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Read Ephesians Chapter 5

Up and down arrows move from one verse to the next.

1Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

5For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

7Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

9(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

13But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

18And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

20Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

You are readingKing James Version

Explanation

Ephesians 5

In short

Paul tells Christians to imitate God by living in love and avoiding sexual sin and greed. He then teaches husbands and wives how to treat each other, using Christ's relationship with the church as the pattern: husbands should love their wives as Christ loves the church, and wives should respect their husbands.

What the text says

Verses 1 and 2 open with the main call: be like God as His loved children, and walk in love the way Christ loved us and gave Himself as an offering. Verses 3 and 4 list what should have no place among believers: sexual sin, uncleanness, greed, filthy talk, foolish joking. Instead, give thanks. Verses 5 and 6 warn that those who do these things will not inherit God's kingdom, and false words should not fool anyone into thinking God will not bring anger on those who disobey.

Verse 7 says do not join them. Verses 8 to 10 shift the image: you were darkness but are now light in the Lord, so walk as light does, with goodness, right living, and truth that pleases God. Verses 11 and 12 say avoid dark deeds and do not even speak of them. Verses 13 and 14 say light shows what is hidden, and Christ gives light to those who wake up.

Verses 15 to 17 urge walking wisely and carefully, making good use of time because days are evil, and seeking to understand God's will. Verses 18 to 20 say not to get drunk but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to each other in songs, and giving thanks always in Jesus' name.

Verses 21 onward shift to household roles. Verse 21 speaks of submitting to one another in God's fear. Verses 22 to 24 tell wives to submit to their husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is head as Christ is head of the church. Verses 25 to 27 tell husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself to make it clean and spotless. Verses 28 to 30 say husbands should love wives as their own bodies, and we are members of Christ's body. Verse 31 quotes that a man leaves his parents and joins with his wife, becoming one flesh. Verse 32 calls this "a great mystery" and says Paul is speaking about Christ and the church. Verse 33 sums up: each husband should love his wife as himself, and each wife should respect her husband.

Takeaways

  • Living like God means walking in love and staying away from sexual sin and greed.
  • Christ's self-giving love for the church is the model for how married couples should treat each other.
  • The way husbands and wives relate mirrors how Christ and the church relate to each other.

Explanation written with the help of AI. The Bible text above is not changed. Context and interpretation are flagged as such; always come back to the text itself.