Ephesians 5
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as His dear children.
(Imitate/Behave like) God, because he loves you who are [as though you were] [SIM] his children.
2 And live and act lovingly, as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up to death on our behalf as an offering and sacrifice to God, yielding a fragrant odor.
Do everything in a way that shows that you love [people], just like Christ loved us and willingly died for us. He offered himself [to God as a sacrifice] that was very pleasing to God, [just like Jewish priests offered] sweet-smelling [animal] sacrifices to God [MET].
3 But fornication and every kind of impurity, or covetousness, let them not even be mentioned among you, for they ought not to be named among God's people.
Do not commit any kind of immoral act [DOU], and do not desire more things than you need. Do not [act in such a way that others could] even (spread rumors/talk) about your acting in such ways, because it is not appropriate/fitting for God’s people to do such things.
4 Avoid shameful and foolish talk and low jesting--they are all alike discreditable--and in place of these give thanks.
Do not use obscene/shameful language when you talk to people. Do not talk foolishly. Do not use vulgar/indecent language, because it is not appropriate/fitting that God’s people should talk like that. Instead, tell people how much you thank [God for all he does for you].
5 For be well assured that no fornicator or immoral person and no money-grubber--or in other words idol-worshipper--has any share awaiting him in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
You can be sure of this: No person who is sexually immoral or who acts indecently/shamefully will be among those people whom God rules over [MET] [in heaven]. Neither will those who desire more things than they need. Such people worship their possessions [instead of worshipping God].
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is on account of these very sins that God's anger is coming upon the disobedient.
Do not let anyone deceive you by suggesting that [God will really] not [punish people who commit such sins], because God certainly will punish [MTY] those who habitually disobey him [by doing such things].
7 Therefore do not become sharers with them.
So, do not commit the same kinds of deeds that such people do,
8 There was a time when you were nothing but darkness. Now, as Christians, you are Light itself.
because formerly you [did not know God’s truth] [MET], [as those who] are in darkness [do not know what is around them]. But now [it is as though] you are in the light [MET] [because you know God’s truth] because of your relationship with the Lord [Jesus]. So do those things that those who know God’s truth [MET] should do.
9 Live and act as sons of Light--for the effect of the Light is seen in every kind of goodness, uprightness and truth--
Keep in mind that [as] light [MET] causes [good things to grow], those who know God’s truth should do those things that are good, righteous, and honest.
10 and learn in your own experiences what is fully pleasing to the Lord.
And as [you do that], try (to find out/to discover) what pleases the Lord.
11 Have nothing to do with the barren unprofitable deeds of darkness, but, instead of that, set your faces against them;
Do not do the worthless deeds that the people (who are in [spiritual] darkness/who do not know God’s truth) [MET] do. Instead, let others know that those people’s deeds are worthless.
12 for the things which are done by these people in secret it is disgraceful even to speak of.
It is shameful for God’s people to even talk [among themselves about] those evil deeds that evil people do secretly and habitually.
13 But everything can be tested by the light and thus be shown in its true colors; for whatever shines of itself is light.
But when [God’s people rebuke those evil people about their deeds, it will be clear/evident how evil their deeds really are, just like] everything exposed to the light becomes visible {as light [MET] reveals everything [that we cannot see in the darkness]}.
14 For this reason it is said, "Rise, sleeper; rise from among the dead, and Christ will shed light upon you."
[Just like something on which a light shines reflects that light] [MET], [whoever has learned God’s truth reveals that truth to others]. That is why [we believers] say this: You who are not aware of your sins, become aware of them [MET]! It is as though you are sound asleep, so wake up! Be like dead people who are becoming alive again! Christ will cause you to know God’s truth, just like a light [MET] that shines causes people to know what is in the darkness.
15 Therefore be very careful how you live and act. Let it not be as unwise men, but as wise.
So be very careful how you behave. Do not behave as foolish people do. Instead, behave as wise people do.
16 Buy up your opportunities, for these are evil times.
Use your time carefully, because these days [MTY] [people do] extremely evil [deeds].
17 On this account do not prove yourselves wanting in sense, but try to understand what the Lord's will is.
So do not be foolish. Instead, understand what the Lord [Jesus] wants you to do, [and do it]!
18 Do not over-indulge in wine--a thing in which excess is so easy--
Do not become drunk by drinking alcoholic drinks, since people are unable to control their behavior when they are drunk. Instead, let [God’s] Spirit control your [behavior] at all times [MTY].
19 but drink deeply of God's Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and offer praise in your hearts to the Lord.
Sing to each other (Psalms/songs [with words from the] Scriptures), sing [other] songs [that the congregation knows], and songs [that God’s] Spirit [gives you]. Sing these Psalms and other songs sincerely to [praise] the Lord [Jesus].
20 Always and for everything let your thanks to God the Father be presented in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
At all times thank God, who is our [heavenly] Father, for everything, especially for what the Lord Jesus Christ [MTY] [has done for you].
21 and submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
[Humbly] submit yourselves to each other because you reverence Christ, [who is our example].
22 Married women, submit to your own husbands as if to the Lord;
Because husbands have authority over [MET] their wives, just as all of us believers form one group [under the authority of] Christ, you women should submit yourselves to [the authority of your] husbands just as you submit yourselves to the Lord [Jesus]. He is the one who saves all his people [from the guilt of their sins].
23 because a husband is the Head of his wife as Christ also is the Head of the Church, being indeed the Saviour of this His Body.
24 And just as the Church submits to Christ, so also married women should be entirely submissive to their husbands.
Just like all believers submit themselves to [the authority of] Christ, the women must submit themselves completely to the [authority of] their husbands.
25 Married men, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up to death for her;
Each of you husbands, love your wife as Christ loved all of [us who would become] believers, with the result that he willingly died for our sake,
26 in order to make her holy, cleansing her with the baptismal water by the word,
in order that he might (set us apart for himself/cause us to belong to him). That is, by [revealing his] message [to us], he wanted to [remove the guilt of our sin, just like people remove dirt from something] by washing it [MET].
27 that He might present the Church to Himself a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle or any other defect, but to be holy and unblemished.
[Christ did that] in order that he might cause all of us believers to be a glorious group of people that belong to him, people that do not have any moral flaws/imperfections, but instead might be completely pure [DOU] when he gathers us (to his presence/to himself).
28 So too married men ought to love their wives as much as they love themselves. He who loves his wife loves himself.
In the same way, each man should love his wife as he loves his own body. Men who love their wives, [it is as though] they love themselves.
29 For never yet has a man hated his own body. On the contrary he feeds and cherishes it, just as Christ feeds and cherishes the Church;
This is shown by the fact that no one ever hated his own body. Instead, he feeds his own body and cares for it, just like Christ also cares for all us believers. We have become one group of believers that belongs to him [MET].
30 because we are, as it were, parts of His Body.
31 "For this reason a man is to leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall be as one."
[What someone has written in the Scriptures about people who marry is this], [When] a man and [a] woman [marry], they should ([permanently] leave/no longer live with) their fathers and mothers. They should be joined [as husband and] wife, and the two of them shall become [as though they were] one [MET] person.
32 That is a great truth hitherto kept secret: I mean the truth concerning Christ and the Church.
It is very difficult to understand the meaning of these things that God has now revealed to me, but [I am telling you that] those words [also] refer to [the relationship between] Christ and all those who belong to him.
33 Yet I insist that among you also, each man is to love his own wife as much as he loves himself, and let a married woman see to it that she treats her husband with respect.
However, as for you(pl), each man must love his wife just as he loves himself, and each woman must respect her husband.
