Be Imitators of God

5 ^(A)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ² and ^(B)walk in love, just as Christ also ^(C)loved ^[a]you and ^(D)gave Himself up for us, an ^(E)offering and a sacrifice to God ^[b]as a ^(F)fragrant aroma.

³ But ^(G)sexual immorality ^[c]or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among ^[d]saints; ⁴ and there must be no ^(H)filthiness ^[e]or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which ^(I)are not fitting, but rather ^(J)giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know with certainty, that ^(K)no sexually immoral or ^[f]impure or greedy person, which ^[g]amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom ^(L)of Christ and God.

^6 (M)See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things ^(N)the wrath of God comes upon ^(O)the ^[h]sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not become ^(P)partners with them; ⁸ for ^(Q)you were once ^(R)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as ^(S)children of light ⁹ (for ^(T)the fruit of the light consists in all ^(U)goodness, righteousness, and truth), ^10 [i](V)as you try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ^11 (W)Do not participate in the useless ^(X)deeds of ^(Y)darkness, but instead even ^(Z)expose them; ¹² for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But all things become visible ^(AA)when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason ^[j]it says,

¹⁵ So then, ^[k]be careful how you ^(AE)walk, not ^(AF)as unwise people but as wise, ^16 [l](AG)making the most of your time, because ^(AH)the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but ^(AI)understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And ^(AJ)do not get drunk with wine, ^[m]in which there is ^(AK)debauchery, but be ^(AL)filled with the Spirit, ^19 (AM)speaking to ^[n]one another in ^(AN)psalms and ^(AO)hymns and spiritual ^(AP)songs, ^(AQ)singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; ^20 (AR)always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our ^(AS)God and Father; ^21 [o](AT)and subject yourselves to one another in the ^[p](AU)fear of Christ.

Marriage like Christ and the Church

^22 (AV)Wives, ^(AW)subject yourselves to your own husbands, ^(AX)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(AY)the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the ^(AZ)head of the church, He Himself ^(BA)being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

^25 (BB)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and ^(BC)gave Himself up for her, ^26 (BD)so that He might sanctify her, having ^(BE)cleansed her by the ^(BF)washing of water with ^(BG)the word, ²⁷ that He might ^(BH)present to Himself the church ^[q]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be ^(BI)holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands also ought to ^(BJ)love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; ²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰ because we are ^(BK)parts of His ^(BL)body. ^31 (BM)For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ³² This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless, as for you individually, each husband is to ^(BN)love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she ^(BO)respects her husband.

Children and Parents

6 ^(A)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ^2 (B)Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), ³ so that it may turn out well for you, and that you may live long on the earth.

^4 (C)Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but ^(D)bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves and Masters

^5 (E)Slaves, be obedient to those who are your ^[a]masters according to the flesh, with ^(F)fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, ^(G)as to Christ; ^6 (H)not ^[b]by way of ^[c]eye-service, as ^(I)people-pleasers, but as ^(J)slaves of Christ, ^(K)doing the will of God from the ^[d]heart. ⁷ With goodwill ^[e]render service, ^(L)as to the Lord, and not to people, ^8 (M)knowing that ^(N)whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, ^(O)whether slave or free.

⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, and ^(P)give up threatening, knowing that ^(Q)both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is ^(R)no partiality with Him.

The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, ^(S)be strong in the Lord and in ^(T)the strength of His might. ^11 (U)Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the ^(V)schemes of the devil. ¹² For our ^(W)struggle is not against ^[f](X)flesh and blood, but ^(Y)against the rulers, against the powers, against the ^(Z)world forces of this ^(AA)darkness, against the ^(AB)spiritual forces of wickedness in ^(AC)the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up ^(AD)the full armor of God, so that you will be able to ^(AE)resist on ^(AF)the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand firm therefore, ^(AG)having belted your waist with truth, and having ^(AH)put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having ^(AI)strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; ^16 [g]in addition to all, taking up the ^(AJ)shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the ^(AK)flaming arrows of ^(AL)the evil one. ¹⁷ And take ^(AM)the helmet of salvation and the ^(AN)sword of the Spirit, which is ^(AO)the word of God.

^18 [h]With every ^(AP)prayer and request, ^[i](AQ)pray at all times ^(AR)in the Spirit, and with this in view, ^[j](AS)be alert with all ^(AT)perseverance and every ^(AU)request for all the ^[k]saints, ¹⁹ and ^(AV)pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me ^(AW)in the opening of my mouth, to make known with ^(AX)boldness ^(AY)the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ^(AZ)ambassador ^(BA)in ^[l]chains; that ^[m]in proclaiming it I may speak ^(BB)boldly, ^(BC)as I ought to speak.

^21 (BD)Now, so that you also may know about my circumstances as to ^[n]what I am doing, ^(BE)Tychicus, ^(BF)the beloved brother and faithful ^[o]servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you. ^22 [p](BG)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know ^[q]about us, and that he may ^(BH)comfort your hearts.

^23 (BI)Peace be to the brothers and sisters, and ^(BJ)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ ^[r]with incorruptible love.