Ephesians 5
Amplified Bible
Be Imitators of God
5 Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.(A)
3 But sexual immorality and all [moral] impurity [indecent, offensive behavior] or greed must not even be hinted at among you, as is proper among saints [for as believers our way of life, whether in public or in private, reflects the validity of our faith]. 4 Let there be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse [obscene or vulgar] joking, because such things are not appropriate [for believers]; but instead speak of your thankfulness [to God]. 5 For be sure of this: no immoral, impure, or greedy person—for that one is [in effect] an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God [for such a person places a higher value on something other than God].
6 Let no one deceive you with empty arguments [that encourage you to sin], for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience [those who habitually sin].(B) 7 So do not participate or even associate with them [in the rebelliousness of sin]. 8 For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [live as those who are native-born to the Light] 9 (for the fruit [the effect, the result] of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn [by experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [and letting your lifestyles be examples of what is most acceptable to Him—your behavior expressing gratitude to God for your salvation]. 11 Do not participate in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness, but instead expose them [by exemplifying personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character]; 12 for it is disgraceful even to mention the things that such people practice in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light [of God’s precepts], for [a]it is light that makes everything visible. 14 For this reason He says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine [as dawn] upon you and give you light.”(C)
15 Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], 16 [b]making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is wickedness (corruption, stupidity), but be filled with the [Holy] Spirit and constantly guided by Him.(D) 19 [c]Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Marriage Like Christ and the Church
22 Wives, be subject [d]to your own husbands, as [a service] to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church, Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives should be subject to their husbands in everything [respecting both their position as protector and their responsibility to God as head of the house].
25 Husbands, love your wives [seek the highest good for her and surround her with a caring, unselfish love], just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], 27 so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless. 28 Even so husbands should and are morally obligated to love their own wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own body, but [instead] he nourishes and protects and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members (parts) of His body. 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined [and be faithfully devoted] to his wife, and the two shall become [e]one flesh.(E) 32 This mystery [of two becoming one] is great; but I am speaking with reference to [the relationship of] Christ and the church. 33 However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].(F)
Footnotes
- Ephesians 5:13 Paul, who was privileged to study under the brilliant Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), is probably speaking from the viewpoint of ancient Greek science. Even the philosopher Plato maintained that vision essentially is the process of light forming an image of an object it touches and conveying that image to the eyes. So Paul may mean that what is actually seen is an image composed of light (like the photographic process), and since light is always reliable and its physical properties are constant, nothing exposed to light escapes being revealed. Spiritually speaking, to the extent that a believer functions as Light (v 8), he will expose the sins of unbelievers simply by his presence, just as it is the nature of light to expose whatever it touches.
- Ephesians 5:16 The Greek word in this verse means “buy up at the market place.” Opportunity is regarded as a commodity to be used by believers.
- Ephesians 5:19 The Greeks had a tradition of holding drinking parties (called, in the singular, a symposium) where the object was to sing the praises of the pagan gods while becoming drunk. Perhaps with this tradition in mind, Paul instructs believers to “be filled” instead with the Holy Spirit and to sing meaningful praises to God.
- Ephesians 5:22 The wife to her husband, not to men in general; not as inferior to him, nor in violation of her Christian ethics, but honoring her husband as protector and head of the home, respecting the responsibility of his position and his accountability to God.
- Ephesians 5:31 The bond between husband and wife supersedes all other relationships.
Ephesians 5
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
5 Therefore oun be ginomai imitators mimētēs of ho God theos as hōs his dear agapētos children teknon, 2 and kai live peripateō in en love agapē, just as kathōs · kai · ho Christ Christos loved agapaō us hēmeis and kai gave paradidōmi himself heautou for hyper us hēmeis as eis a fragrant osmē offering prosphora and kai sacrifice thusia to ho God theos.
