< Ephesians 5 >

1 (Imitate/Behave like) God, because he loves you who are [as though you were] [SIM] his children.
Γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητά·
2 Do everything in a way that shows that you love [people], just like Christ loved us and willingly died for us. He offered himself [to God as a sacrifice] that was very pleasing to God, [just like Jewish priests offered] sweet-smelling [animal] sacrifices to God [MET].
καὶ περιπατεῖτε ἐν ἀγάπῃ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ χριστὸς ἠγάπησεν ὑμᾶς καὶ παρέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν τῷ θεῷ εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας.
3 Do not commit any kind of immoral act [DOU], and do not desire more things than you need. Do not [act in such a way that others could] even (spread rumors/talk) about your acting in such ways, because it is not appropriate/fitting for God’s people to do such things.
πορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία πᾶσα ἢ πλεονεξία μηδὲ ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις·
4 Do not use obscene/shameful language when you talk to people. Do not talk foolishly. Do not use vulgar/indecent language, because it is not appropriate/fitting that God’s people should talk like that. Instead, tell people how much you thank [God for all he does for you].
καὶ αἰσχρότης καὶ μωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία, ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία.
5 You can be sure of this: No person who is sexually immoral or who acts indecently/shamefully will be among those people whom God rules over [MET] [in heaven]. Neither will those who desire more things than they need. Such people worship their possessions [instead of worshipping God].
τοῦτο γὰρ ἴστε γινώσκοντες, ὅτι πᾶς πόρνος ἢ ἀκάθαρτος ἢ πλεονέκτης, ὅ ἐστιν εἰδωλολάτρης, οὐκ ἔχει κληρονομίαν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ.
6 Do not let anyone deceive you by suggesting that [God will really] not [punish people who commit such sins], because God certainly will punish [MTY] those who habitually disobey him [by doing such things].
μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς ἀπατάτω κενοῖς λόγοις· διὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας.
7 So, do not commit the same kinds of deeds that such people do,
μὴ οὖν γίνεσθε συμμέτοχοι αὐτῶν.
8 because formerly you [did not know God’s truth] [MET], [as those who] are in darkness [do not know what is around them]. But now [it is as though] you are in the light [MET] [because you know God’s truth] because of your relationship with the Lord [Jesus]. So do those things that those who know God’s truth [MET] should do.
ἦτε γάρ ποτε σκότος, νῦν δὲ φῶς ἐν κυρίῳ· ὡς τέκνα φωτὸς περιπατεῖτε·
9 Keep in mind that [as] light [MET] causes [good things to grow], those who know God’s truth should do those things that are good, righteous, and honest.
(ὁ γὰρ καρπὸς τοῦ φωτὸς ἐν πάσῃ ἀγαθωσύνῃ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ)·
10 And as [you do that], try (to find out/to discover) what pleases the Lord.
δοκιμάζοντες τί ἐστιν εὐάρεστον τῷ κυρίῳ·
11 Do not do the worthless deeds that the people (who are in [spiritual] darkness/who do not know God’s truth) [MET] do. Instead, let others know that those people’s deeds are worthless.
καὶ μὴ συγκοινωνεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐλέγχετε·
12 It is shameful for God’s people to even talk [among themselves about] those evil deeds that evil people do secretly and habitually.
τὰ γὰρ κρυφῆ γινόμενα ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν αἰσχρόν ἐστιν καὶ λέγειν.
13 But when [God’s people rebuke those evil people about their deeds, it will be clear/evident how evil their deeds really are, just like] everything exposed to the light becomes visible {as light [MET] reveals everything [that we cannot see in the darkness]}.
τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐλεγχόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ φωτὸς φανεροῦται·
14 [Just like something on which a light shines reflects that light] [MET], [whoever has learned God’s truth reveals that truth to others]. That is why [we believers] say this: You who are not aware of your sins, become aware of them [MET]! It is as though you are sound asleep, so wake up! Be like dead people who are becoming alive again! Christ will cause you to know God’s truth, just like a light [MET] that shines causes people to know what is in the darkness.
πᾶν γὰρ τὸ φανερούμενον φῶς ἐστίν· διὸ λέγει, Ἔγειρε ὁ καθεύδων καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ χριστός.
15 So be very careful how you behave. Do not behave as foolish people do. Instead, behave as wise people do.
Βλέπετε οὖν πῶς ἀκριβῶς περιπατεῖτε, μὴ ὡς ἄσοφοι, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς σοφοί,
16 Use your time carefully, because these days [MTY] [people do] extremely evil [deeds].
ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρόν, ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσιν.
