Ephesians 5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
5 1
Renounce Pagan Ways
3 But sexual immorality and impurity of any kind or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints.(C) 4 Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. 5 Be sure of this, that no sexually immoral or impure person or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.(D)
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient.[b](E) 7 Therefore do not be associated with them, 8 for once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Walk as children of light,(F) 9 for the fruit of the light[c] is found in all that is good and right and true. 10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness; rather, expose them.(G) 12 For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly, 13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”(H)
15 Be careful, then, how you live,[d] not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil.(I) 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.(J) 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,(K) 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,(L) 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,(M) 21 being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
The Christian Household
22 Wives, be subject[e] to your husbands as to the Lord,(N) 23 for the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.(O) 24 Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, 27 so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind, so that she may be holy and without blemish.(P) 28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are members of his body.[f](Q) 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”(R) 32 This is a great mystery, but I am speaking about Christ and the church. 33 Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect[g] her husband.
Ephesians 5
New American Standard Bible
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)sexual immorality [c]or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among [d]saints; 4 and there must be no (H)filthiness [e]or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which (I)are not fitting, but rather (J)giving of thanks. 5 For 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. 7 Therefore do not become (P)partners with them; 8 for (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; 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 exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason [j]it says,
15 So 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. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but (AI)understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And (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.
Marriage like Christ and the Church
22 (AV)Wives, (AW)subject yourselves 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 also ought 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)parts of His (BL)body. 31 (BM)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 (BN)love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she (BO)respects her husband.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 5:2 One early ms us
- Ephesians 5:2 Lit for an odor of fragrance
- Ephesians 5:3 Lit and all
- Ephesians 5:3 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Ephesians 5:4 Lit and
- Ephesians 5:5 I.e., morally impure
- Ephesians 5:5 Lit is
- Ephesians 5:6 I.e., people opposed to God
- Ephesians 5:10 Lit putting to the test what
- Ephesians 5:14 Or He
- Ephesians 5:15 Lit look carefully
- Ephesians 5:16 Lit redeeming the time
- Ephesians 5:18 Or by which
- Ephesians 5:19 Or yourselves
- Ephesians 5:21 Lit being submissive to
- Ephesians 5:21 Or reverence for
- Ephesians 5:27 Lit glorious
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
