Ephesians 5

1 Let it then be your desire to be like God, as well-loved children;

Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children,

2 And be living in love, even as Christ had love for you, and gave himself up for us, an offering to God for a perfume of a sweet smell.

and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma.

3 But evil acts of the flesh and all unclean things, or desire for others' property, let it not even be named among you, as is right for saints;

But, you should not even talk about fornication or any form of moral corruption or insatiableness (as is fitting for saints);

4 And let there be no low behaviour, or foolish talk, or words said in sport, which are not right, but in place of them the giving of praise.

nor any obscenity, nor foolish talk or coarse joking (that do not belong), but rather thanksgiving.

5 Being certain of this, that no man who gives way to the passions of the flesh, no unclean person, or one who has desire for the property of others, or who gives worship to images, has any heritage in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Because you can know this for sure: no fornicator, nor anyone who is morally corrupt or insatiable (actually an idolater), has any inheritance in the Kingdom of the Christ and God.

6 Do not be turned from the right way by foolish words; for because of these things the punishment of God comes on those who do not put themselves under him.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of the disobedience.

7 Have no part with such men;

Therefore do not be participants with them

8 For you at one time were dark, but now are light in the Lord: let your behaviour be that of children of light

—even though you were once darkness, you are now light in Sovereign. Walk as children of light

9 (Because the fruit of the light is in all righteousness and in everything which is good and true),

(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

10 Testing by experience what is well-pleasing to the Lord;

approving what is pleasing to the Lord.

11 And have no company with the works of the dark, which give no fruit, but make their true quality clear;

Do not associate with the unfruitful works of the darkness, but rather expose/reprove them.

12 For the things which are done by them in secret it is shame even to put into words.

(It is shameful even to speak of those things being done by them in secret.)

13 But all things, when their true quality is seen, are made clear by the light: because everything which is made clear is light.

Now all things, upon being exposed, are revealed by the light, for whatever reveals is light.

14 For this reason he says, Be awake, you who are sleeping, and come up from among the dead, and Christ will be your light.

Therefore He says: “Wake up, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and the Christ will shine on you.”

15 Take care then how you are living, not as unwise, but as wise;

See then that you walk carefully, not as unwise but as wise,

16 Making good use of the time, because the days are evil.

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 For this reason, then, do not be foolish, but be conscious of the Lord's pleasure.

That is why you must not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

18 And do not take overmuch wine by which one may be overcome, but be full of the Spirit;

And do not get drunk on wine, which is harmful and wasteful; rather be filled with the Spirit,

19 Joining with one another in holy songs of praise and of the Spirit, using your voice in songs and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

speaking to one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord;

20 Giving praise at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father;

always giving thanks to God the Father concerning all things, in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ,

21 Letting yourselves be ruled by one another in the fear of Christ.

submitting to one another in the fear of God.

22 Wives, be under the authority of your husbands, as of the Lord.

Wives, subordinate yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord,

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body.

because a man is head of his wife as also Christ is Head of the Church—He also is Preserver of the body.

24 And as the church is under Christ's authority, so let wives be under the rule of their husbands in all things.

Yes, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so also the wives should be to their own husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it;

Husbands, love your own wives just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up on her behalf,

26 So that he might make it holy, having made it clean with the washing of water by the word,

in order that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of the water: in a word,

27 And might take it for himself, a church full of glory, not having one mark or fold or any such thing; but that it might be holy and complete.

that He might present her—the splendid Church—to Himself, not having a blemish or a wrinkle or any such thing, but that she be holy and blameless.

28 Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself:

Just so the husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

29 For no man ever had hate for his flesh; but he gives it food and takes care of it, even as Christ does for the church;

After all, no one ever hated his own flesh; rather he nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the Church

30 Because we are parts of his body.

—for we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

31 For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

32 This is a great secret: but my words are about Christ and the church.

This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.

33 But do you, everyone, have love for his wife, even as for himself; and let the wife see that she has respect for her husband.

In any case, each of you individually: let each one love his own wife as himself, while the wife must respect her husband.