Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:

• Papyrus 46 (c. 200)
• Papyrus 49 (3rd century)
• Codex Vaticanus (325–350)
• Codex Sinaiticus (330–360)
• Codex Alexandrinus (400–440)
• Codex Freerianus (c. 450; extant verses 6–11, 20–24, 32–33)
• Codex Claromontanus (c. 550)

Old Testament references

• Ephesians 5:14: Isaiah 60:1^[4]
• Ephesians 5:15: Colossians 4:5^[4]
• Ephesians 5:31: Genesis 2:24

Verse 14

Therefore He says
"Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light."^[6]

Verse 14 may be a snatch of an early hymn.^[7] Charles Wesley describes "one who sleeps" as "a sinner satisfied in his sins; contented to remain in his fallen state".^[8]

Verse 16

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.^[9]

• "Redeeming the time": from Ancient Greek: ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρόν, exagorazomenoi ton kairon,^[10] "buying up for yourselves the opportunity".^[11]

Verse 17

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.^[12]

• "Therefore do not be unwise": from Greek: διὰ τοῦτο μὴ γίνεσθε ἄφρονες, dia touto mē ginesthe aphrones,^[13] "for this cause become not ye foolish".^[11]

Verse 18

Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.^[14]

Biblical theologian James Dunn notes a comparison between this exhortation and Pentecost day as it is recounted in Acts 2: "As at Pentecost the effect of the Spirit could give an impression of drunkenness. The difference is that strong drink taken in excess resulted in debauchery and dissipation", whereas fullness of the Spirit came to expression most characteristically in ... praise [of God] from the heart, and life lived in a spirit of thankfulness to God.^[7][verify]

Verse 22

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.^[15]

Verse 25

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,^[16]

Verse 27

and that He might present to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.^[17]

• "He": translated from the Greek pronoun αὐτός, autos, which focuses attention on Christ as the one who makes the church glorious.^[18]
• "Without blemish": that is, "without any fault to be found in her"; apparently alluding to the sacrifices (Leviticus 1:3; cf. Song of Solomon 4:7).^[19]

Verse 28

So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.^[20]

• "As their own bodies": like a common Jewish saying that a man's wife is, "as his own body";^[21] and it is one of the precepts of their wise men, that a man should honour his wife more than his body, and "love her as his body";^[22] for as they also say, they are but one body;^[23] the apostle seems to speak in the language of his countrymen, as his doctrine and theirs agree in this point.^[24]
• "He that loves his wife loves himself": because she is one body and flesh with him.^[24]