3 But G2532 fornication, G4202 and G1161 all G3956 uncleanness, G167 or G2228 covetousness, G4124 let it G3687 not be once G3366 named G3687 among G1722 you, G5213 as G2531 becometh G4241 saints; G40
Mortify G3499 therefore G3767 your G5216 members G3196 which G3588 are upon G1909 the earth; G1093 fornication, G4202 uncleanness, G167 inordinate affection, G3806 evil G2556 concupiscence, G1939 and G2532 covetousness, G4124 which G3748 is G2076 idolatry: G1495
For G1063 this G5124 ye know, G2075 G1097 that G3754 no G3756 G3956 whoremonger, G4205 nor G2228 unclean person, G169 nor G2228 covetous man, G4123 who G3739 is G2076 an idolater, G1496 hath G2192 any inheritance G2817 in G1722 the kingdom G932 of Christ G5547 and G2532 of God. G2316
Now G1161 the works G2041 of the flesh G4561 are G2076 manifest, G5318 which G3748 are G2076 these; Adultery, G3430 fornication, G4202 uncleanness, G167 lasciviousness, G766 Idolatry, G1495 witchcraft, G5331 hatred, G2189 variance, G2054 emulations, G2205 wrath, G2372 strife, G2052 seditions, G1370 heresies, G139 Envyings, G5355 murders, G5408 drunkenness, G3178 revellings, G2970 and G2532 such G5125 like: G3664 of the which G3739 I tell G4302 you G5213 before, G4302 as G2531 I have G4277 also G2532 told you in time past, G4277 that G3754 they which do G4238 such things G5108 shall G2816 not G3756 inherit G2816 the kingdom G932 of God. G2316
Meats G1033 for the belly, G2836 and G2532 the belly G2836 for meats: G1033 but G1161 God G2316 shall destroy G2673 both G2532 it G5026 and G2532 them. G5023 Now G1161 the body G4983 is not G3756 for fornication, G4202 but G235 for the Lord; G2962 and G2532 the Lord G2962 for the body. G4983
For G1063 from within, G2081 out of G1537 the heart G2588 of men, G444 proceed G1607 evil G2556 thoughts, G1261 adulteries, G3430 fornications, G4202 murders, G5408 Thefts, G2829 covetousness, G4124 wickedness, G4189 deceit, G1388 lasciviousness, G766 an evil G4190 eye, G3788 blasphemy, G988 pride, G5243 foolishness: G877
Yet G2532 not G3756 altogether G3843 with the fornicators G4205 of this G5127 world, G2889 or G2228 with the covetous, G4123 or G2228 extortioners, G727 or G2228 with idolaters; G1496 for G1893 then G686 must ye needs G3784 go G1831 out of G1537 the world. G2889 But G1161 now G3570 I have written G1125 unto you G5213 not G3361 to keep company, G4874 if G1437 any man G5100 that is called G3687 a brother G80 be G2228 a fornicator, G4205 or G2228 covetous, G4123 or G2228 an idolater, G1496 or G2228 a railer, G3060 or G2228 a drunkard, G3183 or G2228 an extortioner; G727 with such an one G5108 no not G3366 to eat. G4906
G2228 Know ye G1492 not G3756 that G3754 the unrighteous G94 shall G2816 not G3756 inherit G2816 the kingdom G932 of God? G2316 Be G4105 not G3361 deceived: G4105 neither G3777 fornicators, G4205 nor G3777 idolaters, G1496 nor G3777 adulterers, G3432 nor G3777 effeminate, G3120 nor G3777 abusers of themselves with mankind, G733 Nor G3777 thieves, G2812 nor G3777 covetous, G4123 nor G3777 drunkards, G3183 nor G3756 revilers, G3060 nor G3756 extortioners, G727 shall inherit G3756 G2816 the kingdom G932 of God. G2316
Neither G3366 let us commit fornication, G4203 as G2531 some G5100 of them G846 committed, G4203 and G2532 fell G4098 in G1722 one G3391 day G2250 three G5140 and twenty G1501 thousand. G5505
But G1161 the fearful, G1169 and G2532 unbelieving, G571 and G2532 the abominable, G948 and G2532 murderers, G5406 and G2532 whoremongers, G4205 and G2532 sorcerers, G5332 and G2532 idolaters, G1496 and G2532 all G3956 liars, G5571 shall have their G846 part G3313 in G1722 the lake G3041 which G3588 burneth G2545 with fire G4442 and G2532 brimstone: G2303 which is G3603 the second G1208 death. G2288
Only G3440 let your conversation be G4176 as it becometh G516 the gospel G2098 of Christ: G5547 that G2443 whether G1535 I come G2064 and G2532 see G1492 you, G5209 or G1535 else be absent, G548 I may hear G191 of your G5216 affairs, G4012 that G3754 ye stand fast G4739 in G1722 one G1520 spirit, G4151 with one G3391 mind G5590 striving together G4866 for the faith G4102 of the gospel; G2098
But G235 (which G3739 becometh G4241 women G1135 professing G1861 godliness) G2317 with G1223 good G18 works. G2041
Not G3361 given to wine, G3943 no G3361 striker, G4131 not G3361 greedy of filthy lucre; G146 but G235 patient, G1933 not a brawler, G269 not covetous; G866