3 But de sexual immorality porneia and kai every kind of pas impurity akatharsia or ē covetousness pleonexia must not even mēde be mentioned onomazō among en you hymeis, as kathōs is proper prepō among the saints hagios; 4 nor kai obscenity aischrotēs, · kai foolish talk mōrologia, or ē coarse joking eutrapelia, which hos are not ou fitting anēkō, but alla rather mallon thanksgiving eucharistia. 5 For gar you may be sure of oida this houtos, that hoti no ou fornicator pornos or ē impure akathartos or ē covetous person pleonektēs ( such a one hos is eimi an idolater eidōlolatrēs) has echō any inheritance klēronomia in en the ho kingdom basileia of ho Christ Christos and kai of God theos. 6 Let apataō no one mēdeis deceive apataō you hymeis with empty kenos words logos, for gar because of dia these things houtos the ho wrath orgē of ho God theos comes erchomai upon epi the ho sons hyios of ho disobedience apeitheia. 7 Therefore oun do not mē become ginomai partners symmetochos with them autos; 8 for gar once pote you were eimi darkness skotos, but de now nyn you are light phōs in en the Lord kyrios. Live peripateō as hōs children teknon of light phōs 9 ( for gar the ho fruit karpos of ho light phōs consists in en all pas goodness agathōsynē, · kai righteousness dikaiosynē, and kai truth alētheia), 10 always trying to discern dokimazō what tis is eimi pleasing euarestos to the ho Lord kyrios. 11 And kai do not mē take part synkoinōneō in the ho fruitless akarpos deeds ergon · ho of ho darkness skotos but de instead mallon · kai expose elenchō them, 12 for gar it is eimi shameful aischros even kai to speak legō of what ho is done ginomai by hypo them autos in secret kryphē. 13 · ho But de everything pas that is exposed elenchō becomes illuminated phaneroō by hypo the ho light phōs, 14 for gar everything pas that ho becomes illuminated phaneroō is eimi light phōs. Therefore dio it says legō, “ Wake egeirō up , · ho sleeper katheudō, and kai rise anistēmi from ek the ho dead nekros, and kai Christ Christos will shine epiphauskō on you sy.” · ho
15 So oun be very akribōs careful blepō how pōs you live peripateō, not mē as hōs unwise asophos people but alla as hōs wise sophos, 16 making the most exagorazō of the ho time kairos, because hoti the ho days hēmera are eimi evil ponēros. 17 Therefore dia houtos do not mē be ginomai foolish aphrōn, but alla understand syniēmi what tis the ho will thelēma of the ho Lord kyrios is. 18 And kai do not mē get drunk methyskō with wine oinos, in en which hos is eimi debauchery asōtia; instead alla, be filled plēroō with en the Spirit pneuma, 19 speaking laleō to one another heautou in en psalms psalmos and kai hymns hymnos and kai songs ōdē inspired by the Spirit pneumatikos; singing adō and kai making melody psallō in ho your hymeis heart kardia to the ho Lord kyrios, 20 giving thanks eucharisteō in en the name onoma of ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos to ho God theos the Father patēr at all times pantote and for hyper everything pas. · kai 21 Be subject hypotassō to one allēlōn another out en of reverence phobos for Christ Christos. 22 · ho Wives gynē, be subject to ho your idios husbands anēr as hōs to the ho Lord kyrios, 23 for hoti the husband anēr is eimi the head kephalē of the ho wife gynē as hōs Christ Christos also kai · ho is the head kephalē of the ho church ekklēsia, and is himself autos the savior sōtēr of the ho body sōma. 24 But alla as hōs the ho church ekklēsia is subject hypotassō to ho Christ Christos, so houtōs also kai should · ho wives gynē be subject to their ho husbands anēr in en everything pas. 25 · ho Husbands anēr, love agapaō your ho wives gynē, just as kathōs · kai · ho Christ Christos loved agapaō the ho church ekklēsia and kai gave himself heautou up paradidōmi for hyper her autos, 26 that hina he might sanctify hagiazō her autos, cleansing katharizō her by the ho washing loutron of ho water hydōr through en the word rhēma, 27 so that hina he autos might present paristēmi the ho church ekklēsia to himself heautou in splendor endoxos, not mē having echō spot spilos or ē wrinkle rhytis or ē any tis · ho such thing toioutos, but alla that hina she might be eimi holy hagios and kai without blemish. 