Ephesians 5
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1Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.1Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children
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.2and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.
4Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
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.5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a person is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
7Don’t participate in the things these people do.7Therefore do not be partners with them.
8For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
10Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.10and find out what pleases the Lord.
11Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
12It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.12It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
13But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible--and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
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 Power14This is why it is said: "Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
15So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.15Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise,
16Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
17Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
18Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
19singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,
20And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Spirit-Guided Relationships: Wives and Husbands20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.22Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.
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.23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
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.27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
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.28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.29After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church--
30And we are members of his body.30for we are members of his body.
31As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”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."
32This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.32This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.
33So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Ephesians 4
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