Ephesians 5
King James Version
5 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye 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 unto 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 of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein 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 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto 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 saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
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 a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Ephesians 5
New Life Version
5 Do as God would do. Much-loved children want to do as their fathers do. 2 Live with love as Christ loved you. He gave Himself for us, a gift on the altar to God which was as a sweet smell to God.
3 Do not let sex sins or anything sinful be even talked about among those who belong to Christ. Do not always want everything. 4 Do not be guilty of telling bad stories and of foolish talk. These things are not for you to do. Instead, you are to give thanks for what God has done for you. 5 Be sure of this! No person who does sex sins or who is not pure will have any part in the holy nation of Christ and of God. The same is true for the person who always wants what other people have. This becomes a god to him. 6 Do not let anyone lead you in the wrong way with foolish talk. The anger of God comes on such people because they choose to not obey Him. 7 Have nothing to do with them. 8 At one time you lived in darkness. Now you are living in the light that comes from the Lord. Live as children who have the light of the Lord in them. 9 This light gives us truth. It makes us right with God and makes us good. 10 Learn how to please the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the bad things done in darkness. Instead, show that these things are wrong. 12 It is a shame even to talk about these things done in secret. 13 All things can be seen when they are in the light. Everything that can be seen is in the light. 14 The Holy Writings say, “Wake up, you who are sleeping. Rise from the dead and Christ will give you light.” (A)
Be Filled With the Spirit of God
15 So be careful how you live. Live as men who are wise and not foolish. 16 Make the best use of your time. These are sinful days. 17 Do not be foolish. Understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Do not get drunk with wine. That leads to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. 19 Tell of your joy to each other by singing the Songs of David and church songs. Sing in your heart to the Lord. 20 Always give thanks for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
How Wives Must Live
21 Be willing to help and care for each other because of Christ. By doing this, you honor Christ. 22 Wives, obey your own husbands. In doing this, you obey the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. It is His body (the church) that He saves. 24 As the church is to obey Christ, wives are to obey their own husbands in everything.
How Husbands Must Live
25 Husbands, love your wives. You must love them as Christ loved the church. He gave His life for it. 26 Christ did this so He could set the church apart for Himself. He made it clean by the washing of water with the Word. 27 Christ did this so the church might stand before Him in shining-greatness. There is to be no sin of any kind in it. It is to be holy and without blame. 28 So men should love their wives as they love their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 No man hates himself. He takes care of his own body. That is the way Christ does. He cares for His body which is the church. 30 We are all a part of His body, the church. 31 For this reason, a man must leave his father and mother when he gets married and be joined to his wife. The two become one. 32 This is hard to understand, but it shows that the church is the body of Christ. 33 So every man must love his wife as he loves himself. Every wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5
Worldwide English (New Testament)
5 So try to be like God, because you are his own dear children.
2 Love others as Christ has loved us. He gave his life for us, a sweet smelling offering and a sacrifice to God.
3 As God's people, you should not even talk about wrong living, any kind of wrong sex or wanting things you cannot have.
4 There should be no dirty talk, no foolish talk, no funny stories with a wrong meaning. This is not a good way to talk. But what you should do is thank God.
5 You know this. There are people who use sex wrongly, and who are always wanting what others have. No such a person has any place in the kingdom of Christ and of God. He is worshipping an idol.
6 Do not let anyone fool you by their empty talk. It is because people do these wrong things that God is very angry. He is angry with the people who do not obey him.
7 So then, have nothing to do with them.
8 You were in the dark before, but now the Lord has given you light. Live like people who have the light.
9 People who have the light do all that is good and right and true.
10 Learn what pleases the Lord.
11 Have no part in the empty things people do in the dark. Show them that they are wrong.
12 It is a shame even to talk about the things they do in secret.
13 But when the light shines on something, it can be seen. Anything that shows up wrong ways is light.
14 So it is said, `Wake up, you who are asleep! Rise from death. And Christ will give you light.'
15 Take care how you live. Do not live like people who are not wise, but live like people who are wise.
16 Make good use of time because people live in very wrong ways these days.
17 So then, be wise and understand what the Lord wants.
18 Do not get drunk with wine. That is living in a wrong way. But be filled with the Spirit.
19 Speak to one another by the songs in the holy writings, and songs of praise, and Christian songs. Sing and make a joyful noise in your hearts to the Lord.
20 Always thank God the Father for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Give way to each other because you respect Christ.
22 Wives, obey your husbands as you obey the Lord.
23 The husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church people. The church is his body and he saved it.
24 Wives should obey their husbands in everything, just as the church people obey Christ.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church people. He gave his life for the church.
26 He did that so that he might make the church people holy, when they were washed with water by God's word.
27 He gave his life for the church so that one day he can look at the church and see that the people are great and wonderful. The people of the church must have no dirty spot or wrinkle or any thing like that. But they are to be holy and good.
28 So husbands should love their wives as they love their own bodies. The man who loves his wife loves himself.
29 No one ever hated his own body. But he feeds it and takes care of it.
30 In the same way Christ takes care of the church because we are parts of his body.
31 The holy writings say `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother. He shall be joined to his wife, and the two of them shall be like one person.'
32 This is a wonderful plan of God. I am speaking here of the plan about Christ and the church people.
33 However, each one of you should love his wife as he loves himself. And the wife should respect her husband.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
© 1969, 1971, 1996, 1998 by SOON Educational Publications