Ephesians 5 - Amplified Bible(AMP)

Be Imitators of God

1Therefore become imitators of God, as well-beloved children;

2and walk continually in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God a sweet fragrance.

3But sexual immorality and all impurity or greed must not even be hinted at among you, as is proper among saints.

4Let there be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse joking, because such things are not appropriate; but instead speak of your thankfulness.

5For be sure of this: no immoral, impure, or greedy person—for that one is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

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

7So do not participate or even associate with them.

8For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light

9(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

10trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

11Do not participate in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness, but instead expose them;

12for it is disgraceful even to mention the things that such people practice in secret.

13But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for it is light that makes everything visible.

14For this reason He says,

“Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine upon you and give you light.”

15Therefore see that you walk carefully, not as the unwise, but as wise,

16making the very most of your time, because the days are evil.

17Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is.

18Do not get drunk with wine, for that is wickedness (corruption, stupidity), but be filled with the Spirit and constantly guided by Him.

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

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

21being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

23For the husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church, Himself being the Savior of the body.

24But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives should be subject 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 the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

27so that He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

28Even so husbands should and are morally obligated to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.

29For no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and protects and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,

30because we are members (parts) of His body.

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

32This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

33However, each man among you is to love his wife as his very own self, and the wife that she respects and delights in her husband.