For G1063 a bishop G1985 must G1163 be G1511 blameless, G410 as G5613 the steward G3623 of God; G2316 not G3361 selfwilled, G829 not G3361 soon angry, G3711 not G3361 given to wine, G3943 no G3361 striker, G4131 not G3361 given to filthy lucre; G146
Lest G3361 there be any G5100 fornicator, G4205 or G2228 profane person, G952 as G5613 Esau, G2269 who G3739 for G473 one G3391 morsel of meat G1035 sold G591 his G846 birthright. G4415
Marriage G1062 is honourable G5093 in G1722 all, G3956 and G2532 the bed G2845 undefiled: G283 but G1161 whoremongers G4205 and G2532 adulterers G3432 God G2316 will judge. G2919 Let your conversation G5158 be without covetousness; G866 and be content G714 with such things as ye have: G3918 for G1063 he G846 hath said, G2046 I will never G3364 leave G447 thee, G4571 nor G3761 G3364 forsake G1459 thee. G4571
And G2532 through G1722 covetousness G4124 shall they with feigned G4112 words G3056 make merchandise G1710 of you: G5209 whose G3739 judgment G2917 now of a long time G1597 lingereth G691 not, G3756 and G2532 their G846 damnation G684 slumbereth G3573 not. G3756
Having G2192 eyes G3788 full G3324 of adultery, G3428 and G2532 that cannot cease from G180 sin; G266 beguiling G1185 unstable G793 souls: G5590 an heart G2588 they have G2192 exercised G1128 with covetous practices; G4124 cursed G2671 children: G5043
But G235 I have G2192 a few things G3641 against G2596 thee, G4675 because G3754 thou hast G2192 there G1563 them that hold G2902 the doctrine G1322 of Balaam, G903 who G3739 taught G1722 G1321 Balac G904 to cast G906 a stumblingblock G4625 before G1799 the children G5207 of Israel, G2474 to eat G5315 things sacrificed unto idols, G1494 and G2532 to commit fornication. G4203
And G2532 I gave G1325 her G846 space G5550 to G2443 repent G3340 of G1537 her G846 fornication; G4202 and G2532 she repented G3340 not. G3756
For G1161 without G1854 are dogs, G2965 and G2532 sorcerers, G5333 and G2532 whoremongers, G4205 and G2532 murderers, G5406 and G2532 idolaters, G1496 and G2532 whosoever G3956 loveth G5368 and G2532 maketh G4160 a lie. G5579
Moreover thou shalt provide H2372 out of all the people H5971 able H2428 men, H582 such as fear H3373 God, H430 men H582 of truth, H571 hating H8130 covetousness; H1215 and place H7760 such over them, to be rulers H8269 of thousands, H505 and rulers H8269 of hundreds, H3967 rulers H8269 of fifties, H2572 and rulers H8269 of tens: H6235
And Israel H3478 abode H3427 in Shittim, H7851 and the people H5971 began H2490 to commit whoredom H2181 with the daughters H1323 of Moab. H4124
There shall be no whore H6948 of the daughters H1323 of Israel, H3478 nor a sodomite H6945 of the sons H1121 of Israel. H3478 Thou shalt not bring H935 the hire H868 of a whore, H2181 or the price H4242 of a dog, H3611 into the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 thy God H430 for any vow: H5088 for even both H8147 these are abomination H8441 unto the LORD H3068 thy God. H430
When I saw H7200 among the spoils H7998 a H259 goodly H2896 Babylonish H8152 garment, H155 and two hundred H3967 shekels H8255 of silver, H3701 and a H259 wedge H3956 of gold H2091 of fifty H2572 shekels H8255 weight, H4948 then I coveted H2530 them, and took H3947 them; and, behold, they are hid H2934 in the earth H776 in the midst H8432 of my tent, H168 and the silver H3701 under it.
And his sons H1121 walked H1980 not in his ways, H1870 but turned aside H5186 after H310 lucre, H1215 and took H3947 bribes, H7810 and perverted H5186 judgment. H4941
The prince H5057 that wanteth H2638 understanding H8394 is also a great H7227 oppressor: H4642 but he that hateth H8130 covetousness H1215 shall prolong H748 his days. H3117
For from the least H6996 of them even unto the greatest H1419 of them every one is given H1214 to covetousness; H1215 and from the prophet H5030 even unto the priest H3548 every one dealeth H6213 falsely. H8267
Therefore will I give H5414 their wives H802 unto others, H312 and their fields H7704 to them that shall inherit H3423 them: for every one from the least H6996 even unto the greatest H1419 is given H1214 to covetousness, H1215 from the prophet H5030 even unto the priest H3548 every one dealeth H6213 falsely. H8267
But thine eyes H5869 and thine heart H3820 are not but for thy covetousness, H1215 and for to shed H8210 innocent H5355 blood, H1818 and for oppression, H6233 and for violence, H4835 to do H6213 it.
