Efésios 5

Vorder derfor Guds Efterlignere som elskede Børn,

og vandrer i Kærlighed, ligesom også Kristus elskede os og gav sig selv hen for os som en Gave og et Slagtoffer, Gud til en velbehagelig Lugt.

Men Utugt og al Urenhed eller Havesyge bør end ikke nævnes iblandt eder, som det sømmer sig for hellige,

ej heller ublu Væsen eller dårlig Snak eller letfærdig Skæmt, hvilket er utilbørligt, men hellere Taksigelse.

Thi dette vide og erkende I, at ingen utugtig eller uren eller havesyg, hvilket er en Afgudsdyrker, har Arv i Kristi og Guds Rige.

Ingen bedrage eder med tomme Ord; thi for disse Ting kommer Guds Vrede over Genstridighedens Børn.

Derfor, bliver ikke meddelagtige med dem!

Thi I vare forhen Mørke, men nu ere I Lys i Herren; vandrer som Lysets Børn;

(Lysets Frugt viser sig jo i al Godhed og Retfærdighed og Sandhed,)

så I prøve, hvad der er velbehageligt for Herren.

Og haver ikke Samfund med Mørkets ufrugtbare Gerninger. Men revser dem hellere;

thi hvad der lønligt bedrives af dem, er skammeligt endog at sige;

men alt dette bliver åbenbaret, når det revses af Lyset. Thi alt det, som bliver åbenbaret, er Lys.

Ser derfor nøje til, hvorledes I vandre, ikke som uvise, men som vise,

så I købe den belejlige Tid, efterdi Dagene ere onde.

Derfor bliver ikke uforstandige, men skønner, hvad Herrens Villie er.

Og drikker eder ikke drukne i Vin, i hvilket der er Ryggesløshed, men lader eder fylde med Ånden,

så I tale hverandre til med Salmer og Lovsange og åndelige Viser og synge og spille i eders Hjerte for Herren

og altid sige Gud og Faderen Tak for alle Ting i vor Herres Jesu Kristi Navn

og underordne eder under hverandre i Kristi Frygt;

Hustruerne skulle underordne sig under deres egne Mænd, som under Herren;

thi en Mand er sin Hustrus Hoved, ligesom også Kristus er Menighedens Hoved. Han er sit Legemes Frelser.

Dog, ligesom Menigheden underordner sig under Kristus, således skulle også Hustruerne underordne sig under deres Mænd i alle Ting.

I Mænd! elsker eders Hustruer, ligesom også Kristus elskede Menigheden og hengav sig selv for den,

for at han kunde hellige den, idet han rensede den ved Vandbadet med et Ord,

for at han selv kunde fremstille Menigheden for sig som herlig, uden Plet eller Rynke eller noget deslige, men for at den måtte være hellig og ulastelig.

Således ere Mændene skyldige at elske deres egne Hustruer som deres egne Legemer; den,som elsker sin egen Hustru, elsker sig selv.

Ingen har jo nogen Sinde hadet sit eget Kød, men han nærer og plejer det, ligesom også Kristus Menigheden.

Thi vi ere Lemmer på hans Legeme.

Derfor skal et Menneske forlade sin Fader og Moder og holde fast ved sin Hustru, og de to skulle være eet Kød.

Denne Hemmelighed er stor - jeg sigter nemlig til Kristus og til Menigheden.

Dog, også I skulle elske hver især sin egen Hustru som sig selv; men Hustruen have Ærefrygt for Manden!

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

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.

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

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

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.

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. {disobedience: or, unbelief}

Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

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

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

Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

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

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

But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. {reproved: or, discovered}

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. {he: or, it}

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

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

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

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

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

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

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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 mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

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