Ephesians 5:1-6:24 Therefore be followers of God, as dear children.

MKJV⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Therefore be followers of God, as dear children. ² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. ³ For let fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness not be once named among you, as becomes saints, ⁴ neither baseness, foolish talking, jesting, which are not becoming, but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ For you know this, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous one (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ⁶ Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be partakers with them. ⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰ proving what is acceptable to the Lord. ¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. ¹² For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. ¹⁴ Therefore he says, "Awake, sleeping ones! And arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light." ¹⁵ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, ¹⁶ redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine, in which is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; ²⁰ always giving thanks for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of God. ²² Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. ²⁴ Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, ²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, ²⁷ that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸ So men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord loves the church. ³⁰ For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. ³¹ "For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two of them shall be one flesh." ³² This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. ³³ But also let everyone of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife that she defers to her husband. ⁶ ¹ Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² Honor 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 And fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. ⁵ Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ; ⁶ not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷ with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men ⁸ (knowing that whatever good thing he does, he shall receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or a freeman). ⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your Master also is in Heaven. There is no respect of persons with Him. ¹⁰ Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ¹³ Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. ¹⁴ Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness ¹⁵ and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. ¹⁹ And pray for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in bonds; so that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. ²¹ But, so that you also may know my affairs and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things, ²² whom I have sent to you for the same purpose, that you might know our affairs and that he might comfort your hearts. ²³ Peace to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.