Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

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)immorality ^[c]or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among ^[d]saints; ⁴ and there must be no ^(H)filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which ^(I)are not fitting, but rather ^(J)giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know with certainty, that ^(K)no ^[e]immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom ^(L)of Christ and God.

^6 (M)Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things ^(N)the wrath of God comes upon ^(O)the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be ^(P)partakers with them; ⁸ for ^(Q)you were formerly ^(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 and righteousness and truth), ^10 [f](V)trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ^11 (W)Do not participate in the unfruitful ^(X)deeds of ^(Y)darkness, but instead even ^[g](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 ^[h]exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason ^[i]it says,

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

Marriage Like Christ and the Church

^22 (AV)Wives, ^(AW)be subject 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 ought also 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)members of His ^(BL)body. ^31 (BM)For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall 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, each individual among you also is to ^(BN)love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she ^[r](BO)respects her husband.

Family Relationships

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

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

^5 (BT)Slaves, be obedient to those who are your ^[s]masters according to the flesh, with ^(BU)fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, ^(BV)as to Christ; ^6 (BW)not ^[t]by way of eyeservice, as ^(BX)men-pleasers, but as ^(BY)slaves of Christ, ^(BZ)doing the will of God from the ^[u]heart. ⁷ With good will ^[v]render service, ^(CA)as to the Lord, and not to men, ^8 (CB)knowing that ^(CC)whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, ^(CD)whether slave or free.

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

The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, ^(CH)be strong in the Lord and in ^(CI)the strength of His might. ^11 (CJ)Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the ^(CK)schemes of the devil. ¹² For our ^(CL)struggle is not against ^[w](CM)flesh and blood, but ^(CN)against the rulers, against the powers, against the ^(CO)world forces of this ^(CP)darkness, against the ^(CQ)spiritual forces of wickedness in ^(CR)the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up ^(CS)the full armor of God, so that you will be able to ^(CT)resist in ^(CU)the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand firm therefore, ^(CV)having girded your loins with truth, and having ^(CW)put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having ^(CX)shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ^16 [x]in addition to all, taking up the ^(CY)shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the ^(CZ)flaming arrows of ^(DA)the evil one. ¹⁷ And take ^(DB)the helmet of salvation, and the ^(DC)sword of the Spirit, which is ^(DD)the word of God.

^18 [y]With all ^(DE)prayer and petition ^[z](DF)pray at all times ^(DG)in the Spirit, and with this in view, ^[aa](DH)be on the alert with all ^(DI)perseverance and ^(DJ)petition for all the saints, ¹⁹ and ^(DK)pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me ^(DL)in the opening of my mouth, to make known with ^(DM)boldness ^(DN)the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ^(DO)ambassador ^(DP)in ^[ab]chains; that ^[ac]in proclaiming it I may speak ^(DQ)boldly, ^(DR)as I ought to speak.

^21 (DS)But that you also may know about my circumstances, ^[ad]how I am doing, ^(DT)Tychicus, ^(DU)the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. ^22 [ae](DV)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know ^[af]about us, and that he may ^(DW)comfort your hearts.

^23 (DX)Peace be to the brethren, and ^(DY)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ ^[ag]with incorruptible love.