Ephesians 5

1 Be you therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Learn then to imitate God as his beloved children,

2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling smell.

and to lead lives of love, just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for you, an offering and sacrifice unto God, for you, an offering and sacrifice unto God, for "an odor of sweetness."

3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes saints;

As for sexual vice and every kind of impurity or lust, it is unbecoming for you as Christians even to mention them;

4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

so too with vulgarity and buffoonery and foolish jesting. Such words become you not, but rather thanksgiving.

5 For this you know, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

For be well assured that no one guilty of fornication or impurity or covetousness which is idolatry, has any heritage in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God on the children of disobedience.

Let no man deceive you with empty arguments, for it is these vices that bring down the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience;

7 Be not you therefore partakers with them.

therefore do not become sharers with them.

8 For you were sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

For you were once darkness, but are now in the Lord.

9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; )

Lead the life of children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in every kind of goodness and uprightness and truth.

10 Proving what is acceptable to the Lord.

Examine carefully what is well pleasing to the Lord,

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of the darkness, but rather expose them.

12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

For it is a shame even to speak of the things that are done by such men in secret;

13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatever does make manifest is light.

but all these things, when exposed, are by the light made manifest, and what is made manifest is light.

14 Why he says, Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light.

For this reason it is said, "Awake, thou sleeper! Arise from the dead; And Christ shall shine upon thee!"

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

See to it, then, that you carry on your life carefully; not as foolish, but as wise men.

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Buy up opportunity, for the times are evil.

17 Why be you not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

For this reason do not be thoughtless, but learn to know what the Lord’s will is.

18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Do not be drunk with wine, in which is riotous living, but drink deep in the Spirit,

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

when you talk together; with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and with all your hearts making music unto the Lord;

20 Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

and at all times for all things give thanks to God, the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Submit yourselves one to another out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Wives likewise to their husbands as to the Lord,

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.

because a husband is the head of his wife even as Christ is head of the church, his body, which he saves.

24 Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

But as the church submits itself to Christ, so also wives to their husbands in everything.

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

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her,

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

in order that after cleansing her in the bath of baptism, he might sanctify her by his word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

so as to present her to himself, the church glorified, without spot or wrinkle or any such blemish; but on the contrary holy and faultless.

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself.

That is how husbands ought to love their wives, as they love their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the church:

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it as Christ does the church;

30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

for we are members of his body.

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

There is a deep mystery here - I am speaking of Christ and his church.

33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

But as for you individually, you must each one of you love his own wife exactly as if she were yourself; and the wife, on her part, should reverence her husband.