28 In the same way houtōs husbands anēr also kai should opheilō · ho love agapaō · ho their heautou wives gynē as hōs · ho their own heautou bodies sōma. He ho who loves agapaō · ho his heautou wife gynē loves agapaō himself heautou, 29 for gar no one oudeis ever pote hates miseō · ho his own heautou body sarx but alla nourishes ektrephō and kai takes care of thalpō it autos, just as kathōs · kai · ho Christ Christos does the ho church ekklēsia, 30 since hoti we are eimi members melos of ho his autos body sōma. 31 “ For anti this reason houtos a man anthrōpos shall leave kataleipō his ho father patēr and kai his ho mother mētēr and kai be joined proskollaō to pros · ho his autos wife gynē, and kai the ho two dyo shall become eimi one heis flesh sarx.” 32 · ho This houtos mystery mystērion is eimi profound megas, but de I egō am speaking legō about eis Christ Christos and kai about eis the ho church ekklēsia. 33 Nevertheless plēn, · kai each hekastos one heis of kata you hymeis · ho is to love agapaō · ho his heautou wife gynē as hōs he loves himself heautou, and de the ho wife gynē is to respect phobeomai her ho husband anēr.
Ephesians 5
New International Reader's Version
5 1 You are the children that God dearly loves. So follow his example. 2 Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.
3 There should not be even a hint of sexual sin among you. Don’t do anything impure. And do not always want more and more. These are not the things God’s holy people should do. 4 There must not be any bad language or foolish talk or dirty jokes. They are out of place. Instead, you should give thanks. 5 Here is what you can be sure of. Those who give themselves over to sexual sins are lost. So are people whose lives are impure. The same is true of those who always want more and more. People who do these things might as well worship statues of gods. No one who does them will receive a share in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Don’t let anyone fool you with worthless words. People who say things like that aren’t obeying God. He is angry with them. 7 So don’t go along with people like that.
8 At one time you were in the dark. But now you are in the light because of what the Lord has done. Live like children of the light. 9 The light produces what is completely good, right and true. 10 Find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the acts of darkness. They don’t produce anything good. Show what they are really like. 12 It is shameful even to talk about what people who don’t obey do in secret. 13 But everything the light shines on can be seen. And everything that the light shines on becomes a light. 14 That is why it is said,
“Wake up, sleeper.
Rise from the dead.
Then Christ will shine on you.”
15 So be very careful how you live. Do not live like people who aren’t wise. Live like people who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity. The days are evil. 17 So don’t be foolish. Instead, understand what the Lord wants. 18 Don’t fill yourself up with wine. Getting drunk will lead to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord. 20 Always give thanks to God the Father for everything. Give thanks to him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Teachings for Christian Families
21 Follow the lead of one another because of your respect for Christ.
22 Wives, follow the lead of your own husbands as you follow the Lord. 23 The husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. The church is Christ’s body. He is its Savior. 24 The church follows the lead of Christ. In the same way, wives should follow the lead of their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives. Love them just as Christ loved the church. He gave himself up for her. 26 He did it to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her with water and the word. 27 He did it to bring her to himself as a brightly shining church. He wants a church that has no stain or wrinkle or any other flaw. He wants a church that is holy and without blame. 28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives. They should love them as they love their own bodies. Any man who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body. Instead, they feed and care for their body. And this is what Christ does for the church. 30 We are parts of his body. 31 Scripture says, “That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. The two will become one.” (Genesis 2:24) 32 That is a deep mystery. But I’m talking about Christ and the church. 33 A husband also must love his wife. He must love her just as he loves himself. And a wife must respect her husband.
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