Walk in Love

Ephesians 5

1 j Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And k walk in love, l as Christ loved us and m gave himself up for us, a n fragrant o offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But p sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness q must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be r no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, s which are out of place, but instead t let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that u everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( v that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 w Let no one x deceive you with empty words, for because of these things y the wrath of God comes upon z the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore a do not become partners with them; 8 for b at one time you were c darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. d Walk as children of light 9 (for e the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and f try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 g Take no part in the h unfruitful i works of darkness, but instead j expose them. 12 For k it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when l anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,

14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
m "Awake, O sleeper,
and n arise from the dead,
and o Christ will shine on you."

15 p Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 p making the best use of the time, because q the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what r the will of the Lord is. 18 And s do not get drunk with wine, for that is t debauchery, but u be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in v psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 w giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father x in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 y submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

  1. Cross References
    Ephesians 4:32
    Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
    Matthew 5:7
    Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
    Matthew 5:48
    You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
    Luke 6:36
    Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
  2. Cross References
    Romans 14:15
    For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
    Colossians 3:14
    And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
    John 13:34
    A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
  3. Cross References
    Romans 8:37
    No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
  4. Cross References
    Romans 4:25
    Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 8:21
    And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.
  6. Cross References
    Hebrews 7:27
    He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.
    Hebrews 9:14
    How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
    Hebrews 10:10
    And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
    Hebrews 10:12
    But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
  7. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 6:18
    Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
    Galatians 5:19
    Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality.
  8. Cross References
    Ephesians 5:12
    For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.
    Psalms 16:4
    The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
  9. Cross References
    Ephesians 4:29
    Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
    Ecclesiastes 10:13
    The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness.
  10. Cross References
    Romans 1:28
    And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
  11. Cross References
    Ephesians 5:20
    Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  12. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 6:9
    Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality.
  13. Cross References
    Colossians 3:5
    Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
  14. Cross References
    Matthew 24:4
    And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray.
  15. Cross References
    Colossians 2:8
    See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
  16. Cross References
    Romans 1:18
    For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
    Colossians 3:6
    On account of these the wrath of God is coming.
  17. Cross References
    Ephesians 2:2
    In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience -
    1 Peter 1:14
    As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.
  18. Cross References
    Ephesians 3:6
    This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
  19. Cross References
    Ephesians 2:1 - 2
    And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
  20. Cross References
    Acts 26:18
    To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
  21. Cross References
    Isaiah 2:5
    O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.
    Luke 16:8
    The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
    John 12:35 - 36
    So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
  22. Cross References
    Galatians 5:22
    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
    Romans 7:4
    Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.
  23. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 2:4
    But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.
    1 Thessalonians 5:21
    But test everything; hold fast what is good.
  24. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 5:9
    I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people -
  25. Cross References
    Romans 6:21
    But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
  26. Cross References
    Romans 13:12
    The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
  27. Cross References
    Leviticus 19:17
    You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.
    1 Timothy 5:20
    As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
  28. Cross References
    Ephesians 5:3
    But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.
  29. Cross References
    John 3:20 - 21
    For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
    Ephesians 5:9
    (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true).
  30. Cross References
    Isaiah 51:17
    Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the cup of staggering.
    Isaiah 52:1
    Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.
    Isaiah 60:1
    Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
    Malachi 4:2
    But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
    Romans 13:11
    Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
  31. Cross References
    Isaiah 26:19
    Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
  32. Cross References
    Luke 1:78 - 79
    Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
  33. Cross References
    Colossians 4:5
    Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
    Proverbs 15:21
    Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.
  34. Cross References
    Ephesians 5:15
    Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.
  35. Cross References
    Ephesians 6:13
    Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
    Ecclesiastes 12:1
    Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them".
    Amos 5:13
    Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time.
    Galatians 1:4
    Who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
  36. Cross References
    Romans 12:2
    Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
    1 Thessalonians 4:3
    For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.
    1 Thessalonians 5:18
    Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
  37. Cross References
    Proverbs 20:1
    Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
    Proverbs 23:20
    Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat.
    Proverbs 23:31
    Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
    1 Corinthians 5:11
    But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler - not even to eat with such a one.
  38. Cross References
    Titus 1:6
    If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.
    1 Peter 4:4
    With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you.
  39. Cross References
    Luke 1:15
    For he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
  40. Cross References
    Acts 16:25
    About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
    1 Corinthians 14:26
    What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
    Colossians 3:16
    Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
    James 5:13
    Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
  41. Cross References
    Colossians 3:17
    And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
    1 Thessalonians 1:2
    We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers.
    2 Thessalonians 1:3
    We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.
  42. Cross References
    Hebrews 13:15
    Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
    John 14:13
    Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
  43. Cross References
    Philippians 2:3
    Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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