Ephesians 5:15-6:24

New American Standard Bible

¹⁵ So then, ^[a]be careful how you ^(A)walk, not ^(B)as unwise people but as wise, ^16 [b](C)making the most of your time, because ^(D)the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but ^(E)understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And ^(F)do not get drunk with wine, ^[c]in which there is ^(G)debauchery, but be ^(H)filled with the Spirit, ^19 (I)speaking to ^[d]one another in ^(J)psalms and ^(K)hymns and spiritual ^(L)songs, ^(M)singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; ^20 (N)always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our ^(O)God and Father; ^21 [e](P)and subject yourselves to one another in the ^[f](Q)fear of Christ.

Marriage like Christ and the Church

^22 (R)Wives, ^(S)subject yourselves to your own husbands, ^(T)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(U)the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the ^(V)head of the church, He Himself ^(W)being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

^25 (X)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and ^(Y)gave Himself up for her, ^26 (Z)so that He might sanctify her, having ^(AA)cleansed her by the ^(AB)washing of water with ^(AC)the word, ²⁷ that He might ^(AD)present to Himself the church ^[g]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be ^(AE)holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands also ought to ^(AF)love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; ²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰ because we are ^(AG)parts of His ^(AH)body. ^31 (AI)For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ³² This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless, as for you individually, each husband is to ^(AJ)love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she ^(AK)respects her husband.

Children and Parents

6 ^(AL)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ^2 (AM)Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), ³ so that it may turn out well for you, and that you may live long on the earth.

^4 (AN)Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but ^(AO)bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

^5 (AP)Slaves, be obedient to those who are your ^[h]masters according to the flesh, with ^(AQ)fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, ^(AR)as to Christ; ^6 (AS)not ^[i]by way of ^[j]eye-service, as ^(AT)people-pleasers, but as ^(AU)slaves of Christ, ^(AV)doing the will of God from the ^[k]heart. ⁷ With goodwill ^[l]render service, ^(AW)as to the Lord, and not to people, ^8 (AX)knowing that ^(AY)whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, ^(AZ)whether slave or free.

⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, and ^(BA)give up threatening, knowing that ^(BB)both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is ^(BC)no partiality with Him.

The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, ^(BD)be strong in the Lord and in ^(BE)the strength of His might. ^11 (BF)Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the ^(BG)schemes of the devil. ¹² For our ^(BH)struggle is not against ^[m](BI)flesh and blood, but ^(BJ)against the rulers, against the powers, against the ^(BK)world forces of this ^(BL)darkness, against the ^(BM)spiritual forces of wickedness in ^(BN)the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up ^(BO)the full armor of God, so that you will be able to ^(BP)resist on ^(BQ)the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand firm therefore, ^(BR)having belted your waist with truth, and having ^(BS)put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having ^(BT)strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; ^16 [n]in addition to all, taking up the ^(BU)shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the ^(BV)flaming arrows of ^(BW)the evil one. ¹⁷ And take ^(BX)the helmet of salvation and the ^(BY)sword of the Spirit, which is ^(BZ)the word of God.

^18 [o]With every ^(CA)prayer and request, ^[p](CB)pray at all times ^(CC)in the Spirit, and with this in view, ^[q](CD)be alert with all ^(CE)perseverance and every ^(CF)request for all the ^[r]saints, ¹⁹ and ^(CG)pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me ^(CH)in the opening of my mouth, to make known with ^(CI)boldness ^(CJ)the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ^(CK)ambassador ^(CL)in ^[s]chains; that ^[t]in proclaiming it I may speak ^(CM)boldly, ^(CN)as I ought to speak.

^21 (CO)Now, so that you also may know about my circumstances as to ^[u]what I am doing, ^(CP)Tychicus, ^(CQ)the beloved brother and faithful ^[v]servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you. ^22 [w](CR)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know ^[x]about us, and that he may ^(CS)comfort your hearts.

^23 (CT)Peace be to the brothers and sisters, and ^(CU)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ ^[y]with incorruptible love.