Ephesians 5

Be therefore imitators of God1, as beloved children. 2Walk in love, even as AL-MASIH2 also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance. 

3But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; 4nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks.

5Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of AL-MASIH and God.

6Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. 7Therefore do not be partakers with them. 8For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord3. Walk as children of light, 9for the fruit of the Spirit4 is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, 10proving what is well-pleasing to the Lord. 11Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them. 12For the things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. 13But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that is revealed is light. 14Therefore he says, 

“Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and AL-MASIH will shine on you.” 5

15Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18Do not be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and singing praises in your heart to the Lord; 20giving thanks always concerning all things in the Name of our LORD ‘ISA6 AL-MASIH, to God, even the Father; 21subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of AL-MASIH.

22Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, and AL-MASIH also is the head of the congregation7, being himself the Saviour of the body. 24But as the congregation is subject to AL-MASIH, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.

25Husbands, love your wives, even as AL-MASIH also loved the congregation, and gave himself up for it; 26that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, 27that he might present the congregation to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. 29For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the congregation; 30because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. 

31“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother, and will join with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 8

32This mystery is great, but I speak concerning AL-MASIH and of the congregation. 33Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Next Page

  1. 5:1 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
  2. 5:2 AL-MASIH – an Arabic title equivalent to the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek), all of which mean the Anointed One, that is, God’s Chosen One. In ancient times, divinely-appointed kings, priests and prophets were anointed with oil to signify their appointment to office. All of them point ahead to God’s ultimate Anointed One, the Messiah, AL-MASIH.  Al-Kitab unanimously points to ‘ISA Ibn Maryam as the only person worthy to bear the title AL-MASIH. He is the one whom God sent into this world to save people from sin, and to usher in God’s Kingdom at his Second Coming. ↩︎
  3. 5:8 Lord, translated from the Greek kurios. Depending on context, it can refer to: 1. God, 2. ’ISA AL-MASIH, 3. men in authority, such as kings, landlords, etc., 4. a respectful salutation meaning, “sir.” ↩︎
  4. 5:9 Spirit, or Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God; not an angel, created being, nor an impersonal force, but the uncreated, eternal Spirit of God himself. The Spirit was present and active at the creation of heaven and earth (see Genesis 1:2), and today lives inside of every follower of ‘ISA AL-MASIH, empowering them to live in a way pleasing to God. ↩︎
  5. 5:14 Paraphrasing the Taurat, Shaya 60:1-2 which says: “Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of YAHWEH is risen on you. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but YAHWEH will arise on you, and his glory shall be seen on you.” ↩︎
  6. 5:20 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
  7. 5:23 congregation, the community of believers in ‘ISA AL-MASIH, the Christian church. ↩︎
  8. 5:31 Quoting the Taurat, Genesis 2:24 which says: “For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ↩︎