Ephesians 4:17-6:4

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Living the New Life

¹⁷ Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thoughts. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. ¹⁹ They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity^(A) with a desire for more and more.^[a]

²⁰ But that is not how you learned about the Messiah, ²¹ assuming you heard about Him and were taught by Him, because the truth^(B) is in Jesus. ²² You took off^[b](C) your former way of life,^(D) the old self^[c](E) that is corrupted by deceitful desires; ²³ you are being renewed^[d] in the spirit^(F) of your minds; ²⁴ you put on^[e](G) the new self, the one created^(H) according to God’s likeness^(I) in righteousness and purity of the truth.

²⁵ Since you put away^(J) lying, Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,^(K)[f] because we are members of one another. ²⁶ Be angry and do not sin.^(L)[g] Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and don’t give the Devil an opportunity. ²⁸ The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share^(M) with anyone in need. ²⁹ No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need,^[h] so that it gives grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit.^(N) You were sealed by Him^[i] for the day of redemption.^{(O) 31} All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. ³² And be kind^(P) and compassionate^(Q) to one another, forgiving^(R) one another, just as God also forgave you^[j] in Christ.

5 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. ² And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us,^(S) a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. ³ But sexual immorality^(T) and any impurity^(U) or greed^(V) should not even be heard of^[k] among you, as is proper for saints. ⁴ Coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. ⁵ For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral^(W) or impure^(X) or greedy^(Y) person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom^(Z) of the Messiah and of God.

Light versus Darkness

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath^(AA) is coming on the disobedient because of these things.^{[l] 7} Therefore, do not become their partners. ⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light^(AB) in the Lord. Walk as children of light^(AC)— ⁹ for the fruit of the light^[m] results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth^(AD)— ¹⁰ discerning^(AE) what is pleasing^(AF) to the Lord. ¹¹ Don’t participate in the fruitless^(AG) works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. ¹³ Everything exposed by the light is made clear,^{(AH) 14} for what makes everything clear is light. Therefore it is said:

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,^[o](AL) because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So don’t be foolish, but understand^(AM) what the Lord’s will^(AN) is. ¹⁸ And don’t get drunk^(AO) with wine,^(AP) which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit:^(AQ)

Wives and Husbands

²² Wives,^(AS) submit^[p](AT) to your own husbands^(AU) as to the Lord, ²³ for the husband is the head of the wife^(AV) as Christ is the head^(AW) of the church. He is the Savior of the body.^{(AX) 24} Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives,^(AY) just as Christ loved^(AZ) the church and gave Himself^(BA) for her ²⁶ to make her holy, cleansing^[q] 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.^{(BB) 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.^[r]

³² This mystery^(BE) 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^(BF) your parents as you would the Lord,^[t] because this is right. ² Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment^[u] with a promise, ³ so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land.^{[v](BG)[w] 4} Fathers, don’t stir up anger^(BH) in your children, but bring them up in the training^(BI) and instruction of the Lord.