Walk in love

1Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children,

2and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma.

3But, you should not even talk about fornication or any form of moral corruption or insatiableness ⁸¹(as is fitting for saints);

4nor any obscenity, nor foolish talk or coarse joking (that do not belong), but rather thanksgiving.

5Because you can know this for sure: no fornicator, nor anyone who is morally corrupt or insatiable (actually an idolater), ⁸²has any inheritance in the Kingdom of the Christ and God. ⁸³

6Let no one deceive you with empty words, ⁸⁴for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of the disobedience. ⁸⁵

7Therefore do not be participants with them

8—even though you were once darkness, you are now light in Sovereign. Walk in light Walk as children of light

9(for the fruit of the Spirit ⁸⁶is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

10approving what is pleasing to the Lord.

11Do not associate with the unfruitful works of the darkness, but rather expose/reprove them. ⁸⁷

12(It is shameful even to speak of those things being done by them in secret.)

13Now all things, upon being exposed, are revealed by the light, for whatever reveals is light.

14Therefore He says: “Wake up, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and the Christ will shine on you.” ⁸⁸

Walk in wisdom

15See then that you walk carefully, not as unwise but as wise,

16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17That is why you must not be foolish, ⁸⁹but understand what the Lord's will is.

18And do not get drunk on wine, which is harmful and wasteful; ⁹⁰rather be filled with the Spirit, ⁹¹

19speaking to one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord;

20always giving thanks to God the Father concerning all things, ⁹²in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ,

21submitting to one another in the fear of God. ⁹³

About wives

22Wives, subordinate yourselves ⁹⁴to your own husbands, as to the Lord,

23because a man is head of his wife as also Christ is Head of the Church—He also is Preserver of the body.

24Yes, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so also the wives should be to their own husbands in everything. ⁹⁵

About husbands

25Husbands, love your own wives just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up on her behalf,

26in order that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of the water: in a word,

27that He might present her—the splendid Church—to Himself, not having a blemish or a wrinkle or any such thing, but that she be holy and blameless.

28Just so the husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

29After all, no one ever hated his own flesh; rather he nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the Church

30—for we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ⁹⁶

31“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ⁹⁷

32This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.

33In any case, each of you individually: let each one love his own wife as himself, ⁹⁸while the wife must respect her husband.