Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech: Ephesians | Page 4

to perish as befits its misleading impulses, 004:023 and to get yourselves renewed in the temper of your minds and clothe yourselves 004:024 with that new and better self which has been created to resemble God in the righteousness and holiness which come from the truth. 004:025 For this reason, laying aside falsehood, every one of you should speak the truth to his fellow man; for we are, as it were, parts of one another. 004:026 If angry, beware of sinning. Let not your irritation last until the sun goes down; 004:027 and do not leave room for the Devil. 004:028 He who has been a thief must steal no more, but, instead of that, should work with his own hands in honest industry, so that he may have something of which he can give the needy a share. 004:029 Let no unwholesome words ever pass your lips, but let all your words be good for benefiting others according to the need of the moment, so that they may be a means of blessing to the hearers. 004:030 And beware of grieving the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you have been sealed in preparation for the day of Redemption. 004:031 Let all bitterness and all passionate feeling, all anger and loud insulting language, be unknown among you-- and also every kind of malice. 004:032 On the contrary learn to be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you. 005:001 Therefore be imitators of God, as His dear children. 005:002 And live and act lovingly, as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up to death on our behalf as an offering and sacrifice to God, yielding a fragrant odor. 005:003 But fornication and every kind of impurity, or covetousness, let them not even be mentioned among you, for they ought not to be named among God's people. 005:004 Avoid shameful and foolish talk and low jesting--they are all alike discreditable--and in place of these give thanks. 005:005 For be well assured that no fornicator or immoral person and no money-grubber--or in other words idol-worshipper-- has any share awaiting him in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. 005:006 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is on account of these very sins that God's anger is coming upon the disobedient. 005:007 Therefore do not become sharers with them. 005:008 There was a time when you were nothing but darkness. Now, as Christians, you are Light itself. 005:009 Live and act as sons of Light--for the effect of the Light is seen in every kind of goodness, uprightness and truth-- 005:010 and learn in your own experiences what is fully pleasing to the Lord. 005:011 Have nothing to do with the barren unprofitable deeds of darkness, but, instead of that, set your faces against them; 005:012 for the things which are done by these people in secret it is disgraceful even to speak of. 005:013 But everything can be tested by the light and thus be shown in its true colors; for whatever shines of itself is light. 005:014 For this reason it is said, "Rise, sleeper; rise from among the dead, and Christ will shed light upon you." 005:015 Therefore be very careful how you live and act. Let it not be as unwise men, but as wise. 005:016 Buy up your opportunities, for these are evil times. 005:017 On this account do not prove yourselves wanting in sense, but try to understand what the Lord's will is. 005:018 Do not over-indulge in wine--a thing in which excess is so easy-- 005:019 but drink deeply of God's Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and offer praise in your hearts to the Lord. 005:020 Always and for everything let your thanks to God the Father be presented in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 005:021 and submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 005:022 Married women, submit to your own husbands as if to the Lord; 005:023 because a husband is the Head of his wife as Christ also is the Head of the Church, being indeed the Saviour of this His Body. 005:024 And just as the Church submits to Christ, so also married women should be entirely submissive to their husbands. 005:025 Married men, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up to death for her; 005:026 in order to make her holy, cleansing her with the baptismal water by the word, 005:027 that He might present the Church to Himself a glorious bride, without spot or wrinkle or any other defect, but to be holy and unblemished. 005:028 So too married men ought to love their wives as much as