Ephesians 5:1
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
Explanation:
Act like God because you are His kid and He loves you.
Ephesians 5:2
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Explanation:
Love others like Jesus did. He gave His life for us to make God happy.
Ephesians 5:3
Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
Explanation:
Don’t do wrong things with your body or be greedy. Those things don’t belong in God’s family.
Ephesians 5:4
Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
Explanation:
Don’t tell dirty jokes or talk in bad ways. Say thankful things instead.
Ephesians 5:5
You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Explanation:
People who only want what they want and don’t live for God won’t be in God’s kingdom.
Ephesians 5:6
Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him.
Explanation:
Don’t believe people who say sin is okay. God will be angry at those who don’t listen to Him.
Ephesians 5:7
Don’t participate in the things these people do.
Explanation:
Don’t do what people who disobey God are doing.
Ephesians 5:8
For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
Explanation:
You used to live in darkness, but now you live in God’s light. So live like it!
Ephesians 5:9
For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Explanation:
God’s light helps you do what is good, right, and true.
Ephesians 5:10
Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
Explanation:
Think hard about what makes God happy, and do that.
Ephesians 5:11
Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.
Explanation:
Don’t join in with wrong stuff. Show it’s wrong instead.
Ephesians 5:12
It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
Explanation:
It’s not even good to talk about the bad things some people secretly do.
Ephesians 5:13
But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,
Explanation:
When God’s light shows up, it shows all the wrong things for what they really are.
Ephesians 5:14
for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
Explanation:
God’s light wakes people up from doing wrong and shows them the right way through Jesus.
Ephesians 5:15
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.
Explanation:
Be smart in how you live. Don’t be foolish.
Ephesians 5:16
Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
Explanation:
Use your time wisely, because the world is full of bad things.
Ephesians 5:17
Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
Explanation:
Don’t just do whatever. Think about what God wants from you.
Ephesians 5:18
Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,
Explanation:
Don’t get drunk. Let God’s Spirit fill you instead.
Ephesians 5:19
singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.
Explanation:
Sing songs that praise God and make music in your heart for Him.
Ephesians 5:20
And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Explanation:
Always thank God for everything because of Jesus.
Ephesians 5:21
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Explanation:
Be willing to help and listen to each other because you respect Jesus.
Ephesians 5:22
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
Explanation:
Wives should listen to and respect their husbands like they respect Jesus.
Ephesians 5:23
For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.
Explanation:
Husbands lead the family like Jesus leads the church, which is His family.
Ephesians 5:24
As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
Explanation:
Wives should follow their husbands like the church follows Jesus.
Ephesians 5:25
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her
Explanation:
Husbands should love their wives so much they would give up everything, like Jesus did for us.
Ephesians 5:26
to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.
Explanation:
Jesus made the church clean and holy by using His Word.
Ephesians 5:27
He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.
Explanation:
Jesus wants the church to be beautiful and perfect, with no sin.
Ephesians 5:28
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.
Explanation:
Husbands should love their wives like they love themselves.
Ephesians 5:29
No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.
Explanation:
We take care of our bodies, and Jesus takes care of the church like that.
Ephesians 5:30
And we are members of his body.
Explanation:
We are all part of Jesus’ body—the church.
Ephesians 5:31
As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”
Explanation:
The Bible says a husband and wife become one team, like one body.
Ephesians 5:32
This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.
Explanation:
This husband and wife idea also shows how close Jesus and the church are.
Ephesians 5:33
So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Explanation:
Husbands, love your wives. Wives, respect your husbands.