NIV
Ephesians 5
- 1<pb/>Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children
- 2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
- 3<pb/>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.
- 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.<f>[13]</f>
- 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.
- 8<pb/>For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
- 9(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: <pb/><t>“Wake up, sleeper,</t> <t>rise from the dead,</t> <t>and Christ will shine on you.”</t>
- 15<pb/>Be 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.
- 21<pb/>Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
- 22<pb/>Wives, 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 Savior.
- 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
- 25<pb/>Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
- 26to make her holy, cleansing<f>[14]</f> 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.”<f>[15]</f>
- 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.