1 You are the children that God dearly loves. So be just like him.
2 Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.
3 There should not be even a hint of sexual sin among you. Don't do anything unclean. And do not always want more and more. Things like that are not what God's holy people should do.
4 There must not be any unclean speech or foolish talk or dirty jokes. All of them are out of place. Instead, you should give thanks.
5 Here is what you can be sure of. Those who give themselves over to sexual sins are lost. So are people whose lives are not pure. The same is true of those who always want more and more. People who do those things might as well worship statues of gods. No one who does them will receive a share in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Don't let anyone fool you with words that don't mean anything. Because of things like that, God is angry with those who don't obey.
7 So don't go along with people like that.
8 At one time you were in the dark. But now you are in the light because of what the Lord has done. Live like children of the light.
9 The light produces what is completely good, right and true.
10 Find out what pleases the Lord.
11 Have nothing to do with the acts of darkness. They don't produce anything good. Show what they are really like.
12 It is shameful even to talk about what people who don't obey do in secret.
13 But everything the light shines on can be seen.
14 Light makes everything clear. That is why it is said, "Wake up, sleeper. Rise from the dead. Then Christ will shine on you."
15 So be very careful how you live. Do not live like people who aren't wise. Live like people who are wise.
16 Make the most of every opportunity. The days are evil.
17 So don't be foolish. Instead, understand what the Lord wants.
18 Don't fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.
19 Speak to each other with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.
20 Always give thanks to God the Father for everything. Give thanks to him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Follow the lead of one another because of your respect for Christ.
22 Wives, follow the lead of your husbands as you follow the Lord.
23 The husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. The church is Christ's body. He is its Savior.
24 The church follows the lead of Christ. In the same way, wives should follow the lead of their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives. Love them just as Christ loved the church. He gave himself up for her.
26 He did it to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her with water and the word.
27 He did it to bring her to himself as a brightly shining church. He wants a church that has no stain or wrinkle or any other flaw. He wants a church that is holy and without blame.
28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives. They should love them as they love their own bodies. Any man who loves his wife loves himself.
29 After all, people have never hated their own bodies. Instead, they feed and care for their bodies. And that is what Christ does for the church.
30 We are parts of his body.
31 Scripture says, "That's why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The two will become one." (Genesis 2:24)
32 That is a deep mystery. But I'm talking about Christ and the church.