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¹ Be ye therefore imitators of God, as his dear children; live together in love, ² for Christ loved us, and for us gave himself an offering and a sacrifice acceptable to God.

³ But fornication, and all impurity, or inordinate desire, let it not be approved by you, as being unworthy of christians: neither ribaldry, ⁴ nor buffoonry, which they call pleasantry, but is indecent: be you rather exercised in social virtue. ⁵ for this you know, that no licentious or dissolute person, no lewd libertine, that is, an idolater, hath any part in the kingdom of Christ, and of God. ⁶ let no man mislead you by vain reasonings: for it is for these vices, that the wrath of God lights upon the incredulous. ⁷ don't you therefore be concern'd with them. ⁸ you were heretofore altogether in the dark, but now being enlightned by the Lord, behave as children of light: ⁹ for the natural effect of light, is universal benevolence, justice, and truth: ¹⁰ consider what is acceptable to the Lord; ¹¹ and be not accomplices in the fruitless practices of vice; on the contrary, condemn them. ¹² for it is a shame even to mention what they practise in secret. ¹³ but whatever is unjustifiable will be brought to light: and that will show them to be unjustifiable. ¹⁴ wherefore 'tis said, " awake thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." ¹⁵ See then that you behave circumspectly, and not as fools, but as wise, ¹⁶ weighing the circumstances of the season, because the times are dangerous. ¹⁷ wherefore be not imprudent, but consider what is agreeable to the divine will. ¹⁸ do not drink to excess, for that tends to dissoluteness, but be regal'd with spiritual entertainments: ¹⁹ expressing yourselves in psalms, in hymns, and spiritual songs; and let your hearts beat the time, in concerts of praises to the Lord, ²⁰ and this the burthen of the song, "thanks be to God, even the father, for his son Jesus Christ our Lord."

²¹ Be mutually obsequious with christian respect. ²² let married women be submissive to their husbands, out of regard to the Lord. ²³ for the husband presides over his wife, as Christ presides over the church: and he it is that preserves the whole body. ²⁴ as the church then is subordinate to Christ, so let women be to their husbands upon all occasions. ²⁵ You husband, love your spouse, even as Christ loved the church, and laid down his life for her: ²⁶ to sanctify and purify her by the ablution of his word, ²⁷ that he himself might make her appear illustrious to his own eye, a church without spot, or any thing like a defect; so as to be holy and irreprehensible. ²⁸ in like manner ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies: "he that loves his wife, loveth himself." ²⁹ no man was ever yet averse to his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as the Lord doth the church: ³⁰ of which we are the several parts constituting his body. ³¹ the scripture says, "for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be united to his wife, and they two shall be as one." ³² these words contain a very mystical sense, I mean in reference to Christ and the church. ³³ wherefore let every one of you without exception, love his wife even as himself; and let the wife respect her husband.