Ephesians5
New Living Translation
1Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
2Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
3Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
4Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
5You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
6Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.
7Don’t participate in the things these people do.
8For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
9For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
10Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
11Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.
12It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
13But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,
14for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
15So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.
16Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
17Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
18Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
19singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
20And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
22For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
23For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.
24As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
25For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her
26to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.
27He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.
28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
29No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.
30And we are members of his body.
31As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”
32This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.
33So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ephesians 5.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Exhortation to brotherly love. (1, 2). Cautions against several sins. (3–14). Directions to a contrary behaviour, and to relative duties. (15–21). The duties of wives and husbands are enforced by the spiritual relation between Christ and the church. (22–33).
vv1-2
Because God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you, therefore be ye followers of God, imitators of God. Resemble him especially in his love and pardoning goodness, as becomes those beloved by their heavenly Father. In Christ's sacrifice his love triumphs, and we are to consider it fully.
vv3-14
Filthy lusts must be rooted out. These sins must be dreaded and detested. Here are not only cautions against gross acts of sin, but against what some may make light of. But these things are so far from being profitable. that they pollute and poison the hearers. Our cheerfulness should show itself as becomes Christians, in what may tend to God's glory. A covetous man makes a god of his money; places that hope, confidence, and delight, in worldly good, which should be in God only. Those who allow themselves, either in the lusts of the flesh or the love of the world, belong not to the kingdom of grace, nor shall they come to the kingdom of glory. When the vilest transgressors repent and believe the gospel, they become children of obedience, from whom God's wrath is turned away. Dare we make light of that which brings down the wrath of God? Sinners, like men in the dark, are going they know not whither, and doing they know not what. But the grace of God wrought a mighty change in the souls of many. Walk as children of light, as having knowledge and holiness. These works of darkness are unfruitful, whatever profit they may boast; for they end in the destruction of the impenitent sinner. There are many ways of abetting, or taking part in the sins of others; by commendation, counsel, consent, or concealment. And if we share with others in their sins, we must expect to share in their plagues. If we do not reprove the sins of others, we have fellowship with them. A good man will be ashamed to speak of what many wicked men are not ashamed to do. We must have not only a sight and a knowledge that sin is sin, and in some measure shameful, but see it as a breach of God's holy law. After the example of prophets and apostles, we should call on those asleep and dead in sin, to awake and arise, that Christ may give them light.
vv15-21
Another remedy against sin, is care, or caution, it being impossible else to maintain purity of heart and life. Time is a talent given us by God, and it is misspent and lost when not employed according to his design. If we have lost our time heretofore, we must double our diligence for the future. Of that time which thousands on a dying bed would gladly redeem at the price of the whole world, how little do men think, and to what trifles they daily sacrifice it! People are very apt to complain of bad times; it were well if that stirred them more to redeem time. Be not unwise. Ignorance of our duty, and neglect of our souls, show the greatest folly. Drunkenness is a sin that never goes alone, but carries men into other evils; it is a sin very provoking to God. The drunkard holds out to his family and to the world the sad spectacle of a sinner hardened beyond what is common, and hastening to perdition. When afflicted or weary, let us not seek to raise our spirits by strong drink, which is hateful and hurtful, and only ends in making sorrows more felt. But by fervent prayer let us seek to be filled with the Spirit, and to avoid whatever may grieve our gracious Comforter. All God's people have reason to sing for joy. Though we are not always singing, we should be always giving thanks; we should never want disposition for this duty, as we never want matter for it, through the whole course of our lives. Always, even in trials and afflictions, and for all things; being satisfied of their loving intent, and good tendency. God keeps believers from sinning against him, and engages them to submit one to another in all he has commanded, to promote his glory, and to fulfil their duties to each other.
Key Words
οὖν (oûn): (adverbially) certainly, or (conjunctionally) accordingly
μιμητής (mimētḗs): an imitator
θεός (theós): figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very
ὡς (hōs): which how, i.e. in that manner (very variously used, as follows)
ἀγαπητός (agapētós): beloved
τέκνον (téknon): a child (as produced)
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
περιπατέω (peripatéō): to tread all around, i.e. walk at large (especially as proof of ability); figuratively, to live, deport oneself, follow (as a companion or votary)
ἐν (en): "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.
ἀγάπη (agápē): love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast
Cross References
Ephesians 5Old Testament type of Christ's sacrifice of Himself as an acceptable "sweet smelling savour" to God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Explicitly quoted by Paul to show that marriage creates a one-flesh union, symbolizing Christ and the Church.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin, JFB
Direct parallel of Christ's ultimate act of love in giving Himself up to death for us.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies covetousness as idolatry, equating greed with worship of material things instead of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The direct parallel household code ordering the mutual and relative duties of wives and husbands in Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Peter's parallel instruction on the submission and chaste conversation of godly wives to their husbands.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Establishes the hierarchical headship of Christ over man, and man over woman as a parallel order.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Repeats the standard of Christ's sacrificial love and giving of Himself as our pattern of love.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Alludes to Adam's declaration of Eve as 'flesh of my flesh,' mirroring believers' union with Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Christ's exhortation to show gracious kindness in order to be true imitators/children of our Father.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
The immediate grammatical and logical link; God's forgiveness in Christ grounds our call to imitate Him.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Echoes the call for believers to be subject to one another in mutual Christian humility.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Reinforces Christ's appointed identity as the supreme head over all things specifically for the church's benefit.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel designation of Christ as the head of the body, which is the church.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Verbal parallel showing Christ's ultimate proof of love in giving Himself up to death for His own.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels the 'washing of water by the word' with the 'washing of regeneration' and renewing Holy Spirit.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Paul's ministry of espousing the church as a chaste virgin to be presented to one husband, Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Warning against being a partaker or consenting accomplice in the sins of the wicked.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Parallels "proving what is acceptable" with proving the good and acceptable will of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct verbal parallel regarding walking in wisdom toward others and "redeeming the time."
Prophetic type of God betrothing His people to Himself forever in lovingkindness and mercies.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Prophetic declaration of God as husband to His people, establishing the marital paradigm of redemption.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
John the Baptist's identification of Christ as the Bridegroom who possesses the bride.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Connects the washing and sanctifying of the believer to the work of Christ and the Spirit.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Jesus' teaching on regeneration of 'water and of the Spirit' parallel to the washing of water.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Associates the internal cleansing of the conscience with the outward symbol of bodies washed in pure water.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The ultimate realization of the church presented as a bride adorned for her husband.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Messianic psalm depicting the King desiring the beauty of his bride, matching Christ presenting His church.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Depicts Christ as the Head who nourishes and knits the entire body together.
Supported by JFB
Asserts that our physical bodies are literally members of Christ, prohibiting improper unions.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explicitly teaches that the local and universal church constitutes the body of Christ, individually members of it.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Classic formulation of the many believers being unified as 'one body' in Christ.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Connects the terminology of 'great mystery' to the revelation of godliness and Christ's work.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Connects uncleanness and covetousness as closely related sins of insatiable physical indulgence.
Supported by JFB
Echoes the prophetic call to awake, arise, and receive the shining light of the Lord.
Exhortation to awake out of sleep because the spiritual light of salvation is near.