Ephesians 5:1

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 beloved children; 2and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. 3But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;

Ephesians 5:1 word by word

Γίνεσθε οὖν μιμηταὶ τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς τέκνα ἀγαπητὰRead the interlinear

• Thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• be imitatorsμιμητήςmimētēs · imitatorG3402
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• as belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
• childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043

Cross-references for Ephesians 5:1

• Ephesians 4:32Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
• Leviticus 11:45For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.’”
• Matthew 5:45so that you may be sons of your Father who is 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, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
• 1 Peter 1:15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;
• 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 delightful child? Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him, I certainly still remember him; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him,” declares the Lord.
• Hosea 1:10Yet the number of the sons of Israel Will be like the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered; And in the place Where it is said to them, “You are not My people,” It will be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God.”
• John 1:12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
• Colossians 3:12So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
• 1 John 3:1See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not 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

Topics related to Ephesians 5:1

• Commandments
• Example
• Holiness

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Arise
• Awake
• Dear
• Fellowship
• Flesh
• Fruit
• Light
• Melody

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