Ephesians 5:1-21

New American Standard Bible

Be Imitators of God

5 ^(A)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ²and ^(B)walk in love, just as Christ also ^(C)loved ^[a]you and ^(D)gave Himself up for us, an ^(E)offering and a sacrifice to God ^[b]as a ^(F)fragrant aroma.

³But ^(G)sexual immorality ^[c]or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among ^[d]saints; ⁴and there must be no ^(H)filthiness ^[e]or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which ^(I)are not fitting, but rather ^(J)giving of thanks. ⁵For this you know with certainty, that ^(K)no sexually immoral or ^[f]impure or greedy person, which ^[g]amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom ^(L)of Christ and God.

⁶^(M)See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things ^(N)the wrath of God comes upon ^(O)the ^[h]sons of disobedience. ⁷Therefore do not become ^(P)partners with them; ⁸for ^(Q)you were once ^(R)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as ^(S)children of light ⁹(for ^(T)the fruit of the light consists in all ^(U)goodness, righteousness, and truth), ¹⁰^[i]^(V)as you try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹^(W)Do not participate in the useless ^(X)deeds of ^(Y)darkness, but instead even ^(Z)expose them; ¹²for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³But all things become visible ^(AA)when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴For this reason ^[j]it says,

“^(AB)Awake, sleeper,
And arise from ^(AC)the dead,
And Christ ^(AD)will shine on you.”

¹⁵So then, ^[k]be careful how you ^(AE)walk, not ^(AF)as unwise people but as wise, ¹⁶^[l]^(AG)making the most of your time, because ^(AH)the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but ^(AI)understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸And ^(AJ)do not get drunk with wine, ^[m]in which there is ^(AK)debauchery, but be ^(AL)filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹^(AM)speaking to ^[n]one another in ^(AN)psalms and ^(AO)hymns and spiritual ^(AP)songs, ^(AQ)singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; ²⁰^(AR)always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our ^(AS)God and Father; ²¹^[o]^(AT)and subject yourselves to one another in the ^[p]^(AU)fear of Christ.