And they come H935 unto thee as the people H5971 cometh, H3996 and they sit H3427 before H6440 thee as my people, H5971 and they hear H8085 thy words, H1697 but they will not do H6213 them: for with their mouth H6310 they shew H6213 much love, H5690 but their heart H3820 goeth H1980 after H310 their covetousness. H1215
And G1161 he said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 Take heed, G3708 and G2532 beware G5442 of G575 covetousness: G4124 for G3754 a man's G5100 G846 life G2222 consisteth G2076 not G3756 in G1722 the abundance G4052 of G1537 the things which he G846 possesseth. G5224
Being filled with G4137 all G3956 unrighteousness, G93 fornication, G4202 wickedness, G4189 covetousness, G4124 maliciousness; G2549 full G3324 of envy, G5355 murder, G5408 debate, G2054 deceit, G1388 malignity; G2550 whisperers, G5588
Neither G3366 yield ye G3936 your G5216 members G3196 as instruments G3696 of unrighteousness G93 unto sin: G266 but G235 yield G3936 yourselves G1438 unto God, G2316 as G5613 those that are alive G2198 from G1537 the dead, G3498 and G2532 your G5216 members G3196 as instruments G3696 of righteousness G1343 unto God. G2316
That G2443 ye receive G4327 her G846 in G1722 the Lord, G2962 as becometh G516 saints, G40 and G2532 that ye assist G3936 her G846 in G1722 whatsoever G3739 G302 business G4229 she hath need G5535 of you: G5216 for G1063 she G3778 G846 hath been G1096 a succourer G4368 of many, G4183 and G2532 of myself G846 G1700 also. G2532
It is reported G191 commonly G3654 that there is fornication G4202 among G1722 you, G5213 and G2532 such G5108 fornication G4202 as G3748 is G3687 not so much G3761 as named G3687 among G1722 the Gentiles, G1484 that G5620 one G5100 should have G2192 his father's G3962 wife. G1135
And lest, G3361 when I come G2064 again, G3825 my G3450 God G2316 will humble G5013 me G3165 among G4314 you, G5209 and G2532 that I shall bewail G3996 many G4183 which G3588 have sinned already, G4258 and G2532 have G3340 not G3361 repented G3340 of G1909 the uncleanness G167 and G2532 fornication G4202 and G2532 lasciviousness G766 which G3739 they have committed. G4238
Neither G2532 G3756 repented they G3340 of G1537 their G846 murders, G5408 nor G3777 of G1537 their G846 sorceries, G5331 nor G3777 of G1537 their G846 fornication, G4202 nor G3777 of G1537 their G846 thefts. G2809
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ephesians 5
Commentary on Ephesians 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
We had several important exhortations in the close of the foregoing chapter, and they are continued in this: particularly,
Eph 5:1-2
Here we have the exhortation to mutual love, or to Christian charity. The apostle had been insisting on this in the former chapter, and particularly in the last verses of it, to which the particle therefore refers, and connects what he had said there with what is contained in these verses, thus: "Because God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you, therefore be you followers of God, or imitators of him;' for so the word signifies. Pious persons should imitate the God whom they worship, as far as he has revealed himself as imitable by them. They must conform themselves to his example, and have his image renewed upon them. This puts a great honour upon practical religion, that it is the imitating of God. We must be holy as God is holy, merciful as he is merciful, perfect as he is perfect. But there is no one attribute of God more recommended to our imitation than that of his goodness. Be you imitators of God, or resemble him, in every grace, and especially in his love, and in his pardoning goodness. God is love; and those that dwell in love dwell in God and God in them. Thus he has proclaimed his name, Gracious and merciful, and abundant in goodness. As dear children, as children (who are wont to be greatly beloved by their parents) usually resemble them in the lineaments and features of their faces, and in the dispositions and qualities of their minds; or as becomes the children of God, who are beloved and cherished by their heavenly Father. Children are obliged to imitate their parents in what is good, especially when dearly beloved by them. The character that we bear of God's children obliges us to resemble him, especially in his love and goodness, in his mercy and readiness to forgive. And those only are God's dear children who imitate him in these. It follows, And walk in love, v. 2. This godlike grace should conduct and influence our whole conversation, which is meant by walking in it. It should be the principle from which we act; it should direct the ends at which we aim. We should be more careful to give proof of the sincerity of our love one to another. As Christ also hath loved us. Here the apostle directs us to the example of Christ, whom Christians are obliged to imitate, and in whom we have an instance of the most free and generous love that ever was, that great love wherewith he hath loved us. We are all joint sharers in that love, and partakers of the comfort of it, and therefore should love one another, Christ having loved us all and given such proof of his love to us; for he hath given himself for us. The apostle designedly enlarges on the subject; for what can yield us more delightful matter for contemplation than this? Christ gave himself to die for us; and the death of Christ was the great sacrifice of atonement: An offering and a sacrifice to God; or an offering, even a sacrifice-a propitiatory sacrifice, to expiate our guilt, which had been prefigured in the legal oblations and sacrifices; and this for a sweet-smelling savour. Some observe that the sin-offerings were never said to be of a sweet-smelling savour; but this is said of the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. As he offered himself with a design to be accepted of God, so God did accept, was pleased with, and appeased by, that sacrifice. Note, As the sacrifice of Christ was efficacious with God, so his example should be prevailing with us, and we should carefully copy after it.
