Ephesians 5
1 Become, then, followers of God, as children beloved,
So then, imitate God since you're his much-loved children.
2 and walk in love, as also the Christ did love us, and did give himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odour of a sweet smell,
Live in love, just as Christ loved you. He gave himself for us, a gift and sacrificial offering to God like a sweet-smelling perfume.
3 and whoredom, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints;
Sexual immorality or any kind of indecency or greed should never be mentioned concerning you, as God's people should not be doing such things.
4 also filthiness, and foolish talking, or jesting, — the things not fit — but rather thanksgiving;
Obscene talk, stupid chatter, and coarse jokes are totally inappropriate—instead you should be thanking God.
5 for this ye know, that every whoremonger, or unclean, or covetous person, who is an idolater, hath no inheritance in the reign of the Christ and God.
You know it's absolutely sure that no-one who is sexually immoral, or commits indecency, or who is greedy, or is an idol-worshiper will inherit anything in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the sons of the disobedience,
Don't let anyone fool you with lying words, for it's because of such things that God's judgment is passed on the children of disobedience.
7 become not, then, partakers with them,
So don't partner with them in this.
8 for ye were once darkness, and now light in the Lord; as children of light walk ye,
At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. You are to live as children of light
9 for the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth,
(and the fruit of light is everything that's good and right and true),
10 proving what is well-pleasing to the Lord,
demonstrating what the Lord really appreciates.
11 and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of the darkness and rather even convict,
Don't have anything to do with the pointless things that darkness produces—instead expose them.
12 for the things in secret done by them it is a shame even to speak of,
It's shameful even to speak about the things such people do secretly,
13 and all the things reproved by the light are manifested, for everything that is manifested is light;
but when anything is exposed by the light then it's revealed as it is. Light makes everything visible.
14 wherefore he saith, 'Arouse thyself, thou who art sleeping, and arise out of the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee.'
That's why it's said, “Wake up, those of you who are sleeping, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
15 See, then, how exactly ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise,
So be careful how you live your life, not foolishly, but wisely,
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil;
making the best use of opportunities because the days are evil.
17 because of this become not fools, but — understanding what [is] the will of the Lord,
So don't be ignorant—find out what the Lord's will is.
18 and be not drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be filled in the Spirit,
Don't get drunk on wine which will wreck your life, but be filled with the Spirit.
19 speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
Share together with one another, using psalms and hymns and sacred songs, singing and making music to the Lord to express what you feel.
20 giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the God and Father;
Always thank God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of God.
Each of you should be willing to accept what others tell you to do out of reverence for Christ.
22 The wives! to your own husbands subject yourselves, as to the Lord,
Wives, do what your own husbands tell you to do, as you would if the Lord told you.
23 because the husband is head of the wife, as also the Christ [is] head of the assembly, and he is saviour of the body,
The husband is head of the wife in the same way as Christ is head of the church—his body and its savior.
24 but even as the assembly is subject to Christ, so also [are] the wives to their own husbands in everything.
In the same way that the church does what Christ says, wives should do what their husbands tell them in all things.
25 The husbands! love your own wives, as also the Christ did love the assembly, and did give himself for it,
Husbands, you should love your wives in the same way as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it.
26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed [it] with the bathing of the water in the saying,
He made it holy, he made it clean by washing in the water of the word,
27 that he might present it to himself the assembly in glory, not having spot or wrinkle, or any of such things, but that it may be holy and unblemished;
so that he could make the church his own, with no flaw or blemish or any kind of fault, but holy and blameless.
28 so ought the husbands to love their own wives as their own bodies: he who is loving his own wife — himself he doth love;
Husbands should love their wives just like this, as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself—
29 for no one ever his own flesh did hate, but doth nourish and cherish it, as also the Lord — the assembly,
for no one ever hated his own body, but feeds it and looks after it, just as Christ does for the church,
30 because members we are of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones;
for we are parts of his body.
31 'for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they shall be — the two — for one flesh;'
“This is why a man leaves his father and mother, and is joined to his wife, and the two are united in one.”
32 this secret is great, and I speak in regard to Christ and to the assembly;
This is a deep hidden truth—but I'm talking about Christ and the church.
33 but ye also, every one in particular — let each his own wife so love as himself, and the wife — that she may reverence the husband.
However, each husband should love his own wife as he does himself, and the wife should respect her husband.
