Ephesians 5

King James Version

Full text for Ephesians Chapter 5

1¶ Be 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.

3¶ But 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;

21¶ Submitting 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Ephesians 5 exhorts believers to walk in love, imitating Christ's sacrifice, and to live as children of light, shunning darkness and its works. It calls for wisdom, redeeming the time, and being filled with the Spirit, expressing thankfulness. The chapter concludes with instructions on mutual submission, specifically detailing the roles of husbands and wives within marriage, mirroring Christ's relationship with the Church.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins by urging believers to emulate God as beloved children, walking in love, just as Christ offered himself as a sacrifice. It strictly forbids fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, and foolish speech, asserting that those who practice such things have no inheritance in God's kingdom. Believers, once darkness, are now light in the Lord and must walk accordingly, producing goodness, righteousness, and truth, and having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Paul then counsels walking circumspectly and wisely, understanding the Lord's will, and being filled with the Spirit rather than wine, expressing this through psalms, hymns, and constant thanksgiving. The epistle transitions to instructions on household order, beginning with mutual submission. Wives are commanded to submit to their husbands as to the Lord, recognizing the husband as the head, just as Christ is the head of the church. Husbands are likewise commanded to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the church, giving himself to sanctify and present it without blemish. This marital union is presented as a profound mystery, symbolizing the relationship between Christ and the Church.

Long Summary

Ephesians chapter 5 commences with an earnest appeal for believers to become followers of God, acting as dear children, and to walk in love, mirroring Christ's sacrificial act of giving himself for humanity as a sweet-smelling offering. The apostle then issues a clear prohibition against various forms of immorality, including fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting, declaring that such practices are unbecoming of saints and exclude one from the kingdom of Christ and of God. He warns against deception by vain words, reminding that God's wrath comes upon the children of disobedience, and therefore believers must not be partakers with them. Emphasizing a transformation, the text states that believers, once darkness, are now light in the Lord and must walk as children of light, manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, thereby proving what is acceptable to the Lord. They are instructed to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather to expose them, as light reveals all hidden things. A call to spiritual awakening is made: “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” The chapter further exhorts believers to walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, diligently redeeming the time because the days are evil, and striving to understand the Lord's will. A crucial command is given to avoid drunkenness with wine, which leads to excess, and instead to be filled with the Spirit, expressing this spiritual fullness through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing in the heart to the Lord, and giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. This section culminates in the principle of submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. The epistle then transitions to specific instructions regarding marital relationships. Wives are enjoined to submit to their own husbands as unto the Lord, with the rationale that the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the church. Conversely, husbands are commanded to love their wives with the same sacrificial love that Christ demonstrated for the church, giving himself to sanctify and cleanse it, that he might present it to himself as a glorious church, holy and without blemish. This profound love means husbands should cherish and nourish their wives as their own bodies, for no man hates his own flesh. The union of husband and wife becoming one flesh is presented as a “great mystery,” which the apostle clarifies is spoken concerning Christ and the church. The chapter concludes by reiterating the individual responsibility for husbands to love their wives as themselves, and for wives to reverence their husbands.

Core Concepts

  • Walking in LoveBelievers are called to imitate God and walk in love, specifically referencing Christ's sacrificial love as an offering for humanity.
  • Children of LightChristians are identified as having transitioned from darkness to light through the Lord, and are therefore expected to live righteously, exposing and avoiding the unfruitful works of darkness.
  • Spirit-Filled LivingThe chapter contrasts being drunk with wine with being filled with the Spirit, which manifests in spiritual songs, heartfelt worship, constant thanksgiving, and understanding the Lord's will.
  • Mutual SubmissionA foundational principle for relationships, particularly within the household, where individuals are called to submit to one another in the fear of God.
  • Husband and Wife RolesSpecific instructions are given for marriage: wives are to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ, and husbands are to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the church, nourishing and cherishing them.
  • Christ and the Church as a MysteryThe marital union, where two become one flesh, is presented as a profound mystery that symbolizes the deep, sanctifying relationship between Christ and His Church.