Ephesians 5
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
5 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us[a] and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Renounce Pagan Ways
3 But fornication and impurity of any kind, or greed, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving. 5 Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure person, or one who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be associated with them. 8 For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light 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, but instead expose them. 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.’
15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Christian Household
21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Saviour. 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 splendour, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind—yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are members of his body.[b] 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.’ 32 This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. 33 Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 5:2 Other ancient authorities read you
- Ephesians 5:30 Other ancient authorities add of his flesh and of his bones
Ephesians 5
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
5 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, 2 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us,(A) a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. 3 But sexual immorality(B) and any impurity(C) or greed(D) should not even be heard of[a] among you, as is proper for saints. 4 Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. 5 For know and recognise this: Every sexually immoral(E) or impure(F) or greedy(G) person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom(H) of Christ and of God.
Light versus Darkness
6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath(I) is coming on the disobedient[b] because of these things. 7 Therefore, do not become their partners. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light(J) in the Lord. Walk as children of light(K) – 9 for the fruit of the light[c] consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth(L) – 10 testing(M) what is pleasing(N) to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless(O) 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 visible,(P) 14 for what makes everything visible 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,[d](T) because the days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish, but understand(U) what the Lord’s will(V) is. 18 And don’t get drunk(W) with wine,(X) which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit:(Y) 19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.(Z)
Wives and Husbands
22 Wives,(AA) submit[e](AB) to your husbands(AC) as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife(AD) as Christ is the head(AE) of the church. He is the Saviour of the body.(AF) 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives,(AG) just as Christ loved(AH) the church and gave himself(AI) for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[f] her with the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and blameless.(AJ) 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.[g] 31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,(AK) and the two will become one flesh.[h](AL) 32 This mystery(AM) 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.
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