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Ephesians · Bible in Basic English

Ephesians 5 Bible in Basic English

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About BBE
  • Scholarly edition
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew (not verified)
  • NT: Critical text (not verified)
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Simplified language
  • 1965
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

1 Let it then be your desire to be like God, as well-loved children; 2 And be living in love, even as Christ had love for you, and gave himself up for us, an offering to God for a perfume of a sweet smell. 3 But evil acts of the flesh and all unclean things, or desire for others' property, let it not even be named among you, as is right for saints; 4 And let there be no low behaviour, or foolish talk, or words said in sport, which are not right, but in place of them the giving of praise. 5 Being certain of this, that no man who gives way to the passions of the flesh, no unclean person, or one who has desire for the property of others, or who gives worship to images, has any heritage in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Do not be turned from the right way by foolish words; for because of these things the punishment of God comes on those who do not put themselves under him. 7 Have no part with such men; 8 For you at one time were dark, but now are light in the Lord: let your behaviour be that of children of light 9 (Because the fruit of the light is in all righteousness and in everything which is good and true), 10 Testing by experience what is well-pleasing to the Lord; 11 And have no company with the works of the dark, which give no fruit, but make their true quality clear; 12 For the things which are done by them in secret it is shame even to put into words. 13 But all things, when their true quality is seen, are made clear by the light: because everything which is made clear is light. 14 For this reason he says, Be awake, you who are sleeping, and come up from among the dead, and Christ will be your light. 15 Take care then how you are living, not as unwise, but as wise; 16 Making good use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 For this reason, then, do not be foolish, but be conscious of the Lord's pleasure. 18 And do not take overmuch wine by which one may be overcome, but be full of the Spirit; 19 Joining with one another in holy songs of praise and of the Spirit, using your voice in songs and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving praise at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; 21 Letting yourselves be ruled by one another in the fear of Christ. 22 Wives, be under the authority of your husbands, as of the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body. 24 And as the church is under Christ's authority, so let wives be under the rule of their husbands in all things. 25 Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it; 26 So that he might make it holy, having made it clean with the washing of water by the word, 27 And might take it for himself, a church full of glory, not having one mark or fold or any such thing; but that it might be holy and complete. 28 Even so it is right for husbands to have love for their wives as for their bodies. He who has love for his wife has love for himself: 29 For no man ever had hate for his flesh; but he gives it food and takes care of it, even as Christ does for the church; 30 Because we are parts of his body. 31 For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. 32 This is a great secret: but my words are about Christ and the church. 33 But do you, everyone, have love for his wife, even as for himself; and let the wife see that she has respect for her husband.