Eph 5:3-20
These verses contain a caution against all manner of uncleanness, with proper remedies and arguments proposed: some further cautions are added, and other duties recommended. Filthy lusts must be suppressed, in order to the supporting of holy love. Walk in love, and shun fornication and all uncleanness. Fornication is folly committed between unmarried persons. All uncleanness includes all other sorts of filthy lusts, which were too common among the Gentiles. Or covetousness, which being thus connected, and mentioned as a thing which should not be once named, some understand it, in the chaste style of the scripture, of unnatural lust; while others take it in the more common sense, for an immoderate desire of gain or an insatiable love of riches, which is spiritual adultery; for by this the soul, which was espoused to God, goes astray from him, and embraces the bosom of a stranger, and therefore carnal worldlings are called adulterers: You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Now these sins must be dreaded and detested in the highest degree: Let it not be once named among you, never in a way of approbation nor without abhorrence, as becometh saints, holy persons, who are separated from the world, and dedicated unto God. The apostle not only cautions against the gross acts of sin, but against what some may be apt to make light of, and think to be excusable. Neither filthiness (v. 4), by which may be understood all wanton and unseemly gestures and behaviour; nor foolish talking, obscene and lewd discourse, or, more generally, such vain discourse as betrays much folly and indiscretion, and is far from edifying the hearers; nor jesting. The Greek word eutrapelia is the same which Aristotle, in his Ethics, makes a virtue: pleasantness of conversation. And there is no doubt an innocent and inoffensive jesting, which we cannot suppose the apostle here forbids. Some understand him of such scurrilous and abusive reflections as tend to expose others and to make them appear ridiculous. This is bad enough: but the context seems to restrain it to such pleasantry of discourse as is filthy and obscene, which he may also design by that corrupt, or putrid and rotten, communication that he speaks of, ch. 4:29. Of these things he says, They are not convenient. Indeed there is more than inconvenience, even a great deal of mischief, in them. They are so far from being profitable that they pollute and poison the hearers. But the meaning is, Those things do not become Christians, and are very unsuitable to their profession and character. Christians are allowed to be cheerful and pleasant; but they must be merry and wise. The apostle adds, But rather giving of thanks: so far let the Christian's way of mirth be from that of obscene and profane wit, that he may delight his mind, and make himself cheerful, by a grateful remembrance of God's goodness and mercy to him, and by blessing and praising him on account of these. Note,
Eph 5:21-33
Here the apostle begins his exhortation to the discharge of relative duties. As a general foundation for these duties, he lays down that rule v. 21. There is a mutual submission that Christians owe one to another, condescending to bear one another's burdens: not advancing themselves above others, nor domineering over one another and giving laws to one another. Paul was an example of this truly Christian temper, for he became all things to all men. We must be of a yielding and of a submissive spirit, and ready to all the duties of the respective places and stations that God has allotted to us in the world. In the fear of God, that is, so far as is consistent with the fear of God, for his sake, and out of conscience towards him, and that hereby we may give proof that we truly fear him. Where there is this mutual condescension and submission, the duties of all relations will be the better performed. From v. 22 to the end he speaks of the duties of husbands and wives; and he speaks of these in a Christian manner, setting the church as an example of the wife's subjection, and Christ as an example of love in husbands.
After this, the apostle concludes this part of his discourse with a brief summary of the duty of husbands and wives, v. 33. "Nevertheless (though there be such a secret mystical sense, yet the plain literal sense concerns you) let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, with such a sincere, peculiar, singular, and prevailing affection as that is which he bears to himself. And the wife see that she reverence her husband.' Reverence consists of love and esteem, which produce a care to please, and of fear, which awakens a caution lest just offence be given. That the wife thus reverence her husband is the will of God and the law of the relation.