Ephesians 5  New American Standard Bible 1995

Be Imitators of God

5 ^(A)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ² and ^(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.

³ But ^(G)immorality ^[c]or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among ^[d]saints; ⁴ and there must be no ^(H)filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which ^(I)are not fitting, but rather ^(J)giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know with certainty, that ^(K)no ^[e]immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom ^(L)of Christ and God.

^6 (M)Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things ^(N)the wrath of God comes upon ^(O)the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be ^(P)partakers with them; ⁸ for ^(Q)you were formerly ^(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 and righteousness and truth), ^10 [f](V)trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ^11 (W)Do not participate in the unfruitful ^(X)deeds of ^(Y)darkness, but instead even ^[g](Z)expose them; ¹² for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But all things become visible ^(AA)when they are ^[h]exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason ^[i]it says,

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

Marriage Like Christ and the Church

^22 (AV)Wives, ^(AW)be subject to your own husbands, ^(AX)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(AY)the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the ^(AZ)head of the church, He Himself ^(BA)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 (BB)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and ^(BC)gave Himself up for her, ^26 (BD)so that He might sanctify her, having ^(BE)cleansed her by the ^(BF)washing of water with ^(BG)the word, ²⁷ that He might ^(BH)present to Himself the church ^[q]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be ^(BI)holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands ought also to ^(BJ)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 ^(BK)members of His ^(BL)body. ^31 (BM)For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall 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, each individual among you also is to ^(BN)love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she ^[r](BO)respects her husband.