Cross references (33)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 1 John 4:11; 1 Peter 1:15–16; Ephesians 4:32; Matthew 5:48; Luke 6:35–36
  2. 2 John 13:34; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:14; 2 Corinthians 2:15; Matthew 20:28
  3. 3 Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:5; Galatians 5:19–21; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3
  4. 4 Colossians 3:8; Ephesians 4:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Proverbs 15:2; James 3:4–8
  5. 5 Galatians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Colossians 3:5; Revelation 22:15; Ephesians 5:3
  6. 6 Romans 1:18; Colossians 2:8; Matthew 24:4; 1 John 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12
  7. 7 Revelation 18:4; 1 Timothy 5:22; Ephesians 5:11; Numbers 16:26; Proverbs 1:10–17
  8. 8 John 8:12; 1 John 1:7; John 12:46; Acts 26:18; Colossians 1:13
  9. 9 Galatians 5:22–23; 3 John 11; 1 John 3:9–10; Romans 15:14; Ephesians 6:14
  10. 10 Romans 12:1–2; Psalm 19:14; Hebrews 12:28; 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:20
  11. 11 Romans 13:12; 1 Timothy 5:20; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 John 10–11; Romans 16:17
  12. 12 Ephesians 5:3; Romans 2:16; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Jeremiah 23:24; 2 Samuel 12:12
  13. 13 John 3:20–21; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Hosea 2:10; Hosea 7:1; Micah 7:9
  14. 14 Isaiah 60:1; Romans 13:11–12; Isaiah 26:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; Isaiah 52:1
  15. 15 Colossians 4:5; James 3:13; Philippians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 14:20; Proverbs 14:8
  16. 16 Colossians 4:5; Amos 5:13; John 12:35; Ecclesiastes 12:1; Ephesians 6:13
  17. 17 Romans 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Colossians 1:9; Ephesians 5:15; Jeremiah 4:22
  18. 18 Luke 1:15; Romans 13:13; Proverbs 20:1; Galatians 5:21–25; Acts 11:24
  19. 19 Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Psalm 95:2; Acts 16:25; Psalm 147:7
  20. 20 Colossians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Hebrews 13:15; Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 5:4
  21. 21 Philippians 2:3; Ephesians 5:24; Ephesians 5:22; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:5
  22. 22 Colossians 3:18–4:1; 1 Peter 3:1–6; Titus 2:5; Genesis 3:16; Esther 1:20
  23. 23 1 Corinthians 11:3–10; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22–23; Ephesians 5:25–26; Ephesians 4:15
  24. 24 Ephesians 5:33; Titus 2:7; Colossians 3:20; Titus 2:9; Colossians 3:22
  25. 25 1 Peter 3:7; Colossians 3:19; Ephesians 5:28; Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:33
  26. 26 Hebrews 10:22; John 15:3; Ezekiel 36:25; John 3:5; John 17:17–19
  27. 27 Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:4
  28. 28 Ephesians 5:25; Matthew 19:5; Genesis 2:21–24; Ephesians 5:33; Ephesians 5:31
  29. 29 Ephesians 5:31; Ezekiel 34:14–15; Proverbs 11:17; John 6:50–58; Ecclesiastes 4:5
  30. 30 1 Corinthians 6:15; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Romans 12:5; Genesis 2:23; Ephesians 1:23
  31. 31 Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:7–8; 1 Corinthians 6:16
  32. 32 Revelation 21:2; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Isaiah 54:5; Revelation 19:7–8; Colossians 2:2
  33. 33 1 Peter 3:2–7; Esther 1:20; Ephesians 5:25; Ephesians 5:22; Ephesians 5:28–29

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Commentary 5:5 John Chrysostom, Homilies on Ephesians (Homily XVIII)

    There were, it is likely, in the time of our forefathers also, some who "weakened the hands of the people" (Jer. xxxviii. 4.), and brought into practice that which is mentioned by Ezekiel,--or rather who did the works of the false prophets, who "profaned God among His people for handfuls of barley" (Ezek. xiii.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)

  2. Quotes verse 5:32 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies (Book I, Chapter VIII)

    … also that Paul has referred to the conjunctions within the Pleroma, showing them forth by means of one; for, when writing of the conjugal union in this life, he expressed himself thus: "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church."

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)

  3. Quotes verse 5:14 Augustine of Hippo, Confessions (Book VIII, Chapters III–V)

    Nor had I aught to answer Thee calling to me, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." And to Thee showing me on every side, that what Thou saidst was true, I, convicted by the truth, had nothing at all to reply, but the drawling and drowsy words: "Presently, lo, presently;" "Leave …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)

  4. Quotes verse 5:4 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily VI)

    … this cause he also built theatres in the cities, and having trained those buffoons, by their pernicious influence he causes that kind of pestilence to light upon the whole city, persuading men to follow those things which Paul bade us flee, "foolish talking and jesting." And what is yet more grievous than these things is the subject of the laughter.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)

  5. Quotes verse 5:27 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture III)

    … of salvation, and a robe of gladness: He hath crowned me with a garland as a bridegroom, and decked me with ornaments as a bride: that the soul of every one of you may be found not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; I do not mean before you have received the grace, for how could that …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)