Ephesians 5:1-6:24 Therefore imitate God, as his dear children,

Twentieth_Century⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Therefore imitate God, as his dear children, ² And live a life of love, following the example of the Christ, who loved you and gave himself for you as 'an offering and a sacrifice to God, that should be fragrant and acceptable.' ³ As for unchastity and every kind of impurity, or greed, do not let them even be mentioned among you, as befits Christ's People, ⁴ Nor shameful conduct, nor foolish talk or jesting, for they are wholly out of place among you; but rather thanksgiving. ⁵ For of this you may be sure--that no one who is unchaste or impure or greedy of gain (for to be greedy of gain is idolatry) has any place awaiting him in the kingdom of the Christ and God. ⁶ Do not let any one deceive you with specious arguments. Those are the sins that bring down the Wrath of God upon the disobedient. ⁷ Therefore have nothing to do with such people. ⁸ For, although you were once in Darkness, now, by your union with the Lord, you are in the Light. Live as 'Children of Light'- - ⁹ For the outcome of life in the Light may be seen in every form of goodness, righteousness, and sincerity-- ¹⁰ Always trying to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Take no part in deeds of Darkness, from which no good can come; on the contrary, expose them. ¹² It is degrading even to speak of the things continually done by them in secret. ¹³ All such actions, when exposed, have their true character made manifest by the Light. ¹⁴ For everything that has its true character made manifest is clear as light. And that is why it is said--'Sleeper, awake! Arise from the dead, and the Christ shall give thee light!' ¹⁵ Take great care, then, how you live--not unwisely but wisely, ¹⁶ Making the most of every opportunity; for these are evil days. ¹⁷ Therefore do not grow thoughtless, but try to understand what the Lord's will is. ¹⁸ Do not drink wine to excess, for that leads to profligacy; but seek to be filled with the Spirit of God, and speak to one another in psalms and hymns and sacred songs. ¹⁹ Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord. ²⁰ Always give thanks for everything to our God and Father, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ And submit to one another from reverence for him. ²² Wives should submit to their husbands as submitting to the Lord. ²³ For a man is the Head of his wife, as the Christ is the Head of the Church--being indeed himself the Savior of his Body. ²⁴ But as the Church submits to the Christ, so also should wives submit to their husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as the Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for her, ²⁶ To make her holy, after purifying her by the Washing with the Water, according to his promise; ²⁷ So that he might himself bring the Church, in all her beauty, into his own presence, with no spot or wrinkle or blemish of any kind, but that she might be holy and faultless. ²⁸ That is how husbands ought to love their wives--as if they were their own bodies. A man who loves his wife is really loving himself; ²⁹ For no one ever yet hated his own body. But every one feeds his body and cares for it, just as the Christ for the Church; ³⁰ For we are members of his Body. ³¹ 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and be united to his wife; and the man and his wife shall become one.' ³² In this there is a profound truth--I am speaking of Christ and his Church. ³³ However, for you individually, let each love his wife as if she were himself; and the wife be careful to respect her husband. ⁶ ¹ Children, obey your parents, as children of the Lord; for that is but right. ² 'Honor thy father and mother'--this is the first Commandment with a promise--' ³ So that thou mayest prosper and have a long life on earth.' ⁴ And fathers, do not irritate your children, but bring them up with Christian discipline and instruction. ⁵ Slaves, obey your earthly masters, with anxious care, giving them ungrudging service, as if obeying the Christ; ⁶ Not only when their eyes are on you, as if you had merely to please men, but as slaves of Christ, who are trying to carry out the will of God. ⁷ Give your service heartily and cheerfully, as working for the Master and not for men; ⁸ For you know that every one will be rewarded by the Master for any honest work that he has done, whether he is a slave or a freeman. ⁹ And masters, treat your slaves in the same spirit. Give up threatening them; for you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in Heaven, and that before him there is no distinction of rank. ¹⁰ For the future, find strength in your union with the Lord, and in the power which comes from his might. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand your ground against the stratagems of the Devil. ¹² For ours is no struggle against enemies of flesh and blood, but against all the various Powers of Evil that hold sway in the Darkness around us, against the Spirits of Wickedness on high. ¹³ Therefore take up the full armor of God, that, when the evil day comes, you may be able to withstand the attack, and, having fought to the end, still to stand your ground. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, then, 'with truth for your belt,' and 'with righteousness for your breast-plate,' ¹⁵ And with the readiness to serve the Good News of Peace as shoes for your feet. ¹⁶ At every onslaught take up faith for your shield; for with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming darts of the Evil One. ¹⁷ And receive 'the helmet of Salvation,' and 'the sword of the Spirit'--which is the Message of God--always with prayer and supplication. ¹⁸ Pray in spirit at all times. Be intent upon this, with unwearying perseverance and supplication for all Christ's People- - ¹⁹ And on my behalf also, that, when I begin to speak, words may be given me, so that I may fearlessly make known the inmost truth of the Good News, ²⁰ On behalf of which I am an Ambassador--in chains! Pray that, in telling it, I may speak fearlessly as I ought. ²¹ To enable you, as well as others, to know all that concerns me and what I am doing, Tychicus, our dear Brother and faithful helper in the Master's Cause, will tell you everything. ²² I am sending him to you on purpose that you may learn all about us, and that he may cheer your hearts. ²³ May God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ give our Brothers peace, and love linked with faith. ²⁴ May God's blessing be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.