Ephesians 5:3

Ephesians 5:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
• New International Version (NIV)But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

Context of Ephesians 5:3

1Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children 2and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. 4Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. 5For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Ephesians 5:3 word by word

Πορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία πᾶσα ἢ πλεονεξία μηδὲ ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοιςRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• fornicationπορνείαporneia · sexual sinG4202
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• uncleannessἀκαθαρσίαakatharsia · impurityG167
• orἤē · orG2228
• covetousnessπλεονεξίαpleonexia · greedinessG4124
• let itὀνομάζωonomazō · to nameG3687
• not be onceμηδέmēde · norG3366
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• youσύsu · youG4771
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• becomethπρέπωprepō · be properG4241
• saintsἅγιοςhagios · holy: saintG40

Cross-references for Ephesians 5:3

• Ephesians 5:5For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
• Ephesians 4:19Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
• Numbers 25:1When Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to commit sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab.
• Deuteronomy 23:17There must never be a sacred prostitute among the young women of Israel nor a sacred male prostitute among the young men of Israel.
• Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
• Mark 7:21For from within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder,
• Acts 15:20but that we should write them a letter telling them to abstain from things defiled by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood.
• Romans 1:29They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips,
• Romans 6:13and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness.
• 1 Corinthians 5:10In no way did I mean the immoral people of this world, or the greedy and swindlers and idolaters, since you would then have to go out of the world.
• 1 Corinthians 6:9Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals,
• 1 Corinthians 10:8And let us not be immoral, as some of them were, and twenty-three thousand died in a single day.
• 2 Corinthians 12:21I am afraid that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced.
• Galatians 5:19Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity,
• Colossians 3:5So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality,

Commentaries on Ephesians 5:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3But fornication - It is probable that the three terms used here by the apostle refer to different species of the same thing. The word fornication, , may imply not only fornication but adultery also, as it frequently does; uncleanness, may refer to all abominable and unnatural lusts - sodomy, bestiality, etc., and covetousness, , to excessive indulgence in that which, moderately used, is lawful. As the covetous man never has enough of wealth, so the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3But fornication - A “common” vice among the pagan then as it is now, and one into which they were in special danger of falling; see Romans 1:29 note; 1 Corinthians 6:18 note. And all uncleanness - Impurity of life; see the notes on Romans 1:24; compare Romans 6:19; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19; Colossians 3:5. Or covetousness - The “connection” in which this word is found is remarkable. It is associated with the lowest and most debasing vices, and this…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-14Verses 3-14 Filthy lusts must be rooted out. These sins must be dreaded and detested. Here are not only cautions against gross acts of sin, but against what some may make light of. But these things are so far from being profitable. that they pollute and poison the hearers. Our cheerfulness should show itself as becomes Christians, in what may tend to God's glory. A covetous man makes a god of his money; places that hope, confidence, and delight, in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5God's people, also called the saints or holy ones, should live a holy life. They must avoid the immoral behavior common among unbelievers (compare 4:19; Colossians 3:5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. once named--Greek, "Let it not be even named" (Ep 5:4, 12). "Uncleanness" and "covetousness" are taken up again from Ep 4:19. The two are so closely allied that the Greek for "covetousness" (pleonexia) is used sometimes in Scripture, and often in the Greek Fathers, for sins of impurity. The common principle is the longing to fill one's desire with material objects of sense, outside of God. The expression, "not be even named," applies better to…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 5:3

• Adultery
• Chastity
• Commandments
• Covetousness
• Holiness

In the dictionaries

• Arise
• Awake
• Dear
• Fellowship
• Flesh
• Fruit
• Light
• Melody
• Redeem
• Reverence

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