Ephesians 5
1 Bee yee therefore followers of God, as deare children,
Therefore imitate God, as his dear children,
2 And walke in loue, euen as Christ hath loued vs, and hath giuen himselfe for vs, to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smellling sauour to God.
and live a life of love, following the example of the Christ, who loved you and gave himself for you as an offering and a sacrifice to God, that should be fragrant and acceptable.
3 But fornication, and all vncleannesse, or couetousnesse, let it not be once named among you, as it becommeth Saintes,
As for sexual immorality and every kind of impurity, or greed, do not let them even be mentioned among you, as befits Christ’s people,
4 Neither filthinesse, neither foolish talking, neither iesting, which are things not comely, but rather giuing of thankes.
nor shameful conduct, nor foolish talk or jesting, for they are wholly out of place among you; but rather thanksgiving.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, neither vncleane person, nor couetous person, which is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ, and of God.
For of this you may be sure – that no one who is unchaste or impure or greedy of gain (for to be greedy of gain is idolatry) has any place awaiting him in the kingdom of the Christ and God.
6 Let no man deceiue you with vaine wordes: for, for such thinges commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience.
Do not let anyone deceive you with specious arguments. Those are the sins that bring down the wrath of God on the disobedient.
7 Be not therefore companions with them.
Therefore have nothing to do with such people.
8 For ye were once darkenesse, but are nowe light in the Lord: walke as children of light,
For, although you were once in darkness, now, by your union with the Lord, you are in the light. Live as children of light –
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in al goodnes, and righteousnes, and trueth)
for the outcome of life in the light may be seen in every form of goodness, righteousness, and sincerity –
10 Approuing that which is pleasing to the Lord.
always trying to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.
11 And haue no fellowship with ye vnfruitfull works of darknes, but euen reproue them rather.
Take no part in deeds of darkness, from which no good can come; on the contrary, expose them.
12 For it is shame euen to speake of the things which are done of them in secret.
It is degrading even to speak of the things continually done by them in secret.
13 But all thinges when they are reproued of the light, are manifest: for it is light that maketh all things manifest.
All such actions, when exposed, have their true character made manifest by the light.
14 Wherefore hee sayeth, Awake thou that sleepest, and stande vp from the deade, and Christ shall giue thee light.
For everything that has its true character made manifest is clear as light. And that is why it is said – “Sleeper, awake! Arise from the dead, and the Christ will give you light!”
15 Take heede therefore that yee walke circumspectly, not as fooles, but as wise,
Take great care, then, how you live – not unwisely but wisely,
16 Redeeming ye season: for ye daies are euill.
making the most of every opportunity; for these are evil days.
17 Wherefore, be ye not vnwise, but vnderstand what the will of the Lord is.
Therefore do not grow thoughtless, but try to understand what the Lord’s will is.
18 And be not drunke with wine, wherein is excesse: but be fulfilled with the Spirit,
Do not drink wine to excess, for that leads to profligacy; but seek to be filled with the Spirit of God, and speak to one another in psalms and hymns and sacred songs.
19 Speaking vnto your selues in psalmes, and hymnes, and spirituall songs, singing, and making melodie to the Lord in your hearts,
Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord.
20 Giuing thankes alwaies for all thinges vnto God euen the Father, in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ,
Always give thanks for everything to our God and Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Submitting your selues one to another in the feare of God.
Submit to one another because you honour and respect Christ.
22 Wiues, submit your selues vnto your husbands, as vnto the Lord.
Wives should submit to their husbands as submitting to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the wiues head, euen as Christ is the head of the Church, and the same is the sauiour of his body.
For a man is the head of his wife, as the Christ is the head of the church – being indeed himself the Saviour of his body.
24 Therfore as the Church is in subiection to Christ, euen so let the wiues be to their husbands in euery thing.
But as the church submits to the Christ, so also should wives submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, loue your wiues, euen as Christ loued the Church, and gaue himselfe for it,
Husbands, love your wives, just as the Christ loved the church, and gave himself for her,
26 That hee might sanctifie it, and clense it by the washing of water through the worde,
to make her holy, after purifying her by the washing with the water, according to his promise;
27 That hee might make it vnto him selfe a glorious Church, not hauing spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it shoulde bee holy and without blame.
so that he might himself bring the church, in all her beauty, into his own presence, with no spot or wrinkle or blemish of any kind, but that she might be holy and faultless.
28 So ought men to loue their wiues, as their owne bodies: he that loueth his wife, loueth him selfe.
That is how husbands ought to love their wives – as if they were their own bodies. A man who loves his wife is really loving himself;
29 For no man euer yet hated his owne flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, euen as the Lord doeth the Church.
for no one ever yet hated his own body. But everyone feeds his body and cares for it, just as the Christ for the church;
30 For we are members of his bodie, of his flesh, and of his bones.
for we are members of his body.
31 For this cause shall a man leaue father and mother, and shall cleaue to his wife, and they twaine shalbe one flesh.
For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and be united to his wife; and the man and his wife will become one.
32 This is a great secrete, but I speake concerning Christ, and concerning the Church.
In this there is a profound truth – I am speaking of Christ and his church.
33 Therefore euery one of you, doe ye so: let euery one loue his wife, euen as himselfe, and let the wife see that shee feare her husband.
However, for you individually, let each love his wife as if she were himself; and the wife be careful to respect her husband.
