New King James Version

New Living Translation

1Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.

1Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.

2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

2Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

3But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

3Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.

4neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

4Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

5For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

5You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

6Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.

7Therefore do not be partakers with them.

7Don’t participate in the things these people do.

8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

8For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

9(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

9For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

10finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

10Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.

11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

11Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.

12For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

12It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.

13But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

13But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,

14Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

14for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Living by the Spirit’s Power

15See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

15So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.

16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

16Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

17Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

17Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

18And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

18Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,

19speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

19singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.

20giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

20And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Spirit-Guided Relationships: Wives and Husbands

21submitting to one another in the fear of God.

21And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

22For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

23For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

23For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.

24Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

24As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

25For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her

26that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

26to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.

27that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

27He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.

28So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.

29For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

29No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.

30For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

30And we are members of his body.

31“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”

31As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”

32This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

32This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.

33Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

33So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.