Eph 5 | ISV | STEP | So be imitators of God, as his dear children.

Ephesians 5

So be imitators of God, as his dear children.Matt 5:45, 48; Luke 6:36; Eph 4:32 2 Live in love as Christ also loved us ^{▼▼Other mss. read you} and gave himself for us as an offering and sacrifice, a fragrant aroma to God.Gen 8:21; Lev 1:9; John 13:34; 15:12; 2Cor 2:15; Gal 1:4; 2:20; 1Thes 4:9; Heb 7:27; 1John 3:11, 16, 23; 4:21 3 Do not let sexual sin, impurity of any kind, or greed even be mentioned among you, as is proper for saints.Rom 6:13; 1Cor 5:1; 6:18; 2Cor 12:21; Eph 4:19-20; Col 3:5; 1Thes 4:3 4 Obscene, flippant, or vulgar talk is totally inappropriate. Instead, let there be thanksgiving.Matt 12:35; Rom 1:28; Eph 4:29 5 For you know very well that no immoral or impure person, or anyone who is greedy (that is, an idolater), has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.1Cor 6:9; Gal 5:19, 21; Col 3:5; 1Tim 6:17; Rev 22:15

6 Living in the LightDo not let anyone deceive you with meaningless words, for it is because of these things that God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. ^{▼▼Lit. the sons of disobedience}Jer 29:8; Matt 24:4; Rom 1:18; Eph 2:2; Col 2:4, 8, 18; 2Thes 2:3 7 So do not be partners with them. 8 For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.Isa 9:2; Matt 4:16; Luke 16:8; John 8:12; Acts 26:18; Rom 1:21; 2Cor 3:18; 4:6; Eph 2:11-12; 4:18; 1Thes 5:5; Titus 3:3; 1Pet 2:9; 1John 2:9 9 For the fruit of the light ^{▼▼Other mss. read of the Spirit} consists of every form of goodness, righteousness, and truth.Gal 5:22 10 Determine what pleases the Lord,Rom 12:2; Phil 1:10; 1Thes 5:21; 1Tim 2:3 11 and have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness. Instead, expose them for what they are.Lev 19:17; Rom 6:21; 13:12; 1Cor 5:9, 11; 10:20; 2Cor 6:14; Gal 6:8; 1Cor 5:9, 11, 2Thes 3:6, 14; 1Tim 5:20 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by people ^{▼▼Lit. them} in secret.Rom 1:24, 26; Eph 1:3 13 But everything that is exposed to the light becomes visible,John 3:20-21; Heb 4:13 14 for everything that is visible is light. That is why it says,Isa 60:1; John 5:25; Rom 6:4-5; 13:11-12; 1Cor 15:34; Eph 2:5; Col 3:1; 1Thes 5:6

“Wake up, O sleeper!

Arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you.’’ ^{▼▼The source of this quote is unknown.}

15 Wise BehaviorSo, then, be careful how you live. Do not be unwise but wise,Col 4:5 16 making the best use of time ^{▼▼Or buying up the time} because the days are evil.Eccl 11:2; 12:1; John 12:35; Gal 6:10; Eph 6:15; Col 4:5 17 Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.Rom 12:2; Col 4:5; 1Thes 4:3; 5:18 18 Stop getting ^{▼▼Or Do not get} drunk with wine, which leads to wild living, but keep on being filled with the Spirit.Prov 20:1; 23:29-30; Isa 5:11, 22; Luke 21:34 19 Then you will recite to one another psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. You will sing and make music to the Lord with your hearts.Acts 16:25; 1Cor 14:26; Col 3:16; James 5:13 20 You will always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.Ps 34:1; Isa 63:7; Col 3:17; 1Thes 5:18; 2Thes 1:3; Heb 13:15; 1Pet 2:5; 4:11 21 And you will submit yourselves to one another out of reverence for ^{▼▼Or in the fear of} Christ.Phil 2:3; 1Pet 5:5

22 Wives, submit yourselves ^{▼▼Other mss. lack submit yourselves} to your husbands as to the Lord.Gen 3:16; 1Cor 14:34; Eph 6:5; Col 3:18; Titus 2:5; 1Pet 3:1 23 For the husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. It is he who is the Savior of the body.1Cor 11:3; Eph 1:22-23; 4:15; Col 1:18 24 Indeed, just as the church is submissive to Christ, so wives must be submissive ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks must be submissive} to their husbands in everything.Col 3:20, 22; Titus 2:9

25 Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it,Acts 20:28; Gal 1:4; 2:20; Eph 2:2; Col 3:19; 1Pet 3:7 26 so that he might make it holy by cleansing it, washing it with water and the word,John 3:5; 15:3; 17:17; Titus 3:5; Heb 10:22; 1John 5:6 27 and might present the church to himself in all its glory, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind, but holy and without fault.Song 4:7; 2Cor 11:2; Eph 1:4; Col 1:22 28 In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks they love} their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one has ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, as Christ does ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks does} the church.

30 For we are parts of his body—of his flesh and of his bones. ^{▼▼Other mss. lack of his flesh and of his bones}Gen 2:23; Rom 12:5; 1Cor 6:15; 12:27 31 “That is why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ^{▼▼Gen 2:24}Gen 2:24; Matt 19:5; Mark 10:7-8; 1Cor 6:16 32 This is a great secret, but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 But each individual man among you must love his wife as he loves ^{▼▼The Gk. lacks he loves} himself; and may the wife fear her husband.Eph 5:25; Col 3:19; 1Pet 3:6