1 Sekojiet Dievam kā viņa mīļie bērni 2 un dzīvojiet mīlestībā, kā Kristus jūs mīlējis un mūsu labā Sevi nodevis Dievam par upura dāvanu, par jauku smaržu. 3 Bet netiklība, visāda veida netīra dzīve vai mantkārība lai pat vārda pēc jums ir sveša, kā tas svētiem piederas; 4 tāpat bezkaunība, tukšas runas, jo tādas lietas neklājas, bet gan jo vairāk pateicība. 5 Jo to iegaumējiet: nevienam netiklim, netīram vai mantrausim, tas ir, elku kalpam, nav vietas Kristus un Dieva valstībā! 6 Neviens lai jūs nepieviļ tukšām runām, jo šādu lietu dēļ Dieva dusmas nāk pār nepaklausības bērniem. 7 Nebiedrojieties ar viņiem. 8 Jo reiz jūs bijāt tumsa, bet tagad esat gaisma savā Kungā! Dzīvojiet kā gaismas bērni. 9 Gaismas auglis viscaur ir labprātība, taisnība, patiesība, 10 un pārbaudiet, kas Tam Kungam patīkams. 11 Nepiedalaities neauglīgajos tumsības darbos, bet labāk celiet tos gaismā. 12 Protams, ko viņi slepenībā dara, par to pat kauns runāt. 13 Bet visu, kas tiek gaismā celts, apspīd gaisma, un viss, ko apspīd gaisma, ir gaisma. 14 Tāpēc ir sacīts: uzmosties, kas guli, un celies augšā no miroņiem, tad atspīdēs tev Kristus. - 15 Tad nu raugaities nopietni uz to, kā dzīvojat: nevis kā negudri, bet kā gudri; 16 izmantojiet laiku, jo šīs dienas ir ļaunas! 17 Tāpēc nepadodieties neprātam, bet centieties saprast, kāds ir jūsu Kunga prāts. 18 Un neapreibinaities ar vīnu, no kā ceļas izlaidīga dzīve, bet topiet Gara pilni, 19 runādami cits uz citu psalmos, himnās un garīgās dziesmās, dziedādami un slavēdami To Kungu savās sirdīs. 20 Pateicieties vienumēr un par visu Dievam Tēvam mūsu Kunga Jēzus Kristus Vārdā. 21 Un esiet paklausīgi cits citam Kristus bijībā. 22 Sievas, esiet paklausīgas saviem vīriem kā Tam Kungam. 23 Jo vīrs ir sievas galva, tāpat kā Kristus ir draudzes galva, būdams Savas miesas Pestītājs. 24 Bet, kā draudze ir paklausīga Kristum, tāpat arī sievas saviem vīriem visās lietās. 25 Vīri, mīliet savas sievas, tāpat kā Kristus ir mīlējis Savu draudzi, pats nododamies viņas labā, 26 lai to darītu svētu, šķīstot ar mazgāšanu ūdenī caur vārdu, 27 Sev Savu draudzi sagatavodams cienīgu, bez traipa, bez krunkas vai cita tamlīdzīga trūkuma, lai tā būtu svēta un bez vainas. 28 Tā arī vīriem pienākas savas sievas mīlēt kā savu miesu. Kas mīl savu sievu, tas mīl sevi pašu. 29 Jo neviens nekad vēl nav ienīdis pats savu miesu, bet katrs to kopj un glabā, tāpat kā Kristus draudzi, 30 jo mēs esam Viņa miesas locekļi. 31 "Tādēļ cilvēks atstās tēvu un māti un pieķersies savai sievai un abi kļūs par vienu miesu." 32 Šis noslēpums ir liels: es to attiecinu uz Kristu un draudzi. 33 Bet arī katram no jums būs savu sievu mīlēt kā sevi pašu, bet sieva lai jūt bijību pret savu vīru.
1 Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children. 2 Let love be your guide. Christ loved us and offered his life for us as a sacrifice that pleases God.
3 You are God's people, so don't let it be said that any of you are immoral or indecent or greedy. 4 Don't use dirty or foolish or filthy words. Instead, say how thankful you are. 5 Being greedy, indecent, or immoral is just another way of worshiping idols. You can be sure people who behave in this way will never be part of the kingdom that belongs to Christ and to God.
Living as People of Light
6 Don't let anyone trick you with foolish talk. God punishes everyone who disobeys him and says foolish things. 7 So don't have anything to do with anyone like that.
8 You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light 9 and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, 10 as you try to please the Lord. 11 Don't take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Instead, show how wrong they are. 12 It is disgusting even to talk about what is done in the dark. 13 But the light will show what these things are really like. 14 Light shows up everything, just as the Scriptures say,
“Wake up from your sleep
and rise from death.
Then Christ will shine on you.”
15 Act like people with good sense and not like fools. 16 These are evil times, so make every minute count. 17 Don't be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don't destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life. 19 When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart. 20 Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything.
Wives and Husbands
21 Honor Christ and put others first. 22 A wife should put her husband first, as she does the Lord. 23 A husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head and the Savior of the church, which is his own body. 24 Wives should always put their husbands first, as the church puts Christ first.
25 A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. 26 He made the church holy by the power of his word, and he made it pure by washing it with water. 27 Christ did this, so he would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws.
28 In the same way, a husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself. A husband who loves his wife shows he loves himself. 29 None of us hate our own bodies. We provide for them and take good care of them, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are each part of his body. 31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother to get married, and he becomes like one person with his wife.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I understand it to mean Christ and his church. 33 So each husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself, and each wife should respect her husband.
