Ephesians 5:
- Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
- and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
- But 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.
- Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
- For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
- Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
- Therefore do not be partners with them.
- For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
- (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
- and find out what pleases the Lord.
- Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
- For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
- But everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
- for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
- Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise,
- making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
- Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
- Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
- Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
- always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives and Husbands
- Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
- For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
- Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
- Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
- to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
- and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
- In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
- After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--
- for we are members of his body.
- "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
- This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.
- However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
< Ephesians 4 |
Ephesians 6 >