Ephesians 4:24–6:18

24 and aput on the bnew 1self, which 2cin the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

25 Therefore, alaying aside falsehood, bspeak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are cmembers of one another.

26 aBe angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

27 and do not agive the devil 1an opportunity.

28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather ahe must labor, bperforming with his own hands what is good, cso that he will have something to share with 1one who has need.

29 Let no 1aunwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for bedification 2according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

30 aDo not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, 1by whom you were bsealed for the day of redemption.

31 aLet all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be bput away from you, along with all cmalice.

32 aBe kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, bjust as God in Christ also has forgiven 1you.

Chapter 5

Be Imitators of God

1 aTherefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

2 and awalk in love, just as Christ also bloved 1you and cgave Himself up for us, an doffering and a sacrifice to God 2as a efragrant aroma.

3 But aimmorality 1or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among 2saints;

4 and there must be no afilthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which bare not fitting, but rather cgiving of thanks.

5 For this you know with certainty, that ano 1immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom bof Christ and God.

6 aLet no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things bthe wrath of God comes upon cthe sons of disobedience.

7 Therefore do not be apartakers with them;

8 for ayou were formerly bdarkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as cchildren of Light

9 (for athe fruit of the Light consists in all bgoodness and righteousness and truth),

10 1atrying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

11 aDo not participate in the unfruitful bdeeds of cdarkness, but instead even 1dexpose them;

12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

13 But all things become visible awhen they are 1exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

14 For this reason 1it says,

“aAwake, sleeper,

And arise from bthe dead,

And Christ cwill shine on you.”

15 Therefore 1be careful how you awalk, not bas unwise men but as wise,

16 1amaking the most of your time, because bthe days are evil.

17 So then do not be foolish, but aunderstand what the will of the Lord is.

18 And ado not get drunk with wine, 1for that is bdissipation, but be cfilled with the Spirit,

19 aspeaking to 1one another in bpsalms and chymns and spiritual dsongs, esinging and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

20 aalways giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to 1bGod, even the Father;

21 1aand be subject to one another in the 2bfear of Christ.

Marriage Like Christ and the Church

22 aWives, bbe subject to your own husbands, cas to the Lord.

23 For athe husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the bhead of the church, He Himself cbeing the Savior of the body.

24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

25 aHusbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and bgave Himself up for her,

26 aso that He might sanctify her, having bcleansed her by the cwashing of water with dthe word,

27 that He might apresent to Himself the church 1in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be bholy and blameless.

28 So husbands ought also to alove their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself;

29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,

30 because we are amembers of His bbody.

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

32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to alove his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she 1brespects her husband.

Chapter 6

Family Relationships

1 aChildren, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

2 aHonor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise),

3 so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.

4 aFathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bbring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

5 aSlaves, be obedient to those who are your 1masters according to the flesh, with bfear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, cas to Christ;

6 anot 1by way of eyeservice, as bmen-pleasers, but as cslaves of Christ, ddoing the will of God from the 2heart.

7 With good will 1render service, aas to the Lord, and not to men,

8 aknowing that bwhatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, cwhether slave or free.

9 And masters, do the same things to them, and agive up threatening, knowing that bboth their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is cno partiality with Him.

The Armor of God

10 Finally, abe strong in the Lord and in bthe strength of His might.

11 aPut on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the bschemes of the devil.

12 For our astruggle is not against 1bflesh and blood, but cagainst the rulers, against the powers, against the dworld forces of this edarkness, against the fspiritual forces of wickedness in gthe heavenly places.

13 Therefore, take up athe full armor of God, so that you will be able to bresist in cthe evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

14 Stand firm therefore, ahaving girded your loins with truth, and having bput on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having ashod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 1in addition to all, taking up the ashield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the bflaming arrows of cthe evil one.

17 And take athe helmet of salvation, and the bsword of the Spirit, which is cthe word of God.

18 1With all aprayer and petition 2bpray at all times cin the Spirit, and with this in view, 3dbe on the alert with all eperseverance and fpetition for all the saints,