Ephesians 5

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Words urging brotherly love

Let it then be your desire to be like God, as well-loved children; Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
And be living in love, even as Christ had love for you, and gave himself up for us, an offering to God for a perfume of a sweet smell. And 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.

Gives warning against several sins

But evil acts of the flesh and all unclean things, or desire for others' property, let it not even be named among you, as is right for saints; But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
And let there be no low behaviour, or foolish talk, or words said in sport, which are not right, but in place of them the giving of praise. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Being certain of this, that no man who gives way to the passions of the flesh, no unclean person, or one who has desire for the property of others, or who gives worship to images, has any heritage in the kingdom of Christ and God. For 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.
Do not be turned from the right way by foolish words; for because of these things the punishment of God comes on those who do not put themselves under him. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Have no part with such men; Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
For you at one time were dark, but now are light in the Lord: let your behaviour be that of children of light For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
(Because the fruit of the light is in all righteousness and in everything which is good and true), (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Testing by experience what is well-pleasing to the Lord; Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
And have no company with the works of the dark, which give no fruit, but make their true quality clear; And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
For the things which are done by them in secret it is shame even to put into words. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
But all things, when their true quality is seen, are made clear by the light: because everything which is made clear is light. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
For this reason he says, Be awake, you who are sleeping, and come up from among the dead, and Christ will be your light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Orders to a contrary behaviour, and to relative duties

Take care then how you are living, not as unwise, but as wise; See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Making good use of the time, because the days are evil. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
For this reason, then, do not be foolish, but be conscious of the Lord's pleasure. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
And do not take overmuch wine by which one may be overcome, but be full of the Spirit; And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Joining with one another in holy songs of praise and of the Spirit, using your voice in songs and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving praise at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Letting yourselves be ruled by one another in the fear of Christ. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

The duties of wives and husbands are enforced by the spiritual relation between Christ and the church

Wives, be under the authority of your husbands, as of the Lord. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body. For 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.
And as the church is under Christ's authority, so let wives be under the rule of their husbands in all things. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it; Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
So that he might make it holy, having made it clean with the washing of water by the word, That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
And might take it for himself, a church full of glory, not having one mark or fold or any such thing; but that it might be holy and complete. That 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.
Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself: So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
For no man ever had hate for his flesh; but he gives it food and takes care of it, even as Christ does for the church; For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Because we are parts of his body. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
This is a great secret: but my words are about Christ and the church. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
But do you, everyone, have love for his wife, even as for himself; and let the wife see that she has respect for her husband. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
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