1Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.5For of this you can be sure: no immoral, impure or greedy person – such a person is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[1]6Let no-one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.7Therefore do not be partners with them.8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)10and find out what pleases the Lord.11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.12It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.14This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’15Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise,16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Instructions for Christian households
21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.22Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour.24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her26to make her holy, cleansing[2] her by the washing with water through the word,27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.29After all, no-one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church –30for we are members of his body.31‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ (Ge 2:24)32This is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the church.33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5
English Standard Version
Walk in Love
1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. (Mt 5:7; Mt 5:48; Lu 6:36; Eph 4:32)2And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ge 8:21; Joh 13:34; Ro 4:25; Ro 8:37; Ro 14:15; Col 3:14; Heb 7:27; Heb 9:14; Heb 10:10; Heb 10:12)3But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. (Ps 16:4; 1Co 6:18; Ga 5:19; Eph 5:12)4Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. (Ec 10:13; Ro 1:28; Eph 4:29; Eph 5:20)5For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (1Co 6:9; Col 3:5)6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (Mt 24:4; Ro 1:18; Eph 2:2; Col 2:8; Col 3:6; 1Pe 1:14)7Therefore do not become partners with them; (Eph 3:6)8for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (Isa 2:5; Lu 16:8; Joh 12:35; Ac 26:18; Eph 2:1)9(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), (Ro 7:4; Ga 5:22)10and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. (1Th 2:4; 1Th 5:21)11Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. (Le 19:17; Ro 6:21; Ro 13:12; 1Co 5:9; 1Ti 5:20)12For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. (Eph 5:3)13But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, (Joh 3:20; Eph 5:9)14for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Isa 26:19; Isa 51:17; Isa 52:1; Isa 60:1; Mal 4:2; Lu 1:78; Ro 13:11)15Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, (Pr 15:21; Col 4:5)16making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Ec 12:1; Am 5:13; Ga 1:4; Eph 5:15; Eph 6:13)17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ro 12:2; 1Th 4:3; 1Th 5:18)18And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, (Pr 20:1; Pr 23:20; Pr 23:31; Lu 1:15; 1Co 5:11; Tit 1:6; 1Pe 4:4)19addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, (Ac 16:25; 1Co 14:26; Col 3:16; Jas 5:13)20giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Joh 14:13; Col 3:17; 1Th 1:2; 2Th 1:3; Heb 13:15)21submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Php 2:3)
Wives and Husbands
22Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. (Ge 3:16; Eph 6:5; Col 3:18)23For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (1Co 6:13; 1Co 11:3; Eph 1:22)24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. (Col 3:20; Col 3:22; Tit 2:9)25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, (Eph 5:2; Eph 5:28; Eph 5:33; 1Pe 3:7)26that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, (Joh 15:3; Eph 6:17; Tit 3:5; Heb 6:5; Re 7:14)27so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.[1] (So 4:7; 2Co 11:2; Eph 1:4)28In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (Eph 5:25; Eph 5:33)29For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,30because we are members of his body. (Ge 2:23; 1Co 6:15)31“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” (Ge 2:24; Mt 19:5; Mr 10:7; 1Co 6:16)32This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.33However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Eph 5:25; Eph 5:28; 1Pe 3:2; 1Pe 3:6)