Ephesians

Imitators of God

1Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,

2and walk in love, just as Christ loved usand gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.

3But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed.

4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.

5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.

7Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Children of Light

8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,

9for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.

10Test and prove what pleases the Lord.

11Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself.

14So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper,rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

15Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

16redeeming the time, 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 reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord,

20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wives and Husbands

21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22Wives, submit to your husbands as 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 Savior.

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 her

26to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

27and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

29Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, 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.”

32This mystery is profound, but I am speaking about Christ and the church.

33Nevertheless, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

1Be ye therefore followers of God, as most dear children;

2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath delivered himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odour of sweetness.

3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints:

4Or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose; but rather giving of thanks.

5For know you this and understand, that no fornicator, or unclean, or covetous person (which is a serving of idols), hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6Let no man deceive you with vain words. For because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the children of unbelief.

7Be ye not therefore partakers with them.

8For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light.

9For the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth;

10Proving what is well pleasing to God:

11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

12For the things that are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of.

13But all things that are reproved, are made manifest by the light; for all that is made manifest is light.

14Wherefore he saith: Rise thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall enlighten thee.

15See therefore, brethren, how you walk circumspectly: not as unwise,

16But as wise: redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17Wherefore become not unwise, but understanding what is the will of God.

18And be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury; but be ye filled with the holy Spirit,

19Speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord;

20Giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father:

21Being subject one to another, in the fear of Christ.

22Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord:

23Because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. He is the saviour of his body.

24Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in all things.

25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it:

26That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life:

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 also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife, loveth himself.

29For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as also Christ doth the church:

30Because 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 cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh.

32This is a great sacrament; but I speak in Christ and in the church.

33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular love his wife as himself: and let the wife fear her husband.