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Siate dunque imitatori di Dio, come figli carissimi,

e camminate nell'Amore, come anche Cristo ci ha amati e ha dato se stesso per noi, in offerta e sacrificio a Dio come un profumo di odore soave.

Ma come si conviene ai santi, né fornicazione, né impurità alcuna, né avarizia siano neppure nominate fra di voi;

lo stesso si dica della disonestà, del parlare sciocco e della buffoneria, le quali cose sono sconvenienti, ma piuttosto abbondi il rendimento di grazie.

Sappiate infatti questo: nessun fornicatore o immondo o avaro, il quale è un idolatra, ha alcuna eredità nel regno di Cristo e di Dio.

Nessuno vi seduca con vani ragionamenti, perché per queste cose viene l'ira di Dio sui figli della disubbidienza.

Non siate dunque loro compagni.

Un tempo infatti eravate tenebre, ma ora siete luce nel Signore; camminate dunque come figli di luce.

poiché il frutto dello Spirito consiste in tutto ciò che è bontà, giustizia e verità,

10 esaminando ciò che è accettevole al Signore.

11 E non partecipate alle opere infruttuose delle tenebre, ma piuttosto riprovatele,

12 perché è persino vergognoso dire le cose che si fanno da costoro in segreto.

13 Ma tutte le cose, quando sono esposte alla luce, divengono manifeste, poiché tutto ciò che è manifestato è luce.

14 Perciò la Scrittura dice: «Risvegliati, o tu che dormi, risorgi dai morti, e Cristo risplenderà su di te».

15 Badate dunque di camminare con diligenza non da stolti, ma come saggi,

16 riscattando il tempo, perché i giorni sono malvagi.

17 Non siate perciò disavveduti, ma intendete quale sia la volontà del Signore.

18 E non vi inebriate di vino, nel quale vi è dissolutezza, ma siate ripieni di Spirito,

19 parlandovi gli uni gli altri con salmi inni e cantici spirituali, cantando e lodando col vostro cuore il Signore,

20 rendendo continuamente grazie per ogni cosa a Dio e Padre nel nome del Signor nostro Gesú Cristo;

21 sottomettetevi gli uni agli altri nel timore di Cristo.

22 Mogli, siate sottomesse ai vostri mariti come al Signore,

23 poiché il marito è capo della moglie, come anche Cristo è capo della chiesa, ed egli stesso è Salvatore del corpo.

24 Parimenti come la chiesa è sottomessa a Cristo, cosí le mogli devono essere sottomesse ai loro mariti in ogni cosa.

25 Mariti, amate le vostre mogli, come anche Cristo ha amato la chiesa e ha dato se stesso per lei,

26 per santificarla, avendola purificata col lavacro dell'acqua per mezzo della parola,

27 per far comparire la chiesa davanti a sé gloriosa, senza macchia o ruga o alcunché di simile, ma perché sia santa ed irreprensibile.

28 Cosí i mariti devono amare le loro mogli, come i loro propri corpi; chi ama la propria moglie ama se stesso.

29 Nessuno infatti ebbe mai in odio la sua carne, ma la nutre e la cura teneramente, come anche il Signore fa con la chiesa,

30 poiché noi siamo membra del suo corpo, della sua carne e delle sue ossa.

31 «Perciò l'uomo lascerà suo padre e sua madre e si unirà a sua moglie, e i due diverranno una sola carne».

32 Questo mistero è grande; or lo dico in riferimento a Cristo e alla chiesa.

33 Ma ciascuno di voi cosí ami la propria moglie come ama se stesso; e similmente la moglie rispetti il marito.

Follow God’s example,(A) therefore, as dearly loved children(B) and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us(C) and gave himself up for us(D) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.(E)

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,(F) or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,(G) because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk(H) or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.(I) For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater(J)—has any inheritance(K) in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a](L) Let no one deceive you(M) with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath(N) comes on those who are disobedient.(O) Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once(P) darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light(Q) (for the fruit(R) of the light consists in all goodness,(S) righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.(T) 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,(U) but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light(V) becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,(W)
    rise from the dead,(X)
    and Christ will shine on you.”(Y)

15 Be very careful, then, how you live(Z)—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity,(AA) because the days are evil.(AB) 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.(AC) 18 Do not get drunk on wine,(AD) which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,(AE) 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.(AF) Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks(AG) to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instructions for Christian Households(AH)

21 Submit to one another(AI) out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands(AJ) as you do to the Lord.(AK) 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,(AL) his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands(AM) in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives,(AN) just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her(AO) 26 to make her holy,(AP) cleansing[b] her by the washing(AQ) with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself(AR) as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.(AS) 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives(AT) as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body.(AU) 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.”[c](AV) 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife(AW) as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:5 Or kingdom of the Messiah and God
  2. Ephesians 5:26 Or having cleansed
  3. Ephesians 5:31 Gen. 2:24

Walk in Love

Therefore(A) be imitators of God as dear (B)children. And (C)walk in love, (D)as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God (E)for a sweet-smelling aroma.

But fornication and all (F)uncleanness or (G)covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; (H)neither filthiness, nor (I)foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, (J)which are not fitting, but rather (K)giving of thanks. For [a]this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any (L)inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be (M)partakers with them.

Walk in Light

For you were once darkness, but now you are (N)light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for (O)the fruit of the [b]Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 (P)finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have (Q)no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather [c]expose them. 12 (R)For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But (S)all things that are [d]exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:

(T)“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”

Walk in Wisdom

15 (U)See then that you walk [e]circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 (V)redeeming the time, (W)because the days are evil.

17 (X)Therefore do not be unwise, but (Y)understand (Z)what the will of the Lord is. 18 And (AA)do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another (AB)in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making (AC)melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 (AD)giving thanks always for all things to God the Father (AE)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 (AF)submitting to one another in the fear of [f]God.

Marriage—Christ and the Church(AG)

22 Wives, (AH)submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For (AI)the husband is head of the wife, as also (AJ)Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands (AK)in everything.

25 (AL)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and (AM)gave Himself for her, 26 that He might [g]sanctify and cleanse her (AN)with the washing of water (AO)by the word, 27 (AP)that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, (AQ)not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For (AR)we are members of His body, [h]of His flesh and of His bones. 31 (AS)“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the (AT)two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless (AU)let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she (AV)respects her husband.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:5 NU know this
  2. Ephesians 5:9 NU light
  3. Ephesians 5:11 reprove
  4. Ephesians 5:13 reproved
  5. Ephesians 5:15 carefully
  6. Ephesians 5:21 NU Christ
  7. Ephesians 5:26 set it apart
  8. Ephesians 5:30 NU omits the rest of v. 30.