16 “All this^(A) I have told you so that you will not fall away.^{(B) 2} They will put you out of the synagogue;^(C) in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.^{(D) 3} They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.^{(E) 4} I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember^(F) that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you,^{(G) 5} but now I am going to him who sent me.^(H) None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’^{(I) 6} Rather, you are filled with grief^(J) because I have said these things. ⁷ But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate^(K) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.^{(L) 8} When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ about sin,^(M) because people do not believe in me; ¹⁰ about righteousness,^(N) because I am going to the Father,^(O) where you can see me no longer; ¹¹ and about judgment, because the prince of this world^(P) now stands condemned.

¹⁴ But their minds were made dull,^(A) for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant^(B) is read.^(C) It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.

⁵ But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath^(A), when his righteous judgment^(B) will be revealed.

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer^(A) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.^{(B) 18} They are darkened in their understanding^(C) and separated from the life of God^(D) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.^{(E) 19} Having lost all sensitivity,^(F) they have given themselves over^(G) to sensuality^(H) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off^(I) your old self,^(J) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;^{(K) 23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds;^{(L) 24} and to put on^(M) the new self,^(N) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^(O)

²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully^(P) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.^{(Q) 26} “In your anger do not sin”^[a]:^(R) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold.^{(S) 28} Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,^(T) doing something useful with their own hands,^(U) that they may have something to share with those in need.^(V)

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,^(W) but only what is helpful for building others up^(X) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,^(Y) with whom you were sealed^(Z) for the day of redemption.^{(AA) 31} Get rid of^(AB) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.^{(AC) 32} Be kind and compassionate to one another,^(AD) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.^(AE)

5 ¹ Follow God’s example,^(A) therefore, as dearly loved children^{(B) 2} and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us^(C) and gave himself up for us^(D) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.^(E)

³ But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,^(F) or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,^(G) because these are improper for God’s holy people. ⁴ Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk^(H) or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.^{(I) 5} For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater^(J)—has any inheritance^(K) in the kingdom of Christ and of God.^{[a](L) 6} Let no one deceive you^(M) with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath^(N) comes on those who are disobedient.^{(O) 7} Therefore do not be partners with them.

⁸ For you were once^(P) darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light^{(Q) 9} (for the fruit^(R) of the light consists in all goodness,^(S) righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord.^{(T) 11} Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,^(U) but rather expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed by the light^(V) becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴ This is why it is said:

¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live^(Z)—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity,^(AA) because the days are evil.^{(AB) 17} Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.^{(AC) 18} Do not get drunk on wine,^(AD) which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,^{(AE) 19} speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.^(AF) Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks^(AG) to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instructions for Christian Households^(AH)

²¹ Submit to one another^(AI) out of reverence for Christ.

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands^(AJ) as you do to the Lord.^{(AK) 23} For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,^(AL) his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands^(AM) in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives,^(AN) just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her^{(AO) 26} to make her holy,^(AP) cleansing^[b] her by the washing^(AQ) with water through the word, ²⁷ and to present her to himself^(AR) as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.^{(AS) 28} In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives^(AT) as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body.^{(AU) 31} “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”^{[c](AV) 32} This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife^(AW) as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

The Man of Lawlessness

2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ^(A) and our being gathered to him,^(B) we ask you, brothers and sisters, ² not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter^(C)—asserting that the day of the Lord^(D) has already come.^{(E) 3} Don’t let anyone deceive you^(F) in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion^(G) occurs and the man of lawlessness^[a] is revealed,^(H) the man doomed to destruction. ⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God^(I) or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.^(J)

⁵ Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?^{(K) 6} And now you know what is holding him back,^(L) so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷ For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back^(M) will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. ⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed,^(N) whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth^(O) and destroy by the splendor of his coming.^{(P) 9} The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan^(Q) works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders^(R) that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.^(S) They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.^{(T) 11} For this reason God sends them^(U) a powerful delusion^(V) so that they will believe the lie^{(W) 12} and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.^(X)