He is far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion, and every name that can be named, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love for us

But now, in union with the Messiah Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.

That is why you are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household,

The thief must no longer steal but must work hard and do what is good with his own hands, so that he might earn something to give to the needy.

Let no filthy talk be heard from your mouths, but only what is good for building up people and meeting the need of the moment. This way you will administer grace to those who hear you.

For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light,

But everything that is exposed to the light becomes visible,

So, then, be careful how you live. Do not be unwise but wise,

Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

Stop getting drunk with wine, which leads to wild living, but keep on being filled with the Spirit.

and might present the church to himself in all its glory, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind, but holy and without fault.

For no one has ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, as the Messiah does the church.

This is a great secret, but I am talking about the Messiah and the church.

But each individual man among you must love his wife as he loves himself; and may the wife fear her husband.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up by training and instructing them about the Lord.

Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will.

For our struggle is not against human opponents, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us, and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm.