Eph 5 | ESV | STEP | Therefore be imitators of God , as beloved children .

1 ^aTherefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And ^bwalk in love, ^cas Christ loved us and ^dgave himself up for us, a ^efragrant ^foffering and sacrifice to God.

3 But ^gsexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness ^hmust not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be ⁱno filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, ^jwhich are out of place, but instead ^klet there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that ^leveryone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( ^mthat is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 ⁿLet no one ^odeceive you with empty words, for because of these things ^pthe wrath of God comes upon ^qthe sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore ^rdo not become partners with them; 8 for ^sat one time you were ^tdarkness, but now you are light in the Lord. ^uWalk as children of light 9 (for ^vthe fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and ^wtry to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 ^xTake no part in the ^yunfruitful ^zworks of darkness, but instead ^aaexpose them. 12 For ^abit is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when ^acanything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

^ad“Awake, O sleeper,
and ^aearise from the dead,
and ^afChrist will shine on you.”

15 ^agLook carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 ^ahmaking the best use of the time, because ^aithe days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what ^ajthe will of the Lord is. 18 And ^akdo not get drunk with wine, for that is ^aldebauchery, but ^ambe filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in ^anpsalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 ^aogiving thanks always and for everything to God the Father ^apin the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 ^aqsubmitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives and Husbands

22 ^arWives, ^assubmit to your own husbands, ^atas to the Lord. 23 For ^authe husband is the head of the wife even as ^avChrist is the head of the church, his body, and is ^awhimself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit ^axin everything to their husbands.

25 ^ayHusbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and ^azgave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by ^bathe washing of water ^bbwith the word, 27 so ^bcthat he might present the church to himself in splendor, ^bdwithout spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. ^{▼▼Or holy and blameless} 28 In the same way ^bfhusbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because ^bgwe are members of his body. 31 ^bh“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and ^bithe two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, ^bjlet each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she ^bkrespects her husband.