17 So do not be foolish. Instead, understand what the Lord [Jesus] wants you to do, [and do it]!
διὰ τοῦτο μὴ γίνεσθε ἄφρονες, ἀλλὰ συνίετε τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ κυρίου.
18 Do not become drunk by drinking alcoholic drinks, since people are unable to control their behavior when they are drunk. Instead, let [God’s] Spirit control your [behavior] at all times [MTY].
καὶ μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ἀσωτία, ἀλλὰ πληροῦσθε ἐν πνεύματι,
19 Sing to each other (Psalms/songs [with words from the] Scriptures), sing [other] songs [that the congregation knows], and songs [that God’s] Spirit [gives you]. Sing these Psalms and other songs sincerely to [praise] the Lord [Jesus].
λαλοῦντες ἑαυτοῖς ψαλμοῖς καὶ ὕμνοις καὶ ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς, ᾄδοντες καὶ ψάλλοντες [ἐν] τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν τῷ κυρίῳ,
20 At all times thank God, who is our [heavenly] Father, for everything, especially for what the Lord Jesus Christ [MTY] [has done for you].
εὐχαριστοῦντες πάντοτε ὑπὲρ πάντων ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρί·
21 [Humbly] submit yourselves to each other because you reverence Christ, [who is our example].
ὑποτασσόμενοι ἀλλήλοις ἐν φόβῳ χριστοῦ.
22 Because husbands have authority over [MET] their wives, just as all of us believers form one group [under the authority of] Christ, you women should submit yourselves to [the authority of your] husbands just as you submit yourselves to the Lord [Jesus]. He is the one who saves all his people [from the guilt of their sins].
Αἱ γυναῖκες, τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ὑποτασσέ σθωσαν ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ·
ὅτι ἀνήρ ἐστιν κεφαλὴ τῆς γυναικὸς ὡς καὶ ὁ χριστὸς κεφαλὴ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, αὐτὸς σωτὴρ τοῦ σώματος·
24 Just like all believers submit themselves to [the authority of] Christ, the women must submit themselves completely to the [authority of] their husbands.
ἀλλὰ ὡς ἡ ἐκκλησία ὑποτάσσεται τῷ χριστῷ, οὕτως καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐν παντί.
25 Each of you husbands, love your wife as Christ loved all of [us who would become] believers, with the result that he willingly died for our sake,
οἱ ἄνδρες, ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖκας, καθὼς καὶ ὁ χριστὸς ἠγάπησεν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ἑαυτὸν παρέδωκεν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς·
26 in order that he might (set us apart for himself/cause us to belong to him). That is, by [revealing his] message [to us], he wanted to [remove the guilt of our sin, just like people remove dirt from something] by washing it [MET].
ἵνα αὐτὴν ἁγιάσῃ, καθαρίσας τῷ λουτρῷ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν ῥήματι,
27 [Christ did that] in order that he might cause all of us believers to be a glorious group of people that belong to him, people that do not have any moral flaws/imperfections, but instead might be completely pure [DOU] when he gathers us (to his presence/to himself).
ἵνα παραστήσῃ αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ ἔνδοξον, τὴν ἐκκλησίαν μὴ ἔχουσαν σπίλον ἢ ῥυτίδα ἤ τι τῶν τοιούτων, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ ἄμωμος.
28 In the same way, each man should love his wife as he loves his own body. Men who love their wives, [it is as though] they love themselves.
οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾶν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖκας ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ·
29 This is shown by the fact that no one ever hated his own body. Instead, he feeds his own body and cares for it, just like Christ also cares for all us believers. We have become one group of believers that belongs to him [MET].
οὐδεὶς γάρ ποτε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα ἐμίσησεν, ἀλλὰ ἐκτρέφει καὶ θάλπει αὐτήν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ χριστὸς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν·
ὅτι μέλη ἐσμὲν τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ,
31 [What someone has written in the Scriptures about people who marry is this], [When] a man and [a] woman [marry], they should ([permanently] leave/no longer live with) their fathers and mothers. They should be joined [as husband and] wife, and the two of them shall become [as though they were] one [MET] person.
Ἀντὶ τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος πατέρα καὶ μητέρα, καὶ προσκολληθήσεται τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν.
32 It is very difficult to understand the meaning of these things that God has now revealed to me, but [I am telling you that] those words [also] refer to [the relationship between] Christ and all those who belong to him.
τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστίν, ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω εἰς χριστὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.
33 However, as for you(pl), each man must love his wife just as he loves himself, and each woman must respect her husband.
πλὴν καὶ ὑμεῖς οἱ καθ᾽ ἕνα, ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα οὕτως ἀγαπάτω ὡς ἑαυτόν, ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἵνα φοβῆται τὸν ἄνδρα.

< Ephesians 5 >