1 Bee yee therefore followers of God, as deare children, 2 And walke in loue, euen as Christ hath loued vs, and hath giuen himselfe for vs, to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smellling sauour to God. 3 But fornication, and all vncleannesse, or couetousnesse, let it not be once named among you, as it becommeth Saintes, 4 Neither filthinesse, neither foolish talking, neither iesting, which are things not comely, but rather giuing of thankes. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, neither vncleane person, nor couetous person, which is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ, and of God. 6 Let no man deceiue you with vaine wordes: for, for such thinges commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not therefore companions with them. 8 For ye were once darkenesse, but are nowe light in the Lord: walke as children of light, 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in al goodnes, and righteousnes, and trueth) 10 Approuing that which is pleasing to the Lord. 11 And haue no fellowship with ye vnfruitfull works of darknes, but euen reproue them rather. 12 For it is shame euen to speake of the things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all thinges when they are reproued of the light, are manifest: for it is light that maketh all things manifest. 14 Wherefore hee sayeth, Awake thou that sleepest, and stande vp from the deade, and Christ shall giue thee light. 15 Take heede therefore that yee walke circumspectly, not as fooles, but as wise, 16 Redeeming ye season: for ye daies are euill. 17 Wherefore, be ye not vnwise, but vnderstand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunke with wine, wherein is excesse: but be fulfilled with the Spirit, 19 Speaking vnto your selues in psalmes, and hymnes, and spirituall songs, singing, and making melodie to the Lord in your hearts, 20 Giuing thankes alwaies for all thinges vnto God euen the Father, in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, 21 Submitting your selues one to another in the feare of God. 22 Wiues, submit your selues vnto your husbands, as vnto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the wiues head, euen as Christ is the head of the Church, and the same is the sauiour of his body. 24 Therfore as the Church is in subiection to Christ, euen so let the wiues be to their husbands in euery thing. 25 Husbands, loue your wiues, euen as Christ loued the Church, and gaue himselfe for it, 26 That hee might sanctifie it, and clense it by the washing of water through the worde, 27 That hee might make it vnto him selfe a glorious Church, not hauing spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it shoulde bee holy and without blame. 28 So ought men to loue their wiues, as their owne bodies: he that loueth his wife, loueth him selfe. 29 For no man euer yet hated his owne flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, euen as the Lord doeth the Church. 30 For we are members of his bodie, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leaue father and mother, and shall cleaue to his wife, and they twaine shalbe one flesh. 32 This is a great secrete, but I speake concerning Christ, and concerning the Church. 33 Therefore euery one of you, doe ye so: let euery one loue his wife, euen as himselfe, and let the wife see that shee feare her husband.
Living in the Light
1 Since you are God's dear children, you must try to be like him. 2 Your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave his life for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice that pleases God.
3 Since you are God's people, it is not right that any matters of sexual immorality or indecency or greed should even be mentioned among you. 4 Nor is it fitting for you to use language which is obscene, profane, or vulgar. Rather you should give thanks to God. 5 You may be sure that no one who is immoral, indecent, or greedy (for greed is a form of idolatry) will ever receive a share in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Do not let anyone deceive you with foolish words; it is because of these very things that God's anger will come upon those who do not obey him. 7 So have nothing at all to do with such people. 8 You yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord's people, you are in the light. So you must live like people who belong to the light, 9 for it is the light that brings a rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Try to learn what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light. ( 12 It is really too shameful even to talk about the things they do in secret.) 13 And when all things are brought out to the light, then their true nature is clearly revealed; 14 for anything that is clearly revealed becomes light. That is why it is said,
“Wake up, sleeper,
and rise from death,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15 So be careful how you live. Don't live like ignorant people, but like wise people. 16 Make good use of every opportunity you have, because these are evil days. 17 Don't be fools, then, but try to find out what the Lord wants you to do.
18 Do not get drunk with wine, which will only ruin you; instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with the words of psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing hymns and psalms to the Lord with praise in your hearts. 20 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, always give thanks for everything to God the Father.
Wives and Husbands
21 Submit yourselves to one another because of your reverence for Christ.
22 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority over the church; and Christ is himself the Savior of the church, his body. 24 And so wives must submit themselves completely to their husbands just as the church submits itself to Christ.
25 Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. 26 He did this to dedicate the church to God by his word, after making it clean by washing it in water, 27 in order to present the church to himself in all its beauty—pure and faultless, without spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection. 28 Men ought to love their wives just as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. ( 29 None of us ever hate our own bodies. Instead, we feed them, and take care of them, just as Christ does the church; 30 for we are members of his body.) 31 As the scripture says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and unite with his wife, and the two will become one.” 32 There is a deep secret truth revealed in this scripture, which I understand as applying to Christ and the church. 33 But it also applies to you: every husband must love his wife as himself, and every wife must respect her husband.