1Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That 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. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
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.
