Ephesians 5:1

Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.

BSB

Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,

KJV

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

ASV

Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;

BBE

Let it then be your desire to be like God, as well-loved children;

Original Greek

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The early church

That thou mayest not then think it an act of necessity, hear how He saith, that "He gave Himself up." As thy Master loved thee, love thou thy friend. Nay, but neither wilt thou be able so to love; yet still do so as far as thou art able. Oh, what can be more blessed than a sound like this! Tell me of royalty or whatever else thou wilt, there is no comparison. Forgive another, and thou art "imitating God," thou art made like unto God. It is more our duty to forgive trespasses than debts of money; for if thou forgive debts, thou hast not "imitated God"; whereas if thou shalt forgive trespasses, thou art "imitating God." And yet how shalt thou be able to say, "I am poor, and am not able to forgive it," that is, a debt, when thou forgivest not that which thou art able to forgive, that is, a trespass? And surely thou dost not deem that in this case there is any loss. Yea, is it not rather wealth, is it not abundance, is it not a plentiful store?
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Ephesians
And behold yet another and a nobler incitement: "as beloved children," saith he. Ye have yet another cogent reason to imitate Him, not only in that ye have received such good at His hands, but also in that ye are called His children. And since not all children imitate their fathers, but those which are beloved, therefore he saith, "as beloved children."
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Ephesians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · 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 beloved by their heavenly Father. In Christ's sacrifice his love triumphs, and we are to consider it fully.

Read Matthew Henry on Ephesians 5 →

Cross-references

12

Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.