Ephesians 5:15-6:9
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Consistency in the Christian Life
15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— 16 making the most of the time,[a](A) because the days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand(B) what the Lord’s will(C) is. 18 And don’t get drunk(D) with wine,(E) which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit:(F)
19 speaking to one another
in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,
singing and making music
from your heart to the Lord,
20 giving thanks always for everything
to God the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
21 submitting to one another
in the fear of Christ.(G)
Wives and Husbands
22 Wives,(H) submit[b](I) to your own husbands(J) as to the Lord, 23 for the husband is the head of the wife(K) as Christ is the head(L) of the church. He is the Savior of the body.(M) 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives,(N) just as Christ loved(O) the church and gave Himself(P) for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[c] her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.(Q) 28 In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 since we are members of His body.[d]
31 For this reason a man will leave
his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,(R)
and the two will become one flesh.(S)[e]
32 This mystery(T) is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 To sum up, each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband.
Children and Parents
6 Children, obey(U) your parents as you would the Lord,[f] because this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment[g] with a promise, 3 so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.[h](V)[i] 4 Fathers, don’t stir up anger(W) in your children, but bring them up in the training(X) and instruction of the Lord.
Slaves and Masters
5 Slaves, obey your human[j] masters(Y) with fear and trembling,(Z) in the sincerity(AA) of your heart, as to Christ. 6 Don’t work only while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will(AB) from your heart.[k] 7 Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men,(AC) 8 knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. 9 And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening(AD) them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism(AE) with Him.(AF)
Footnotes
- Ephesians 5:16 Lit buying back the time
- Ephesians 5:22 Other mss omit submit
- Ephesians 5:26 Or having cleansed
- Ephesians 5:30 Other mss add and of His flesh and of His bones
- Ephesians 5:31 Gn 2:24
- Ephesians 6:1 Lit parents in the Lord
- Ephesians 6:2 Or is a preeminent commandment
- Ephesians 6:3 Or life on the earth
- Ephesians 6:3 Ex 20:12
- Ephesians 6:5 Lit according to the flesh
- Ephesians 6:6 Lit from soul
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