« | Ephesians 5 | » |
1 You are God's dear children, so try to be like him.
2 Live a life of love. Love others just as Christ loved us. He gave himself for us—a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But there must be no sexual sin among you. There must not be any kind of evil or selfishly wanting more and more, because such things are not right for God's holy people.
4 Also, there must be no evil talk among you. Don't say things that are foolish or filthy. These are not for you. But you should be giving thanks to God.
5 You can be sure of this: No one will have a place in the kingdom of Christ and of God if that person commits sexual sins, or does evil things, or is a person who selfishly wants more and more. A greedy person like that is serving a false god.
6 Don't let anyone fool you with words they don't really believe. God gets very angry when people who don't obey him talk like that.
7 So don't have anything to do with them.
8 In the past you were full of darkness, but now you are full of light in the Lord. So live like children who belong to the light.
9 This light produces every kind of goodness, right living, and truth.
10 Try to learn what pleases the Lord.
11 Have no part in the things that people in darkness do, which produce nothing good. Instead, tell everyone how wrong those things are.
12 It is really very shameful to even talk about the things those people do in secret.
13 But the light makes clear how wrong those things are.
14 Yes, everything is made clear by the light. This is why we say, "Wake up, you who are sleeping! Rise from death, and Christ will shine on you."
15 So be very careful how you live. Live wisely, not like fools.
16 I mean that you should use every opportunity you have for doing good, because these are evil times.
17 So don't be foolish with your lives, but learn what the Lord wants you to do.
18 Don't be drunk with wine, which will ruin your life, but be filled with the Spirit.
19 Encourage each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord.
20 Always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Be willing to serve each other out of respect for Christ.
22 Wives, be willing to serve your husbands the same as the Lord.
23 A husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. Christ is the Savior of the church, which is his body.
24 The church serves under Christ, so it is the same with you wives. You should be willing to serve your husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives the same as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.
26 He died to make the church holy. He used the telling of the Good News to make the church clean by washing it with water.
27 Christ died so that he could give the church to himself like a bride in all her beauty. He died so that the church could be holy and without fault, with no evil or sin or any other thing wrong in it.
28 And husbands should love their wives like that. They should love their wives as they love their own bodies. The man who loves his wife loves himself,
29 because no one ever hates his own body, but feeds and takes care of it. And that is what Christ does for the church
30 because we are parts of his body.
31 The Scriptures say, "That is why a man will leave his father and mother and join his wife, and the two people will become one."
32 That secret truth is very important—I am talking about Christ and the church.
33 But each one of you must love his wife as he loves himself. And a wife must respect her husband.
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)
The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) is a Bible translation specifically designed to be accessible and comprehensible for people with limited reading skills or those for whom English is a second language. Originally published in 1987 by the World Bible Translation Center, the ERV was initially developed to serve the deaf community, using a simplified vocabulary and straightforward sentence structures. The goal of the ERV is to make the scriptures understandable to a wide range of readers, ensuring that everyone can grasp the essential messages of the Bible without being hindered by complex language or archaic terms.
One of the defining characteristics of the ERV is its commitment to clarity and simplicity. The translators employed a thought-for-thought translation philosophy, focusing on conveying the meaning of the original texts in plain, everyday English. This approach ensures that readers can easily comprehend the Bible’s teachings and narratives, making it a valuable resource for children, new Christians, and those with limited literacy skills. The ERV avoids technical theological terms and instead uses language that is commonly spoken, making it accessible for personal study and public reading alike.
The ERV also pays careful attention to the cultural and contextual nuances of the original manuscripts. The translators sought to present the Bible’s messages in a way that is relevant and meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining faithfulness to the original texts. This cultural sensitivity helps bridge the gap between ancient scriptures and modern readers, allowing them to connect more deeply with the biblical stories and teachings. Additionally, the ERV includes helpful footnotes and cross-references that provide further explanation and context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the text.
Despite its strengths, the ERV has faced some criticism from those who prefer more traditional or literal translations. Critics argue that the simplified language and thought-for-thought approach can sometimes result in a loss of depth and richness found in the original texts. Some theologians believe that the ERV’s emphasis on accessibility may lead to oversimplification of complex theological concepts. Nonetheless, the Easy-To-Read Version remains a highly valuable translation for its target audience, offering a clear and approachable rendition of the Bible that helps people of all backgrounds engage with and understand the scriptures.