Imitators of God

1BE ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; 2and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us, an oblation and sacrifice to God, for an odour of a sweet smell.

3But fornication and all impurity, or insatiable desire, let it not be mentioned among you, as becometh saints; 4or obscenity, or foolish talk, or loose witticisms; things which become not a Christian, but rather thanksgiving. 5For this ye know, that no whoremonger, or impure person, or avaricious, who is an idolater, hath an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things, the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. 7Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

Children of Light

8For ye were formerly darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light; 9(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10proving what is acceptable to the Lord. 11And have no society with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather rebuke them. 12For it is scandalous but to mention the things done of them in secret. 13But all things which are rebukeable are made manifest by the light; for it is the light, by which every thing is made manifest.

14Wherefore he saith, ?Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.?

15Take heed, then, that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Therefore be not unwise, but intelligent concerning what is the will of the Lord. 18And be not drunk with wine, in which there is sottishness, but be filled with the Spirit; 19speaking one to another in psalms and hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in the heart to the Lord; 20giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God even the Father;

Wives and Husbands
(1 Peter 3:1–7)

21being subject one to another in the fear of God.

22Wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church; and is himself the saviour of the body. 24As then the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25Husbands, love your own wives, as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26that he might sanctify it, purifying it in the laver of water by the word, 27that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having blemish, nor wrinkle, nor any such things; but that it may be holy and unblameable. 28So ought husbands to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30for we are the members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this reason shall a man forsake his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and the two shall be as one flesh. 32This mystery is great: but I am speaking with regard to Christ, and with regard to the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you individually see that each love his own wife even as himself; but the wife that she stand in awe of the husband.