Walk in Love
1 Therefore rbe imitators sof God, as beloved children. 2 And twalk uin love, as Christ loved us vand wgave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But xsexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 yLet there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 zFor you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous a(that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you bwith empty words, for cbecause of these things the wrath of God comes upon the dsons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for eat one time you were fdarkness, but now you are light in the Lord. gWalk as hchildren of light 9 (for the ifruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to jdiscern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 kTake no part in the unfruitful lworks of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But mwhen anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
n“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will oshine on you.”
15 Look carefully then phow you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the qdays are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but runderstand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get sdrunk with wine, for that is debauchery, tbut be filled with the Spirit, 19 uaddressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the vname of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 wsubmitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives and Husbands
22 xWives, ysubmit to your own husbands, zas to the Lord. 23 For athe husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the bhead of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
25 cHusbands, love your wives, as Christ dloved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might esanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 fso that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be gholy and without blemish.1 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as htheir 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 Christ does the church, 30 because iwe are jmembers of his body. 31 k“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and lthe two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mmystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Children and Parents
1 nChildren, oobey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 p“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 qFathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but rbring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Bondservants and Masters
5 sBondservants,2 tobey your earthly masters3 with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, uas you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this vhe will receive back from the Lord, wwhether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is xboth their Master4 and yours is in heaven, and that there is yno partiality with him.
The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, zbe strong in the Lord and in the astrength of his might. 11 bPut on the cwhole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the drulers, against the authorities, against the ecosmic powers over this present fdarkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the gheavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the hevil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the ibelt of truth, and having put on the jbreastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as kshoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the lshield of faith, with which you can mextinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the nhelmet of salvation, and the osword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 ppraying qat all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, rkeep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and salso for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth tboldly to proclaim the umystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an vambassador win chains, that I may declare it boldly, xas I ought to speak.
Final Greetings
21 ySo that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, zTychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may aencourage your hearts.
23 Peace be to the brothers,5 and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.
Why Do You Hide Yourself?
1 wWhy, O Lord, do you stand far away?
Why do you xhide yourself in times of trouble?
2 In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
ylet them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
and the one zgreedy for gain curses1 and renounces the Lord.
4 In the pride of his face2 the wicked does not seek him;3
all his thoughts are, a“There is no God.”
5 His ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
7 bHis mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
8 He sits in ambush in the villages;
cin hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
he lurks that he may seize the poor;
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
10 The helpless are crushed, sink down,
and fall by his might.
11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, dhe will never see it.”
12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
eforget not the afflicted.
13 Why does the wicked renounce God
and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless commits himself;
fyou have been the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
gcall his wickedness to account till you find none.
16 hThe Lord is king forever and ever;
the nations perish from his land.
17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18 to do ijustice to the fatherless and the joppressed,
kso that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.
