Ephesians 5 · Verse 3

Ephesians 5:3

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Ephesians 5:3, King James Version

Ephesians 5:3 in other translations

BSBBut among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed.
WEBBut sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints;
ASVBut fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints;
YLTand whoredom, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints;
DARBYBut fornication and all uncleanness or unbridled lust, let it not be even named among you, as it becomes saints;
BBEBut evil acts of the flesh and all unclean things, or desire for others' property, let it not even be named among you, as is right for saints;
WebsterBut lewdness and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

What does Ephesians 5:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. 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 impurity, than to "covetousness."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 3. But fornication. A common vice among the heathen then as it is now, and one into which they were in special danger of falling. Rom 1:29; 1Cor 6:18.

And all uncleanness. Impurity of life. Rom 1:24. Comp. Rom 6:9, Gall 5:19, Eph 4:19, Col 3:5.

Or covetousness. The connexion in which this word is found is remarkable. It is associated with the lowest and most debasing vices, and this, as well as those vices, was not once to be named among them. What was Paul's estimate, then, of covetousness? He considered it as an odious and abominable vice; a vice to be regarded in the same light as the most gross sin, and as wholly to be abhorred by all who bore the Christian name. See Eph 5:5. The covetous man, according to Paul, is to be ranked with the sensual, and with idolaters, (Eph 5:5,) and with those who are entirely excluded from the kingdom of God. Is this the estimate in which the vice is held now? Is it the view which professing Christians take of it? Do we not feel that there is a great difference between a covetous man and a man of impure and licentious life? Why is this? Because

(1.) it is so common;

(2.) because it is found among those who make pretensions to refinement and even religion;

(3.) because it is not so easy to define what is covetousness, as it is to define impurity of life; and

(4.) because the public conscience is seared, and the mind blinded to the low and groveling character of the sin. Yet is not the view of Paul the right view? Who is a covetous man? A man who, in the pursuit of gold, neglects his soul, his intellect, and his heart. A man who, in this insatiable pursuit, is regardless of justice, truth, charity, faith, prayer, peace, comfort, usefulness, conscience; and who shall say that there is any vice more debasing or degrading than this? The time may come, therefore, when the covetous man will be regarded as deserving the same rank in the public estimation with the most vicious, and when TO COVET will be considered as much opposed to the spirit of the gospel as any of the vices here named. When that time shall come, the world's conversion will probably be not a distant event.

Let it not be once named among you. That is, let it not exist; let there be no occasion for mentioning such a thing among you; let it be wholly unknown. This cannot mean that it is wrong to mention these vices for the purpose of rebuking them, or cautioning those in danger of committing them--for Paul himself in this manner mentions them here, and frequently elsewhere--but that they should not exist among them.

As becometh saints. As befits the character of Christians, who are regarded as holy. Literally, "as becometh holy ones"--αγιοις.

(c) "and all uncleanness" 1Cor 6:18, 1Thes 4:3 (d) "among you" Eph 5:12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 But fornication - It is probable that the three terms used here by the apostle refer to different species of the same thing. The word fornication, πορνεια, may imply not only fornication but adultery also, as it frequently does; uncleanness, ακαθαρσια may refer to all abominable and unnatural lusts - sodomy, bestiality, etc., and covetousness, πλεονεξια, to excessive indulgence in that which, moderately used, is lawful. As the covetous man never has enough of wealth, so the pleasure-taker and the libertine never have enough of the gratifications of sense, the appetite increasing in proportion to its indulgence. If, however, simple covetousness, i.e. the love of gain, be here intended, it shows from the connection in which it stands, (for it is linked with fornication, adultery, and all uncleanness), how degrading it is to the soul of man, and how abominable it is in the eye of God. In other places it is ranked with idolatry, for the man who has an inordinate love of gain makes money his god. Let it not be once named - Let no such things ever exist among you, for ye are called to be saints.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ephesians 5:3-14
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 worldly good, which should be in God only. Those who allow themselves, either in the lusts of the flesh or the love of the world, belong not to the kingdom of grace, nor shall they come to the kingdom of glory. When the vilest transgressors repent and believe the gospel, they become children of obedience, from whom God's wrath is turned away. Dare we make light of that which brings down the wrath of God? Sinners, like men in the dark, are going they know not whither, and doing they know not what. But the grace of God wrought a mighty change in the souls of many. Walk as children of light, as having knowledge and holiness. These works of darkness are unfruitful, whatever profit they may boast; for they end in the destruction of the impenitent sinner. There are many ways of abetting, or taking part in the sins of others; by commendation, counsel, consent, or concealment. And if we share with others in their sins, we must expect to share in their plagues. If we do not reprove the sins of others, we have fellowship with them. A good man will be ashamed to speak of what many wicked men are not ashamed to do. We must have not only a sight and a knowledge that sin is sin, and in some measure shameful, but see it as a breach of God's holy law. After the example of prophets and apostles, we should call on those asleep and dead in sin, to awake and arise, that Christ may give them light.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ephesians 5:3 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.

ΠορνείαPorneiaSexual immoralityG4202
δὲdehoweverG1161
καὶkaiandG2532
ἀκαθαρσίαakatharsiaimpurityG167
πᾶσαpasaallG3956
ἢēorG2228
πλεονεξίαpleonexiacovetousnessG4124
μηδὲmēdenot evenG3366
ὀνομαζέσθωonomazesthōshould be namedG3687
ἐνenamongG1722
ὑμῖνhuminyouG4771
καθὼςkathōsasG2531
πρέπειprepeiis properG4241
ἁγίοιςhagioisto saintsG40

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ephesians 5:3

  • Colossians 3:5

    Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

  • Ephesians 5:5

    For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

  • Galatians 5:19-21

    Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:18

    Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:3

    For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:7

    For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

  • 1 Corinthians 6:13

    Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

  • Ephesians 5:12

    For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:8

    Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

  • Matthew 15:19

    For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

  • 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

    Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

  • Revelation 2:21

    And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
fornication.
5; 4:19,20; Nu 25:1; De 23:17,18; Mt 15:19; Mr 7:21; Ac 15:20
Ro 1:29; 6:13; 1Co 5:10,11; 6:9,13,18; 10:8; 2Co 12:21; Ga 5:19-21
Col 3:5; 1Th 4:3,7; Heb 12:16; 13:4; 2Pe 2:10; Re 2:14,21; 9:21; 21:8
Re 22:15
covetousness.
5; Ex 18:21; 20:17; Jos 7:21; 1Sa 8:3; Ps 10:3; 119:36; Pr 28:16
Jer 6:13; 8:10; 22:17; Eze 33:31; Mic 2:2; Mr 7:22; Lu 12:15; 16:14
Ac 20:33; 1Co 6:10; Col 3:5; 1Ti 3:3; 6:10; 2Ti 3:2; Tit 1:7,11
Heb 13:5; 1Pe 5:2; 2Pe 2:3,14
named.
12; Ex 23:13; 1Co 5:1
as.
Ro 16:2; Php 1:27; 1Ti 2:10; Tit 2:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 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 5:3

    But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

  • Ephesians 5:4

    Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Read all of Ephesians 5

Ephesians 5:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pero fornicación y toda inmundicia, ó avaricia, ni aun se nombre entre vosotros, como conviene á santos;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais que ni la fornication, ni aucune impureté ou cupidité, ne soient même nommées parmi vous, comme il convient à des saints;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Hurerei aber und alle Unreinigkeit oder Habsucht werde nicht einmal unter euch genannt, gleichwie es Heiligen geziemt;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fornicatio autem, et omnis immunditia, aut avaritia, nec nominetur in vobis, sicut decet sanctos: