesians 5:33
How should a husband and wife treat each other?
Ephesians 5:22-29
A husband is responsible for the family. He should love his wife, and she should support the decisions he makes.
Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:4
They need to be kind and considerate to each other.
1 Peter 3:1, 2, 7
A husband and wife should honor and respect each other.
1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 2:4, 5
A husband should provide for his family. A wife should take good care of her household.

Truth 3: How to Be a Good Parent
“Do not be irritating your children, but go on bringing them up in the discipline and admonition of Jehovah.”—Ephesians 6:4
What responsibility do parents have?
Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Proverbs 22:6
You need to take the time to teach your children about Jehovah. Starting when they are very young, patiently help each one to become Jehovah’s friend.
1 Peter 5:8
Teach your children how they can avoid sexual abuse and other dangers.
Jeremiah 30:11; Hebrews 12:9-11
You need to discipline your children but never in anger or with cruelty.

Truth 4: What God Expects From Children
“Children, be obedient to your parents.”—Ephesians 6:1
Children, why should you be obedient to your parents?
Proverbs 23:22-25; Colossians 3:20
Your obedience will make Jehovah and your parents happy.
1 Corinthians 15:33
Find friends who love Jehovah. Then it will be easier for you to do what is right. [End of Box.]