Imitators of God

1Be ye therefore imitators of God, as dearly beloved children; 2And walk ye in love, as also Christ loved us, and gave himself for us a gift and sacrifice to God for a smell of sweet odor.

3And fornication, and all uncleanness, or overreaching, let it not be named with you, as becomes the holy; 4And obscenity, and silly discourse, or wit, which things concern not; but rather thankfulness. 5For this ye are knowing, that every fornicator, or unclean, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6Let none lead you astray with vain words: for by these things comes the anger of God upon the sons of disobedience. 7Be ye not therefore partakers with them.

Children of Light

8For ye were then darkness, and now light in the Lord: walk ye as children of light: 9(For the fruit of the Spirit in all goodness and justice and truth;) 10Trying what is pleasing to the Lord. 11And participate not with the unfruitful works of darkness, and rather also confute. 12For the things done secretly by them it is also shameful to speak. 13And all things refuted, by light are made manifest: for everything made manifest is light.

14Wherefore he says, Awake, who sleeping, and arise from the dead, and Christ will enlighten thee.

15See therefore how ye walk accurately, not as unwise, but as wise, 16Making purchase of time, for the days are evil. 17For this be not foolish, but understanding what the will of the Lord. 18And be not drunk with wine, in which is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit; 19Speaking to yourselves on harps, and songs, and spiritual odes, singing and playing on the harp in your heart to the Lord; 20Giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father;

Wives and Husbands
(Song of Solomon 1:1–17; 1 Peter 3:1–7)

21Yielding obedience to one another in the fear of God.

22Women, yield ye obedience to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24But as the church is subjected to Christ, so also wives to their own husbands in everything.

25Husbands, love your own wives, as also Christ loved the church, and delivered himself up for it; 26That he might consecrate it, having cleansed by the washing of water in the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it be holy and blameless. 28So ought men to love their own wives as their own bodies. He loving his wife, loves himself. 29For none at any time hates his own flesh; but brings it up and cherishes it, as also the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak to Christ and to the church. 33But ye also altogether, let each so love his own wife as himself: and the wife that she fear her husband.