Ephesians 5:18

16 ^aredeeming the time, ^bbecause the days are evil.

17 ^aTherefore do not be unwise, but ^bunderstand ^cwhat the will of the Lord is.

18 And ^ado not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

19 speaking to one another ^ain psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making ^bmelody in your heart to the Lord,

20 ^agiving thanks always for all things to God the Father ^bin the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

21 ^asubmitting to one another in the fear of¹ God.

Marriage—Christ and the Church

22 Wives, ^asubmit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

23 For ^athe husband is head of the wife, as also ^bChrist is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands ^ain everything.

25 ^aHusbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and ^bgave Himself for her,

26 that He might¹ sanctify and cleanse her ^awith the washing of water ^bby the word,

27 ^athat He might present her to Himself a glorious church, ^bnot having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.

29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.

30 For ^awe are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

31 ^a“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the ^btwo shall become one flesh.”

32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33 Nevertheless ^alet each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she ^brespects her husband.

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

<< Ephesians 5:17

Ephesians 5:19 >>

What Does Ephesians 5:18 Mean?

Ephesians 5:18

Notice what follows because Paul is pointing out activities of those who are filled with the Spirit.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Unity (Part 7): Ephesians 4 (D)

Ephesians 5:15-20

"Joy" does not appear in this passage, but Paul's purpose is to instruct us how to produce the sustained sense of well-being that should mark a Christian's life. When a person feels good about life, about who and what he is, what he is doing with his life, and where it is headed, a sense of joy is always present. Paul's instructions are timeless in producing this.

"Walk circumspectly" indicates keeping the commandments. Paul advises us to make the most profitable use of our time, considering the state of this world. He warns us not to be foolish, and always to consider, search for, and focus upon the purpose God is working out. Then in verse 18 he makes an interesting contrast that directly involves producing the joy that should accompany the life of anyone heeding these instructions.

The verse contains a play on words. It is no accident that alcohol is associated with "Spirit." Paul's counsel is not to seek joy in the sensuous, self-centered, worldly ways that produce dissipation or debauchery, but rather to be filled with the Spirit, singing and meditating on God's Word as we give thanks in all circumstances. This formula is guaranteed to produce a sustained sense of well-being because it removes the natural self-seeking from our lives and replaces it with a God-centered way of glorifying Him. This allows joy to be the fruit, the blessing of the Almighty, rather than the direct object of our pursuit.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

<< Ephesians 5:17

Ephesians 5:19 >>

Join 137,114+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.

Marriage—Christ and the Church

What Does Ephesians 5:18 Mean?

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning