1Por tanto, imitad a Dios, como hijos muy amados, 2y llevad una vida de amor, así como Cristo nos amó y se entregó por nosotros como ofrenda y sacrificio fragante para Dios.
3Entre vosotros ni siquiera debe mencionarse la inmoralidad sexual, ni ninguna clase de impureza o de avaricia, porque eso no es propio del pueblo santo de Dios. 4Tampoco debe haber palabras indecentes, conversaciones necias ni chistes groseros, todo lo cual está fuera de lugar; haya más bien acción de gracias. 5Porque podéis estar seguros de que nadie que sea avaro (es decir, idólatra), inmoral o impuro tendrá herencia en el reino de Cristo y de Dios.5:5 de Cristo y de Dios. Alt. de Cristo, que es Dios. 6Que nadie os engañe con argumentos vanos, porque por esto viene el castigo de Dios sobre los que viven en la desobediencia. 7Así que no os hagáis cómplices de ellos.
8Porque antes erais oscuridad, pero ahora sois luz en el Señor. Vivid como hijos de luz 9(el fruto de la luz consiste en toda bondad, justicia y verdad) 10y comprobad lo que agrada al Señor. 11No tengáis nada que ver con las obras infructuosas de la oscuridad, sino más bien denunciadlas, 12porque da vergüenza aun mencionar lo que los desobedientes hacen en secreto. 13Pero todo lo que la luz pone al descubierto se hace visible, 14porque la luz es lo que hace que todo sea visible. Por eso se dice:
«Despiértate, tú que duermes,
levántate de entre los muertos,
y te alumbrará Cristo».
15Así que cuidad mucho vuestra manera de vivir. No viváis como necios, sino como sabios, 16aprovechando al máximo cada momento oportuno, porque los días son malos. 17Por tanto, no seáis insensatos, sino entended cuál es la voluntad del Señor. 18No os emborrachéis con vino, que lleva al desenfreno. Al contrario, sed llenos del Espíritu. 19Animaos unos a otros con salmos, himnos y canciones espirituales. Cantad y alabad al Señor con el corazón, 20dando siempre gracias a Dios el Padre por todo, en el nombre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.
Deberes conyugales
21Someteos unos a otros, por reverencia a Cristo. 22Esposas, someteos a vuestros propios esposos como al Señor. 23Porque el esposo es cabeza de su esposa, así como Cristo es cabeza y Salvador de la iglesia, la cual es su cuerpo. 24Así como la iglesia se somete a Cristo, también las esposas deben someterse a sus esposos en todo.
25Esposos, amad a vuestras esposas, así como Cristo amó a la iglesia y se entregó por ella 26para hacerla santa. Él la purificó, lavándola con agua mediante la palabra, 27para presentársela a sí mismo como una iglesia radiante, sin mancha ni arruga ni ninguna otra imperfección, sino santa e intachable. 28Así mismo el esposo debe amar a su esposa como a su propio cuerpo. El que ama a su esposa se ama a sí mismo, 29pues nadie ha odiado jamás a su propio cuerpo; al contrario, lo alimenta y lo cuida, así como Cristo hace con la iglesia, 30porque somos miembros de su cuerpo. 31«Por eso dejará el hombre a su padre y a su madre, y se unirá a su esposa, y los dos llegarán a ser un solo cuerpo».5:31 Gn 2:24 32Esto es un misterio profundo; yo me refiero a Cristo y a la iglesia. 33En todo caso, cada uno de vosotros ame también a su esposa como a sí mismo, y que la esposa respete a su esposo.
1You are the children that God dearly loves. So follow his example. 2Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.
3There should not be even a hint of sexual sin among you. Don’t do anything impure. And do not always want more and more. These are not the things God’s holy people should do. 4There must not be any bad language or foolish talk or dirty jokes. They are out of place. Instead, you should give thanks. 5Here is what you can be sure of. Those who give themselves over to sexual sins are lost. So are people whose lives are impure. The same is true of those who always want more and more. People who do these things might as well worship statues of gods. No one who does them will receive a share in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Don’t let anyone fool you with worthless words. People who say things like that aren’t obeying God. He is angry with them. 7So don’t go along with people like that.
8At one time you were in the dark. But now you are in the light because of what the Lord has done. Live like children of the light. 9The light produces what is completely good, right and true. 10Find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the acts of darkness. They don’t produce anything good. Show what they are really like. 12It is shameful even to talk about what people who don’t obey do in secret. 13But everything the light shines on can be seen. And everything that the light shines on becomes a light. 14That is why it is said,
“Wake up, sleeper.
Rise from the dead.
Then Christ will shine on you.”
15So be very careful how you live. Do not live like people who aren’t wise. Live like people who are wise. 16Make the most of every opportunity. The days are evil. 17So don’t be foolish. Instead, understand what the Lord wants. 18Don’t fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord. 20Always give thanks to God the Father for everything. Give thanks to him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Teachings for Christian Families
21Follow the lead of one another because of your respect for Christ.
22Wives, follow the lead of your own husbands as you follow the Lord. 23The husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. The church is Christ’s body. He is its Savior. 24The church follows the lead of Christ. In the same way, wives should follow the lead of their husbands in everything.
25Husbands, love your wives. Love them just as Christ loved the church. He gave himself up for her. 26He did it to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her with water and the word. 27He did it to bring her to himself as a brightly shining church. He wants a church that has no stain or wrinkle or any other flaw. He wants a church that is holy and without blame. 28In the same way, husbands should love their wives. They should love them as they love their own bodies. Any man who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated their own body. Instead, they feed and care for their body. And this is what Christ does for the church. 30We are parts of his body. 31Scripture says, “That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The two will become one.” (Genesis 2:24) 32That is a deep mystery. But I’m talking about Christ and the church. 33A husband also must love his wife. He must love her just as he loves himself. And a wife must respect her husband.
