American Standard Version
Ephesians 5:1
1Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;
Ephesians 5:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
- New International Version (NIV)Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
Context of Ephesians 5:1
Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; 2and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell. 3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints;
Read all of Ephesians 5Ephesians 5:1 word by word
Γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητὰRead the interlinear
Cross-references for Ephesians 5:1
- Ephesians 4:32and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.
- Leviticus 11:45For I am Jehovah that brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
- Matthew 5:45that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.
- Luke 6:35But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.
- 1 Peter 1:15but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living;
- 1 John 4:11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
- Jeremiah 31:20Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a darling child? for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearneth for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah.
- Hosea 1:10Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass that, in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
- John 1:12But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name:
- Colossians 3:12Put on therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;
- 1 John 3:1Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
Commentaries on Ephesians 5:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Be ye therefore followers of God - The beginning of this chapter is properly a continuation of the preceding, which should have ended with the second verse of this. The word , which we translate followers, signifies such as personate others, assuming their gait, mode of speech, accent, carriage, etc.; and it is from this Greek word that we have the word mimic. Though this term is often used in a ludicrous sense, yet here it is to be understood in a very…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Be ye therefore followers of God - Greek, “Be imitators - ̀ mimētai- of God.” The idea is not that they were to be the friends of God, or numbered among his followers, but that they were to imitate him in the particular thing under consideration. The word “therefore” - ̓͂ oun- connects this with the previous chapter, where he had been exhorting them to kindness, and to a spirit of forgiveness, and he here entreats them to imitate God, who was always kind…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Chapter Outline Exhortation to brotherly love. (1-2) Cautions against several sins. (3-14) Directions to a contrary behaviour, and to relative duties. (15-21) The duties of wives and husbands are enforced by the spiritual relation between Christ and the church. (22-33) Verses 1-2 Because God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you, therefore be ye followers of God, imitators of God. Resemble him especially in his love and pardoning goodness, as becomes those…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Be imitators of God: We imitate God mainly by showing love (5:2; see Matthew 5:44–45, 48). as beloved children: Just as children follow their parents' example, believers should follow God's example (1 Corinthians 4:14–17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-331. therefore--seeing that "God in Christ forgave you" (Ep 4:32). followers--Greek, "imitators" of God, in respect to "love" (Ep 5:2): God's essential character (1Jo 4:16). as dear children--Greek, "as children beloved"; to which Ep 5:2 refers, "As Christ also loved us" (1Jo 4:19). "We are sons of men, when we do ill; sons of God, when we do well" [Augustine, on Psalm 52]; (compare Mt 5:44, 45, 48). Sonship infers an absolute necessity of imitation, it…Read the comment
Topics related to Ephesians 5:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ephesians 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries