Marriage like Christ and the Church

22 (A)Wives, (B)subject yourselves to your own husbands, (C)as to the Lord. 23 For (D)the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the (E)head of the church, He Himself (F)being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

25 (G)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and (H)gave Himself up for her, 26 (I)so that He might sanctify her, having (J)cleansed her by the (K)washing of water with (L)the word, 27 that He might (M)present to Himself the church [a]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be (N)holy and blameless. 28 So husbands also ought to (O)love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are (P)parts of His (Q)body. 31 (R)For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, as for you individually, each husband is to (S)love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she (T)respects her husband.

Children and Parents

(U)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (V)Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may turn out well for you, and that you may live long on the earth.

(W)Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but (X)bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

(Y)Slaves, be obedient to those who are your [b]masters according to the flesh, with (Z)fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, (AA)as to Christ; (AB)not [c]by way of [d]eye-service, as (AC)people-pleasers, but as (AD)slaves of Christ, (AE)doing the will of God from the [e]heart. With goodwill [f]render service, (AF)as to the Lord, and not to people, (AG)knowing that (AH)whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, (AI)whether slave or free.

And masters, do the same things to them, and (AJ)give up threatening, knowing that (AK)both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is (AL)no partiality with Him.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 5:27 Lit glorious
  2. Ephesians 6:5 I.e., earthly masters, as in first-century Roman culture
  3. Ephesians 6:6 Lit according to
  4. Ephesians 6:6 I.e., only when the master is watching
  5. Ephesians 6:6 Lit soul
  6. Ephesians 6:7 Lit rendering

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