Ephesians 5:1
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
Ephesians 5:1 in other translations
| BSB | Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, |
|---|---|
| WEB | Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children. |
| ASV | Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; |
| YLT | Become, then, followers of God, as children beloved, |
| DARBY | Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children, |
| BBE | Let it then be your desire to be like God, as well-loved children; |
| Webster | Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; |
What does Ephesians 5:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Ep 5:1-33. Exhortations to Love: And against Carnal Lusts and Communications. Circumspection in Walk: Redeeming the Time: Being Filled with the Spirit: Singing to the Lord with Thankfulness: The Wife's Duty to the Husband Rests on that of the Church to Christ.
1. 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 being vain to assume the title of son without any similitude of the Father [Pearson].Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
This chapter is a continuation of the practical exhortations commenced in chapter 4. It comprises the following points, or subjects:--
1. The exhortation to be followers of God, and to walk in love, Eph 5:1,2.
2. The duty of avoiding the impure practices of the surrounding heathen, and of wholly breaking off from the vices in which even they themselves had indulged, before their conversion to Christianity, Eph 5:3-17.
3. The apostle cautions them particularly against the use of wine, and the revelry which attends its use; and exhorts them rather to engage in the exercises to which the Holy Spirit would prompt them, and to the services of praise and thanksgiving, Eph 5:15-20.
4. He exhorts them to mutual subjection; and particularly enjoins on wives the duty of being subject to their husbands, Eph 5:21-24.
5. The chapter closes with a statement of the duty of husbands to love their wives, illustrated by that which Christ showed for the church, Eph 5:25-33.
Verse 1. Be ye therefore followers of God. Gr., "Be imitators-- μιμηται--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"--ουν--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 and ready to forgive. Comp. Mt 5:44-47. As he forgives us, (Eph 4:32) we should be ready to forgive others; as he has borne with our faults, we should bear with theirs; as he is ever ready to hear our cry when we ask for mercy, we should be ready to hear others when they desire to be forgiven; and as he is never weary with doing us good, we should never be weary in benefiting them.
As dear children. The meaning is, "as those children which are beloved follow the example of a father, so we, who are beloved of God, should follow his example." What a simple rule this is! And how much contention and strife would be avoided if it were followed! If every Christian who is angry, unforgiving, and unkind, would just ask himself the question, "How does God treat me?" it would save all the trouble and heart-burning which ever exists in the church.
(*) "followers" "imitators"
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
Christians should imitate their heavenly Father, and walk in love, after the example of Christ, Eph 5:1, Eph 5:2. They should avoid all uncleanness, impurity, covetousness, and foolish jesting, and idolatry, because these things exclude from the kingdom of God, Eph 5:3-7. The Ephesians were once in darkness, but being now light in the Lord, they are exhorted to walk in that light, and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; and to have no fellowship with the workers of iniquity, whose evil deeds are manifested by the light, Eph 5:8-13. All are exhorted to awake; to walk circumspectly; to redeem the time; and to learn what the will of the Lord is, Eph 5:14-17. The apostle gives particular directions relative to avoiding excess of wine, Eph 5:18. To singing and giving thanks, Eph 5:19, Eph 5:20. Submission to each other, Eph 5:21. To husbands that they should love their wives, as Christ loved the Church; for by the marriage union, the union between Christ and the Church is pointed out; and wives are exhorted to reverence their husbands, Eph 5:22-33. Verse 1 Be 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 μιμηται, 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 solemn and proper sense. Let your whole conduct be like that of your Lord; imitate him in all your actions, words, spirit, and inclinations; imitate him as children do their beloved parents, and remember that you stand in the relation of beloved children to him. It is natural for children to imitate their parents; it is their constant aim to learn of them, and to copy them in all things; whatever they see the parent do, whatever they hear him speak, that they endeavor to copy and imitate; yea, they go farther, they insensibly copy the very tempers of their parents. If ye therefore be children of God, show this love to your heavenly Father, and imitate all his moral perfections, and acquire the mind that was in Jesus.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ephesians 5:1-2
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Ephesians 5:1 in the original Greek
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Ephesians 5:1
- 1 John 4:11
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
- 1 Peter 1:15-16
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
- Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
- Matthew 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
- Luke 6:35-36
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
- Colossians 3:12
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
- Leviticus 11:45
For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
- 1 John 3:1-2
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
- John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
- Matthew 5:45
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
- Jeremiah 31:20
Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.
- Hosea 1:10
Yet 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, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3 to flee fornication;
4 and all uncleanness;
7 not to converse with the wicked;
15 to walk warily;
18 and to be filled with the Spirit;
22 he descends to the particular duties, how wives ought to obey their husbands;
25 and husbands ought to love their wives,
32 even as Christ does his church.
followers.
4:32; Le 11:45; Mt 5:45,48; Lu 6:35,36; 1Pe 1:15,16; 1Jo 4:11
as.
Jer 31:20; Ho 1:10; Joh 1:12; Col 3:12; 1Jo 3:1,2
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Ephesians 5:1
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
- Ephesians 5:2
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Ephesians 5:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | SED, pues, imitadores de Dios como hijos amados: |
|---|---|
| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Soyez donc imitateurs de Dieu comme de bien-aimés enfants, |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Seid nun Nachahmer Gottes, als geliebte Kinder, |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Estote ergo imitatores Dei, sicut filii carissimi, |