1 D o as God would do. Much-loved children want to do as their fathers do.

Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;

2 L ive with love as Christ loved you. He gave Himself for us, a gift on the altar to God which was as a sweet smell to God.

and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.

3 D o not let sex sins or anything sinful be even talked about among those who belong to Christ. Do not always want everything.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints;

4 D o not be guilty of telling bad stories and of foolish talk. These things are not for you to do. Instead, you are to give thanks for what God has done for you.

nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks.

5 B e sure of this! No person who does sex sins or who is not pure will have any part in the holy nation of Christ and of God. The same is true for the person who always wants what other people have. This becomes a god to him.

For this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

6 D o not let anyone lead you in the wrong way with foolish talk. The anger of God comes on such people because they choose to not obey Him.

Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.

7 H ave nothing to do with them.

Be not ye therefore partakers with them;

8 A t one time you lived in darkness. Now you are living in the light that comes from the Lord. Live as children who have the light of the Lord in them.

For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light

9 T his light gives us truth. It makes us right with God and makes us good.

(for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

10 L earn how to please the Lord.

proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord;

11 H ave nothing to do with the bad things done in darkness. Instead, show that these things are wrong.

and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them;

12 I t is a shame even to talk about these things done in secret.

for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of.

13 A ll things can be seen when they are in the light. Everything that can be seen is in the light.

But all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light: for everything that is made manifest is light.

14 T he Holy Writings say, “Wake up, you who are sleeping. Rise from the dead and Christ will give you light.” Be Filled With the Spirit of God

Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.

15 S o be careful how you live. Live as men who are wise and not foolish.

Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise;

16 M ake the best use of your time. These are sinful days.

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 D o not be foolish. Understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

18 D o not get drunk with wine. That leads to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.

And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit;

19 T ell of your joy to each other by singing the Songs of David and church songs. Sing in your heart to the Lord.

speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

20 A lways give thanks for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. How Wives Must Live

giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

21 B e willing to help and care for each other because of Christ. By doing this, you honor Christ.

subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.

22 W ives, obey your own husbands. In doing this, you obey the Lord.

Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 F or a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. It is His body (the church) that He saves.

For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body.

24 A s the church is to obey Christ, wives are to obey their own husbands in everything. How Husbands Must Live

But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their husbands in everything.

25 H usbands, love your wives. You must love them as Christ loved the church. He gave His life for it.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it;

26 C hrist did this so He could set the church apart for Himself. He made it clean by the washing of water with the Word.

that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,

27 C hrist did this so the church might stand before Him in shining-greatness. There is to be no sin of any kind in it. It is to be holy and without blame.

that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28 S o men should love their wives as they love their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself:

29 N o man hates himself. He takes care of his own body. That is the way Christ does. He cares for His body which is the church.

for no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as Christ also the church;

30 W e are all a part of His body, the church.

because we are members of his body.

31 F or this reason, a man must leave his father and mother when he gets married and be joined to his wife. The two become one.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.

32 T his is hard to understand, but it shows that the church is the body of Christ.

This mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church.

33 S o every man must love his wife as he loves himself. Every wife must respect her husband.

Nevertheless do ye also severally love each one his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she fear her husband.