Ephesians 5

1 Therefore imitate God, as his dear children,

Become ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.

2 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.

And walk in love, as also the Christ loved us, and delivered himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma.

3 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,

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or greed, shall not even be named among you as befits the sanctified,

4 nor shameful conduct, nor foolish talk or jesting, for they are wholly out of place among you; but rather thanksgiving.

also indecency, and foolish talking or jesting, things not befitting, but thankfulness instead.

5 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.

For ye are men who know this, that no fornicator, or unclean man, or covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God.

6 Do not let anyone deceive you with specious arguments. Those are the sins that bring down the wrath of God on the disobedient.

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

7 Therefore have nothing to do with such people.

Do not become ye therefore partakers with them.

8 For, although you were once in darkness, now, by your union with the Lord, you are in the light. Live as children of light –

For ye were once darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

9 for the outcome of life in the light may be seen in every form of goodness, righteousness, and sincerity –

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

10 always trying to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.

proving what is acceptable to the Lord.

11 Take no part in deeds of darkness, from which no good can come; on the contrary, expose them.

And do not associate with the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even rebuke them.

12 It is degrading even to speak of the things continually done by them in secret.

For it is disgusting even to speak of the things happening by them secretly.

13 All such actions, when exposed, have their true character made manifest by the light.

But all things exposed are revealed by the light, for everything that is seen is light.

14 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!”

Therefore he says, Awake, thou who sleep. And arise from the dead, and the Christ will shine upon thee.

15 Take great care, then, how you live – not unwisely but wisely,

Therefore watch carefully how ye walk, not as unwise but as wise,

16 making the most of every opportunity; for these are evil days.

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Therefore do not grow thoughtless, but try to understand what the Lord’s will is.

Because of this do not become foolish, but understanding what is the will of the Lord.

18 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.

And do not become intoxicated with wine, during which is debauchery, but be filled in Spirit,

19 Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord.

speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and striking strings in your heart to the Lord,

20 Always give thanks for everything to our God and Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

expressing thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to the God and Father,

21 Submit to one another because you honour and respect Christ.

submitting yourselves to each other in the fear of Christ.

22 Wives should submit to their husbands as submitting to the Lord.

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

23 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.

Because a husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church, and himself the savior of the body.

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

But as the church is subject to the Christ, so also the wives to their own husbands in everything.

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

Husbands, love your own wives even as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it,

26 to make her holy, after purifying her by the washing with the water, according to his promise;

so that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it with the washing of water by the word,

27 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.

so that he might present it to himself, the glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and unblemished.

28 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;

So ought the husbands to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.

29 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;

For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as also Christ the church,

30 for we are members of his body.

because we are parts of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.

31 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.

Separate from this a man will leave his father and mother behind, and will be bonded with his wife, and the two will be in one flesh.

32 In this there is a profound truth – I am speaking of Christ and his church.

This mystery is great, but I speak for Christ and for the church.

33 However, for you individually, let each love his wife as if she were himself; and the wife be careful to respect her husband.

Nevertheless ye also, each one in particular, shall so love his own wife as himself, and the wife that she fear her husband.