Ephesians 5

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

1So copy God in what you do. You are his dear children.

2And 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.

2Live a life of love. Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. His gift was like a sweet smell that pleased God.

3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

3Do not let sexual sin be among you at all. Keep away from anything dirty. Keep away from greed too. Not even a hint of these fits God's people.

4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

4There should be no dirty talk, silly talk, or rude jokes. These do not fit who you are. Thank God instead.

Note"Not convenient" in the old King James wording means "not fitting" or "out of place." It does not mean inconvenient.

5For 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.

5You know this for sure. No one who keeps doing sexual sin gets a share in the kingdom of Christ and God. The same is true of dirty living and of greed. A greedy person is really worshiping something else instead of God.

6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

6Do not let anyone fool you with empty words. God's anger is coming on people who refuse to obey him. It comes because of things like these.

7Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

7So do not join in with them.

8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

8You were once full of darkness. Now you belong to the Lord, and you are light. So live like children of light.

9(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

9The Spirit grows good things in people. He grows goodness, right living, and truth.

10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

10Find out what pleases the Lord, and do that.

11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

11Take no part in the dark things people do. Those things bring nothing good. Instead, bring them out into the open.

12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

12Some things people do in secret are too shameful even to talk about.

13But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

13But light shows what things really are. Anything the light shows becomes clear to see.

14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

14That is why it says, "Wake up, sleeper. Get up from the dead. Christ will shine on you."

15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

15So watch how you live. Be careful. Do not be foolish, but wise.

16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

16Make the best use of every chance you get. These are bad days.

17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

17So do not be foolish. Learn what the Lord wants, and understand it.

18And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

18Do not get drunk on wine. That leads to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

19Speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Psalms are songs from the Bible. Sing to the Lord and make music in your heart.

20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

20Always thank God the Father for everything. Do it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

21Put each other first, because you have deep respect for God.

Note"The fear of God" here means deep respect and wonder, not being scared of him.

22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

22Wives, follow the lead of your own husbands, just as you follow the Lord.

23For 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.

23The husband is the head of the wife. Christ is the head of the church, his body. He is the one who saves it.

24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

24The church follows Christ. In the same way, wives should follow their husbands in everything.

25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

25Husbands, love your wives. Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

26He did that to make her holy. He washed her clean with water and with his word.

27That 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.

27He wanted to bring her to himself as a church full of glory. No spot, no wrinkle, nothing wrong at all. She would be holy and perfect.

28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

28In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself.

29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

29No one ever hated his own body. He feeds it and takes care of it. Christ cares for the church that same way.

30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

30We are parts of his body, of his flesh and his bones.

31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

31The Bible says a man will leave his father and mother. He will join his wife. The two become one.

32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

32This is a deep secret truth. I am talking about Christ and the church.

Note"Mystery" in the old wording means a truth that was hidden before and is now shown.

33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

33Still, each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself. And the wife should respect her husband.