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Imitators of God

¹ Therefore become imitators of God, as beloved children, ² and live in love, just as also Christ loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant smell.^{[a] 3} But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or greediness, must not even be named among you (as is fitting for saints), ⁴ and obscenity, and foolish talk, or coarse jesting (which are not proper), but rather thanksgiving. ⁵ For this you know for certain^[b], that every sexually immoral person, or unclean person, or greedy person (who is an idolater), does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.

Walk Like Children of Light

⁷ Therefore do not be sharers^[c] with them, ⁸ for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live like children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰ trying to learn what is well-pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even expose them. ¹² For it is shameful even to speak about the things being done by them in secret, ¹³ but all things exposed by the light are made visible, ¹⁴ for everything made visible is light. Therefore it says,

¹⁵ Therefore, consider carefully how you live, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of the time because the days are evil.

Being Filled by the Spirit

¹⁷ Because of this do not become foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine (in which is dissipation), but be filled by the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and singing praise in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to the God and Father, ²¹ being subject to one another out of reverence for^[e] Christ ²² —wives to their own husbands as to the Lord, ²³ because the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church (he himself being the Savior of the body). ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, thus also wives should be subject^[f] to their husbands in everything.

Husbands and Wives

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for her; ²⁶ in order that he might sanctify her by cleansing her^[g] with the washing of water by the word; ²⁷ in order that he might present to himself the church glorious, not having a spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she may be holy and blameless. ²⁸ Thus also husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. The one who loves his own wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as also Christ does the church, ³⁰ because we are members of his body. ³¹ "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."^{[h] 32} (This mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.) ³³ Only you also, each one of you, must thus love his own wife as himself, and the wife must respect^[i] her husband.