Ephesians 5
5
Imitating God
1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma. 3 But sexual immorality, and all impurity, or greed, must not even be named among you—as is fitting for saints— 4 and obscenity, and foolish talking, or crude jesting—which are not proper—but rather, giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, realising that every sexually immoral, or impure person, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.* 6 Let no one lead you into error with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore, do not be partakers with them.
Light in the Lord
8 For you were once darkness, but you are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light* consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to know what is acceptable to the Lord.* 11 And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.* 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things done by them in secret. 13 But everything being exposed by the light is made visible, for everything that is made visible is light. 14 Therefore, it says,
“Awake, sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”*
15 Therefore, look carefully how* you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 redeeming the time,* because the days are evil. 17 For this reason, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Results of Being Filled with the Spirit
18 And do not be intoxicated with wine, for that is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God and the Father, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ: 22 Wives, to their* own husbands, as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church, and He Himself is the Saviour of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be subject to their* husbands in all things.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of water through the word, 27 so that He might present the church to Himself in glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing,* but that she may be holy and blameless. 28 In the same manner, husbands also ought to love their* own wives as their* own bodies. The one who loves his own wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ* also does* the church, 30 because we are members of His body.* 31 “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be cleaved to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”* 32 This mystery is great, but I am speaking in relation to Christ and the church. 33 However, each one among you must also love his own wife as himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Notes
5 Some ancient manuscripts variously read: kingdom of God ; kingdom of God and Christ ; kingdom of Christ of God
9 Some ancient manuscripts substitute light for Spirit
10 Some ancient manuscripts read God
11 Greek but rather even expose them
14 The source of this quote is unknown, but there are allusions to several Old Testament texts of Is. 26:19; 51:17; 52:1; 60:1; Mal. 4:2
15 Some ancient manuscripts read look carefully, brothers, how… .
16 Or making the most of the time/making the best use of the time/spending the time wisely
22 Greek the . In this context, the Greek definite article functions pronominally, thus translating to their
24 Greek the . In this context, the Greek definite article functions pronominally, thus translating to their
27 Greek any of the such things
28 Greek the . In this context, the Greek definite article functions pronominally, thus translating to their. This is used twice in this verse
29 Some ancient manuscripts read Lord
29 The word does is contextually added to the translation; it is not present in the Greek text
30 Some ancient manuscripts insert the expression of his flesh and of his bones , possibly as an interpolation from Gen. 2:23
31 Quoted from Gen. 2:24
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Ephesians 5
5
Imitating God
1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma. 3 But sexual immorality, and all impurity, or greed, must not even be named among you—as is fitting for saints— 4 and obscenity, and foolish talking, or crude jesting—which are not proper—but rather, giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, realising that every sexually immoral, or impure person, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.* 6 Let no one lead you into error with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore, do not be partakers with them.
Light in the Lord
8 For you were once darkness, but you are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light* consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to know what is acceptable to the Lord.* 11 And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.* 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things done by them in secret. 13 But everything being exposed by the light is made visible, for everything that is made visible is light. 14 Therefore, it says,
“Awake, sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”*
15 Therefore, look carefully how* you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 redeeming the time,* because the days are evil. 17 For this reason, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Results of Being Filled with the Spirit
18 And do not be intoxicated with wine, for that is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God and the Father, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ: 22 Wives, to their* own husbands, as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is the head of the church, and He Himself is the Saviour of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be subject to their* husbands in all things.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 that He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of water through the word, 27 so that He might present the church to Himself in glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing,* but that she may be holy and blameless. 28 In the same manner, husbands also ought to love their* own wives as their* own bodies. The one who loves his own wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ* also does* the church, 30 because we are members of His body.* 31 “For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be cleaved to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”* 32 This mystery is great, but I am speaking in relation to Christ and the church. 33 However, each one among you must also love his own wife as himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Notes
5 Some ancient manuscripts variously read: kingdom of God ; kingdom of God and Christ ; kingdom of Christ of God
9 Some ancient manuscripts substitute light for Spirit
10 Some ancient manuscripts read God
11 Greek but rather even expose them
14 The source of this quote is unknown, but there are allusions to several Old Testament texts of Is. 26:19; 51:17; 52:1; 60:1; Mal. 4:2
15 Some ancient manuscripts read look carefully, brothers, how… .
16 Or making the most of the time/making the best use of the time/spending the time wisely
22 Greek the . In this context, the Greek definite article functions pronominally, thus translating to their
24 Greek the . In this context, the Greek definite article functions pronominally, thus translating to their
27 Greek any of the such things
28 Greek the . In this context, the Greek definite article functions pronominally, thus translating to their. This is used twice in this verse
29 Some ancient manuscripts read Lord
29 The word does is contextually added to the translation; it is not present in the Greek text
30 Some ancient manuscripts insert the expression of his flesh and of his bones , possibly as an interpolation from Gen. 2:23
31 Quoted from Gen. 2:24
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Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).