Christian Standard Bible
Ephesians 5:1
1Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved 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
Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, 2and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. 3But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints.
Read all of Ephesians 5Ephesians 5:1 word by word
Γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητὰRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ephesians 5:1
- Ephesians 4:32And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
- Leviticus 11:45For I am the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, so you must be holy because I am holy.
- Matthew 5:45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
- Luke 6:35But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil.
- 1 Peter 1:15But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct;
- 1 John 4:11Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.
- Jeremiah 31:20Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to me, a delightful child? Whenever I speak against him, I certainly still think about him. Therefore, my inner being yearns for him; I will truly have compassion on him. This is the Lord’s declaration.
- Hosea 1:10Yet the number of the Israelites will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted. And in the place where they were told: You are not my people, they will be called: Sons of the living God.
- John 1:12But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,
- Colossians 3:12Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
- 1 John 3:1See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children — and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.
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
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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
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