Ephesians · Catholic Public Domain Version
Ephesians 5 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 Therefore, as most beloved sons, be imitators of God.
1 Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.
2 And walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and delivered himself for us, as an oblation and a sacrifice to God, with a fragrance of sweetness.
2 Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.
3 But let not any kind of fornication, or impurity, or rapacity so much as be named among you, just as is worthy of the saints,
3 But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints;
4 nor any indecent, or foolish, or abusive talk, for this is without purpose; but instead, give thanks.
4 nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate, but rather giving of thanks.
5 For know and understand this: no one who is a fornicator, or lustful, or rapacious (for these are a kind of service to idols) holds an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
5 Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one seduce you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God was sent upon the sons of unbelief.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.
7 Therefore, do not choose to become participants with them.
7 Therefore don’t be partakers with them.
8 For you were darkness, in times past, but now you are light, in the Lord. So then, walk as sons of the light.
8 For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
9 For the fruit of the light is in all goodness and justice and truth,
9 for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth,
10 affirming what is well-pleasing to God.
10 proving what is well pleasing to the Lord.
11 And so, have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead, refute them.
11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them.
12 For the things that are done by them in secret are shameful, even to mention.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.
13 But all things that are disputed are made manifest by the light. For all that is made manifest is light.
13 But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that reveals is light.
14 Because of this, it is said: “You who are sleeping: awaken, and rise up from the dead, and so shall the Christ enlighten you.”
14 Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
15 And so, brothers, see to it that you walk cautiously, not like the foolish,
15 Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise,
16 but like the wise: atoning for this age, because this is an evil time.
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 For this reason, do not choose to be imprudent. Instead, understand what is the will of God.
17 Therefore, don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not choose to be inebriated by wine, for this is self-indulgence. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
18 Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking among yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, singing and reciting psalms to the Lord in your hearts,
19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 giving thanks always for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God the Father.
20 giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
21 Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
21 subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.
22 Wives should be submissive to their husbands, as to the Lord.
22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church. He is the Savior of his body.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body.
24 Therefore, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so also should wives be subject to their husbands in all things.
24 But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and handed himself over for her,
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself up for her,
26 so that he might sanctify her, washing her clean by water and the Word of life,
26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
27 so that he might offer her to himself as a glorious Church, not having any spot or wrinkle or any such thing, so that she would be holy and immaculate.
27 that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without defect.
28 So, too, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
28 Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.
29 For no man has ever hated his own flesh, but instead he nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ also does to the Church.
29 For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly,
30 For we are a part of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.
30 because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones.
31 “For this reason, a man shall leave behind his father and mother, and he shall cling to his wife; and the two shall be as one flesh.”
31 “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife. Then the two will become one flesh.”
32 This is a great Sacrament. And I am speaking in Christ and in the Church.
32 This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and the assembly.
33 Yet truly, each and every one of you should love his wife as himself. And a wife should fear her husband.
33 Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects 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 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)