1 So you must keep on following God's example, as dearly loved children of His, 2 and practice living in love, just as Christ loved you too and gave Himself for you as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But sexual vice and any form of immorality or sensual greed must not so much as be mentioned among you, as that is the only course becoming in God's people; 4 there must be no indecency, silly talk or suggestive jesting, for they are unbecoming. There should be thanksgiving instead. 5 For you may be absolutely sure that no one who is sexually impure, immoral or greedy for gain (for that is idolatry) can have a part in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Stop letting anyone deceive you with groundless arguments about these things, for it is because of these very sins that God's anger comes down upon the disobedient. 7 So you must stop having anything to do with them. 8 For at one time you were darkness itself, but now in union with the Lord you are light itself. You must live like children of light, 9 for the product of light consists in practicing everything that is good and right and true; 10 you must approve what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Stop having anything to do with the profitless doings of darkness; instead you must continue to expose them. 12 For it is disgraceful even to mention the vices practiced in secret by them; 13 and yet anything that is exposed by the light is made clear to them, for anything that is made clear is light. 14 So it is said: "Wake up, sleeper; get up from the dead, and Christ will make day dawn on you."
15 So you must be very careful how you live, not thoughtlessly but thoughtfully, 16 and continue to make the most of your opportunities, for the times are evil. 17 So stop becoming senseless, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Stop getting drunk on wine, for that means profligacy, but ever be filled with the Spirit,
19 and always be speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Keep on praying and praising the Lord with all your heart; 20 continue giving thanks for everything to God our Father; 21 keep on living in subordination to one another out of reverence to Christ.
22 You married women must continue to live in subordination to your husbands, as you do to the Lord, 23 for a husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the Head of the church, His body, and Saviour of it. 24 Just as the church is subject to Christ, so the married women in everything must be subject to their husbands. 25 You married men must love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 to consecrate her, after cleansing her through His word, as pictured in the water bath, 27 that He might present the church to Himself as a splendid bride without a blot or wrinkle or anything like it, but to be consecrated and faultless. 28 This is the way married men ought to love their wives, as they do their own bodies. The married man who loves his wife is really loving himself, 29 for no one ever hates his own physical person, but he feeds and fosters it, just as Christ does the church; 30 because we are parts of His body.
31 Therefore, a man must leave his father and mother and so perfectly unite himself to his wife that the two shall be one.
32 This is a great secret; I mean this about Christ and the church. 33 But each one of you married men must love his wife as he loves himself, and the married woman, too, must respect her husband.