Ephesians 5:1-14

New Testament for Everyone

5 So you should be imitators of God, like dear children. ² Conduct yourselves in love, just as the Messiah loved us, and gave himself for us, as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.

Darkness and light in matters of sex

³ As for fornication, uncleanness of any kind, or greed: you shouldn’t even mention them! You are, after all, God’s holy people. ⁴ Shameful, stupid or coarse conversations are quite out of place. Instead, there should be thanksgiving.

⁵ You should know this, you see: no fornicator, nobody who practices uncleanness, no greedy person (in other words, an idolator), has any inheritance in the Messiah’s kingdom, or in God’s. ⁶ Don’t let anyone fool you with empty words. It’s because of these things, you see, that God’s wrath is coming on people who are disobedient.

⁷ So don’t share in their practices. ⁸ After all, at one time you were darkness, but now, in the Lord, you are light! So behave as children of light. ⁹ Light has its fruit, doesn’t it, in everything that’s good, and just, and true. ¹⁰ Think through what’s going to be pleasing to the Lord. Work it out.

Light and darkness

¹¹ So, then, don’t get involved in the works of darkness, which all come to nothing. Instead, expose them! ¹² The things they do in secret, you see, are shameful even to talk about. ¹³ But everything becomes visible when it’s exposed to the light, ¹⁴ since everything that is visible is light. That’s why it says: