Ephesians 5

5Follow God’s example,^k therefore, as dearly loved children^{l 2}and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us^m and gave himself up for usⁿ as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.^o

³But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,^p or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,^q because these are improper for God’s holy people. ⁴Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk^r or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.^{s 5}For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater^t—has any inheritance^u in the kingdom of Christ and of God.^{av 6}Let no one deceive you^w with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath^x comes on those who are disobedient.^{y 7}Therefore do not be partners with them.

⁸For you were once^z darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light^{a 9}(for the fruit^b of the light consists in all goodness,^c righteousness and truth) ¹⁰and find out what pleases the Lord.^{d 11}Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,^e but rather expose them. ¹²It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³But everything exposed by the light^f becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,^g

rise from the dead,^h

and Christ will shine on you.”ⁱ

¹⁵Be very careful, then, how you live^j—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of every opportunity,^k because the days are evil.^{l 17}Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.^{m 18}Do not get drunk on wine,ⁿ which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,^{o 19}speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.^p Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰always giving thanks^q to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instructions for Christian Households

5:22–6:9pp—Col 3:18–4:1

²¹Submit to one another^r out of reverence for Christ.

²²Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands^s as you do to the Lord.^{t 23}For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,^u his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands^v in everything.

²⁵Husbands, love your wives,^w just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her^{x 26}to make her holy,^y cleansing^b her by the washing^z with water through the word, ²⁷and to present her to himself^a as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.^{b 28}In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives^c as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—³⁰for we are members of his body.^{d 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.”^{ce 32}This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³However, each one of you also must love his wife^f as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.