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

Become, then, followers of God, as children beloved,

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, as also the Christ did love us, and did give himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odour 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.

and whoredom, 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.

also filthiness, and foolish talking, or jesting, -- the things not fit -- but rather thanksgiving;

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, that every whoremonger, or unclean, or covetous person, who is an idolater, hath no inheritance in the reign of the 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 one deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the sons of the disobedience,

7 H ave nothing to do with them.

become not, then, 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, and now light in the Lord; as children of light walk ye,

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

for the fruit of the Spirit in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth,

10 L earn how to please the Lord.

proving what is well-pleasing to 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 the darkness and rather even convict,

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

for the things in secret done by them 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.

and all the things reproved by the light are manifested, for everything that is manifested 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, `Arouse thyself, thou who art sleeping, and arise out of the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee.'

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

See, then, how exactly 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.

because of this become not fools, but -- understanding what the will of the Lord,

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

and be not drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be filled in 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 to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in 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 the God and Father;

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

subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of God.

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

The wives! to your own husbands subject yourselves, as to 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.

because the husband is head of the wife, as also the Christ head of the assembly, and he is 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 even as the assembly is subject to Christ, so also the wives to their own husbands in everything.

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

The husbands! love your own wives, as also the Christ did love the assembly, and did give himself 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 with the bathing of the water in the saying,

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 it to himself the assembly in glory, not having spot or wrinkle, or any of such things, but that it may be holy and unblemished;

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

so ought the husbands to love their own wives as their own bodies: he who is loving his own wife -- himself he doth love;

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 one ever his own flesh did hate, but doth nourish and cherish it, as also the Lord -- the assembly,

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

because members we are of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones;

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 be joined to his wife, and they shall be -- the two -- for one flesh;'

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

this secret is great, and I speak in regard to Christ and to the assembly;

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

but ye also, every one in particular -- let each his own wife so love as himself, and the wife -- that she may reverence the husband.