Ephesians 5
King James Version
5 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Ephesians 5
New King James Version
Walk in Love
5 Therefore(A) be imitators of God as dear (B)children. 2 And (C)walk in love, (D)as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God (E)for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all (F)uncleanness or (G)covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 (H)neither filthiness, nor (I)foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, (J)which are not fitting, but rather (K)giving of thanks. 5 For [a]this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any (L)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 comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be (M)partakers with them.
Walk in Light
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are (N)light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for (O)the fruit of the [b]Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 (P)finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have (Q)no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather [c]expose them. 12 (R)For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But (S)all things that are [d]exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says:
(T)“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
Walk in Wisdom
15 (U)See then that you walk [e]circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 (V)redeeming the time, (W)because the days are evil.
17 (X)Therefore do not be unwise, but (Y)understand (Z)what the will of the Lord is. 18 And (AA)do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another (AB)in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making (AC)melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 (AD)giving thanks always for all things to God the Father (AE)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 (AF)submitting to one another in the fear of [f]God.
Marriage—Christ and the Church(AG)
22 Wives, (AH)submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For (AI)the husband is head of the wife, as also (AJ)Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands (AK)in everything.
25 (AL)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and (AM)gave Himself for her, 26 that He might [g]sanctify and cleanse her (AN)with the washing of water (AO)by the word, 27 (AP)that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, (AQ)not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own 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 the Lord does the church. 30 For (AR)we are members of His body, [h]of His flesh and of His bones. 31 (AS)“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the (AT)two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless (AU)let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she (AV)respects her husband.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 5:5 NU know this
- Ephesians 5:9 NU light
- Ephesians 5:11 reprove
- Ephesians 5:13 reproved
- Ephesians 5:15 carefully
- Ephesians 5:21 NU Christ
- Ephesians 5:26 set it apart
- Ephesians 5:30 NU omits the rest of v. 30.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
