Ephesians · Bible in Basic English
Ephesians 5 Bible in Basic English
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;
1 Γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητά,
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.
2 καὶ περιπατεῖτε ἐν ἀγάπῃ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς καὶ παρέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν τῷ Θεῷ εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας.
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;
3 πορνεία δὲ καὶ πᾶσα ἀκαθαρσία ἢ πλεονεξία μηδὲ ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις,
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.
4 καὶ αἰσχρότης καὶ μωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία, τὰ οὐκ ἀνήκοντα, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία.
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.
5 τοῦτο γάρ ἐστε γινώσκοντες, ὅτι πᾶς πόρνος ἢ ἀκάθαρτος ἢ πλεονέκτης, ὅς ἐστιν εἰδωλολάτρης, οὐκ ἔχει κληρονομίαν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ Θεοῦ.
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.
6 Μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς ἀπατάτω κενοῖς λόγοις· διὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας.
7 Have no part with such men;
7 μὴ οὖν γίνεσθε συμμέτοχοι αὐτῶν.
8 For you at one time were dark, but now are light in the Lord: let your behaviour be that of children of light
8 ἦτε γάρ ποτε σκότος, νῦν δὲ φῶς ἐν Κυρίῳ· ὡς τέκνα φωτὸς περιπατεῖτε· —
9 (Because the fruit of the light is in all righteousness and in everything which is good and true),
9 ὁ γὰρ καρπὸς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐν πάσῃ ἀγαθωσύνῃ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ· —
10 Testing by experience what is well-pleasing to the Lord;
10 δοκιμάζοντες τί ἐστιν εὐάρεστον τῷ Κυρίῳ.
11 And have no company with the works of the dark, which give no fruit, but make their true quality clear;
11 καὶ μὴ συγκοινωνεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐλέγχετε·
12 For the things which are done by them in secret it is shame even to put into words.
12 τὰ γὰρ κρυφῆ γινόμενα ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν αἰσχρόν ἐστι καὶ λέγειν·
13 But all things, when their true quality is seen, are made clear by the light: because everything which is made clear is light.
13 τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐλεγχόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ φωτὸς φανεροῦται· πᾶν γὰρ τὸ φανερούμενον φῶς ἐστι.
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.
14 διὸ λέγει· ἔγειρε ὁ καθεύδων καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός.
15 Take care then how you are living, not as unwise, but as wise;
15 Βλέπετε οὖν πῶς ἀκριβῶς περιπατεῖτε, μὴ ὡς ἄσοφοι, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς σοφοί,
16 Making good use of the time, because the days are evil.
16 ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρόν, ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσι.
17 For this reason, then, do not be foolish, but be conscious of the Lord's pleasure.
17 διὰ τοῦτο μὴ γίνεσθε ἄφρονες, ἀλλὰ συνιέντες τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Κυρίου.
18 And do not take overmuch wine by which one may be overcome, but be full of the Spirit;
18 καὶ μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ἀσωτία, ἀλλὰ πληροῦσθε ἐν Πνεύματι,
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;
19 λαλοῦντες ἑαυτοῖς ψαλμοῖς καὶ ὕμνοις καὶ ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς, ᾄδοντες καὶ ψάλλοντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ,
20 Giving praise at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father;
20 εὐχαριστοῦντες πάντοτε ὑπὲρ πάντων ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ πατρί,
21 Letting yourselves be ruled by one another in the fear of Christ.
21 ὑποτασσόμενοι ἀλλήλοις ἐν φόβῳ Χριστοῦ.
22 Wives, be under the authority of your husbands, as of the Lord.
22 Αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ὑποτάσσεσθε ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ,
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.
23 ὅτι [ὁ] ἀνήρ ἐστι κεφαλὴ τῆς γυναικός, ὡς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς κεφαλὴ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, καὶ αὐτός ἐστι σωτὴρ τοῦ σώματος.
24 And as the church is under Christ's authority, so let wives be under the rule of their husbands in all things.
24 ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ ἡ ἐκκλησία ὑποτάσσεται τῷ Χριστῷ, οὕτω καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν ἐν παντί.
25 Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it;
25 οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖκας ἑαυτῶν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἠγάπησε τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ ἑαυτὸν παρέδωκεν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς,
26 So that he might make it holy, having made it clean with the washing of water by the word,
26 ἵνα αὐτὴν ἁγιάσῃ καθαρίσας τῷ λουτρῷ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν ῥήματι,
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.
