Ephesians 5

¹ Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

² And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

³ But fornication and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting among saints.

⁴ Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving.

⁵ Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

⁷ Therefore do not associate with them,

⁸ for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

⁹ (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),

¹⁰ and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

¹¹ Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

¹² For it is a shame even to speak of the things that they do in secret;

¹³ but when anything is exposed by the light it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.

¹⁴ Therefore it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light."

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

¹⁶ making the most of the time, because the days are evil.

¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

¹⁸ And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,

¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart,

²⁰ always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

²¹ Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

²² Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord.

²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

²⁴ As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

²⁷ that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

²⁸ Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

²⁹ For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the church,

³⁰ because we are members of his body.

³¹ "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

³² This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church;

³³ however, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.