| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children | 1Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. |
| 2and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. | 2Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. |
| 3But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. | 3Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. |
| 4Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting--all of which are out of character--but rather thanksgiving. | 4Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. |
| 5For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. | 5You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. |
| 6Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God's wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. | 6Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. |
| 7Therefore do not be partakers with them, | 7Don’t participate in the things these people do. |
| 8for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light-- | 8For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! |
| 9for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth-- | 9For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. |
| 10trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. | 10Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. |
| 11Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. | 11Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. |
| 12For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. | 12It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. |
| 13But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. | 13But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, |
| 14For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says: "Awake, O sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!" | 14for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Living by the Spirit’s Power |
| 15Therefore be very careful how you live--not as unwise but as wise, | 15So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. |
| 16taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. | 16Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. |
| 17For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord's will is. | 17Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. |
| 18And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, | 18Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, |
| 19speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, | 19singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. |
| 20always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, | 20And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Spirit-Guided Relationships: Wives and Husbands |
| 21and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. | 21And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. |
| 22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, | 22For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. |
| 23because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church--he himself being the savior of the body. | 23For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. |
| 24But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. | 24As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. |
| 25Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her | 25For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her |
| 26to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, | 26to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. |
| 27so that he may present the church to himself as glorious--not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. | 27He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. |
| 28In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. | 28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. |
| 29For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, | 29No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. |
| 30for we are members of his body. | 30And we are members of his body. |
| 31For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. | 31As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” |
| 32This mystery is great--but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. | 32This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. |
| 33Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. | 33So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. |
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