27 ἵνα παραστήσῃ αὐτὴν ἑαυτῷ ἔνδοξον τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, μὴ ἔχουσαν σπίλον ἢ ῥυτίδα ἤ τι τῶν τοιούτων, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ ἄμωμος.
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:
28 οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾶν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖκας ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ·
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;
29 οὐδεὶς γάρ ποτε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα ἐμίσησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκτρέφει καὶ θάλπει αὐτήν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Κύριος τὴν ἐκκλησίαν·
30 Because we are parts of his body.
30 ὅτι μέλη ἐσμὲν τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ, ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ·
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.
31 ἀντὶ τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ προσκολληθήσεται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν.
32 This is a great secret: but my words are about Christ and the church.
32 τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστίν, ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.
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.
33 πλὴν καὶ ὑμεῖς οἱ καθ᾽ ἕνα ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα οὕτως ἀγαπάτω ὡς ἑαυτόν, ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἵνα φοβῆται τὸν ἄνδρα.
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 John 4:11; 1 Peter 1:15–16; Ephesians 4:32; Matthew 5:48; Luke 6:35–36
- 2 John 13:34; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:14; 2 Corinthians 2:15; Matthew 20:28
- 3 Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:5; Galatians 5:19–21; 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3
- 4 Colossians 3:8; Ephesians 4:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Proverbs 15:2; James 3:4–8
- 5 Galatians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Colossians 3:5; Revelation 22:15; Ephesians 5:3
- 6 Romans 1:18; Colossians 2:8; Matthew 24:4; 1 John 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:10–12
- 7 Revelation 18:4; 1 Timothy 5:22; Ephesians 5:11; Numbers 16:26; Proverbs 1:10–17
- 8 John 8:12; 1 John 1:7; John 12:46; Acts 26:18; Colossians 1:13
- 9 Galatians 5:22–23; 3 John 11; 1 John 3:9–10; Romans 15:14; Ephesians 6:14
- 10 Romans 12:1–2; Psalm 19:14; Hebrews 12:28; 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:20
- 11 Romans 13:12; 1 Timothy 5:20; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 John 10–11; Romans 16:17
- 12 Ephesians 5:3; Romans 2:16; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Jeremiah 23:24; 2 Samuel 12:12
- 13 John 3:20–21; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Hosea 2:10; Hosea 7:1; Micah 7:9
- 14 Isaiah 60:1; Romans 13:11–12; Isaiah 26:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; Isaiah 52:1
- 15 Colossians 4:5; James 3:13; Philippians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 14:20; Proverbs 14:8
- 16 Colossians 4:5; Amos 5:13; John 12:35; Ecclesiastes 12:1; Ephesians 6:13
- 17 Romans 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Colossians 1:9; Ephesians 5:15; Jeremiah 4:22
- 18 Luke 1:15; Romans 13:13; Proverbs 20:1; Galatians 5:21–25; Acts 11:24
- 19 Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 14:26; Psalm 95:2; Acts 16:25; Psalm 147:7
- 20 Colossians 3:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Hebrews 13:15; Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 5:4
- 21 Philippians 2:3; Ephesians 5:24; Ephesians 5:22; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:5
- 22 Colossians 3:18–4:1; 1 Peter 3:1–6; Titus 2:5; Genesis 3:16; Esther 1:20
- 23 1 Corinthians 11:3–10; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22–23; Ephesians 5:25–26; Ephesians 4:15
- 24 Ephesians 5:33; Titus 2:7; Colossians 3:20; Titus 2:9; Colossians 3:22
- 25 1 Peter 3:7; Colossians 3:19; Ephesians 5:28; Genesis 2:24; Ephesians 5:33
- 26 Hebrews 10:22; John 15:3; Ezekiel 36:25; John 3:5; John 17:17–19
- 27 Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:4
- 28 Ephesians 5:25; Matthew 19:5; Genesis 2:21–24; Ephesians 5:33; Ephesians 5:31
- 29 Ephesians 5:31; Ezekiel 34:14–15; Proverbs 11:17; John 6:50–58; Ecclesiastes 4:5
- 30 1 Corinthians 6:15; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Romans 12:5; Genesis 2:23; Ephesians 1:23
- 31 Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:7–8; 1 Corinthians 6:16
- 32 Revelation 21:2; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Isaiah 54:5; Revelation 19:7–8; Colossians 2:2
- 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).
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)
… 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."
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)
… 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)
… 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)