Imitators of God

1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us† and gave Himself up for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God, into a fragrance of a sweet smell.

3But let sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness not even be named among you⁺, just as is proper to saints, 4and shamefulness, and foolish talk, or crude joking, which are not fitting, but rather thanksgiving. 5For this you⁺ know, realizing that every sexually immoral person, or impure person, or covetous person (who is an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6Let no one deceive you⁺ with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7Therefore do not be partakers with them.

Children of Light

8For you⁺ were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— 9for the fruit of the light† is in all goodness and righteousness and truth— 10discerning what is well-pleasing to the Lord.

11And do not have fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even expose them. 12For it is shameful even to speak of the things being done by them in secret. 13But everything being exposed by the light is made manifest,† for everything being made manifest is light. 14Therefore it says:

“Awake you, the one sleeping,

and rise up out from the dead,

and Christ will shine upon you.”

15Therefore watch carefully how you⁺ walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Because of this, do not be foolish, but understand what is the will of the Lord. 18And do not be drunk with wine, in which is debauchery, but be filled in the Spirit, 19speaking to each other in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your⁺ heart to the Lord, 20giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to the God and Father.

Wives and Husbands
(Song of Solomon 1:1–17; 1 Peter 3:1–7)

21Be submitting to one another in fear of Christ:†

22wives, to your own† husbands as to the Lord; 23for the husband is head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church, He Himself Savior of the body.† 24But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives to their husbands in everything.

25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water in the word, 27so that He might present to Himself the church in glory, not having spot or wrinkle or any of such things, but that she may be holy and blameless.

28So also husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. The one loving his own wife loves himself. 29For no one at any time hated his own flesh, but he nourishes and cherishes it just as Christ† also does the church. 30For we are members of His body.†

31“Because of this, a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will be into one flesh.”† 32This mystery is great, but I speak as to Christ and as to the church. 33However, you⁺ also, every one, let each so love his wife as himself; and the wife, that she may respect the husband.

Footnotes:

2 NE and WH Christ loved you
9 BYZ and TR the fruit of the Spirit
13 SBL begins verse 14 after manifest,
21 Or out of reverence for Christ.
22 TH Wives to their
23 BYZ and TR the church, and He is Savior of the body
29 BYZ and TR just as the Lord
30 BYZ and TR include —of His flesh and of His bones.
31 Genesis 2:24 (see also LXX)