Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

As Beloved Children, Be Imitators of God And Walk In Love

5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And be walking in love, just as Christ also loved us and handed Himself over for us— an offering and a sacrifice to God for an aroma of fragrance.

But Don’t Let Any Kind of Impurity Or Greed Exist Among You

³ But let sexual-immorality and all impurity or greed not even be named^[a] among you, as is proper for saints— ⁴ and filthiness^[b] and foolish-talk or coarse-joking^[c], which are not fitting, but rather thanksgiving.

You Know This Is Right, So Don’t Be Partakers With Those Inheriting Wrath

⁵ For you know this^[d]— recognizing^[e] that every sexually-immoral or impure or greedy person (that is, an idolater) does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of ^[f] disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be fellow-partakers with them.

For You Were Formerly Darkness, But Now You Are Light; Walk As Children of Light

⁸ For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Be walking as children of ^[g] light (⁹ for the fruit of the light is in^[h] all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰ approving what is pleasing^[i] to the Lord.

Expose The Works of Darkness To God’s Light

¹¹ And do not be participating in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even be exposing^[j] them. ¹² For it is shameful even to speak the things being done in secret by them, ¹³ but all things being exposed by the light become-visible^[k]. ¹⁴ For everything becoming-visible is^[l] light. Therefore he^[m] says, “Awake, sleeping one, and rise-up from the dead, and Christ will shine-on you.”