5:1 So imitate God as dearly loved children,

5:2 and walk in love just as the Anointed loved us and gave himself up for our sake as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

5:3 As is fitting for holy people, let there be no grounds for charges of promiscuity, dirtiness, or even greed to be brought against you—

5:4 and no filth or stupid talk or innuendo. Instead of being those things, be thankful.

5:5 For you know and understand that no promiscuous or dirty or greedy people (who are idolaters) will have a share in the inheritance of the kingdom of the Anointed and of God.

5:6 Let no one fool you with hollow words about all this, because the rage of God is coming upon those who stubbornly resist him.

5:7 No, do not join in with them!

5:8 For you were once darkness but now, unified with the Master, you are light.

5:9 So act like people of the light, since light produces all goodness and justice and truth,

5:10 testing to see what is most pleasing to the Master.

5:11 And do not join in with the unproductive acts of darkness, but instead expose them.

5:12 It’s shameful to even talk about what they do.

5:13 But everything is being exposed under the light appearing everywhere, for light is indeed appearing.

5:14 This is why it says, “Wake up, sleeper! Get up, and the Anointed will illuminate you.”

5:15 So make sure that you are keeping pace— not with the unwise but with the wise,

5:16 making good use of the time in these evil days.

5:17 For that reason, do not become dimwitted but intelligent regarding the will of the Master.

5:18 And don’t get drunk with wine, which shows a lack of discipline, but be filled in spirit:

5:19 talking among yourselves with praise songs, festive songs, and spiritual songs, singing and playing music in your hearts to the Master,

5:20 always giving thanks to God for everything in the name of our Master Jesus the Anointed,

5:21 being supportive of each other because you fear the Anointed

5:22 (wives, to your own husbands, as to the Master.

5:23 Since the man is the source of the woman just as the Anointed is the source of the Congregation, which is the Body he saved,

5:24 the wives are to support their husbands in every way, just as the congregation supports the Anointed.)

5:25 Husbands, love your wives in the same way that the Anointed did when he gave himself up for the Congregation,

5:26 to make her special and bathed clean by his pronouncement.

5:27 This way he could present the Congregation with himself as esteemed— not blemished, wrinkled, or any other such thing, but special and flawless.

5:28 Likewise, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies. After all, a husband is really loving himself when he loves his wife,

5:29 since nobody ever hates their own body; they feed it and take care of it. That’s what the Anointed does for the Congregation,

5:30 a Body of which we are all parts.

5:31 In this same way, a man leaves his parents to join completely with his wife, and they become one flesh.

5:32 This is a big secret, but I’m talking about the Anointed and the Congregation.

5:33 To emphasize: every husband must love his wife as he loves himself, or a wife may live in fear of her husband.