1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, 2 and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God. 3 But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the Spirit consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Test and prove what pleases the Lord. 11 Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself. 14 So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her 26 to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body—of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, but I am speaking about Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians · Majority Standard Bible
Ephesians 5 Majority Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
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)