Ephesians 5:3 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

³ But you should not even talk about sexual immorality, or any type of [moral] impurity, or greed. [Note: Possibly “greed” here means “desire for more” of such things]. Such talk is not suitable for saints [i.e., God’s holy people].

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

³ But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

³ But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting and proper among saints (God's consecrated people).

American Standard Version (1901)

³ But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becometh saints;

Common English Bible

³ Sexual immorality, and any kind of impurity or greed, shouldn’t even be mentioned among you, which is right for holy persons.

Catholic Public Domain Version

³ But let not any kind of fornication, or impurity, or rapacity so much as be named among you, just as is worthy of the saints,

Ephesians 5:3 Cross References

Matthew 15:19

For evil thoughts, murder, extramarital affairs, sexual immorality, stealing, perjury, slander --- [all these] come from a person’s heart,

Luke 12:15

And [then] He said to them, “Be careful and guard yourselves against [practicing] all forms of greed, for a person’s life does not consist of having a lot of possessions.”

Luke 16:14

Then the Pharisees, who loved money, heard these things and sneered at Jesus.

Acts 15:20

but to write [urging] them to avoid [eating] what is contaminated by [its association with] idol worship, from sexual immorality, from [eating] strangled animals and from [drinking] blood.

Acts 20:33

[You know that] I had no greedy desire for anyone’s silver, gold or clothing.

Romans 1:29

They are full of all kinds of wickedness, evil, greed, and maliciousness. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,

Romans 16:2

Welcome her [as someone to fellowship] in the Lord, in a way that God’s people should. And you people should help her in whatever way she needs you, for she herself has helped many people, including me.

Romans 6:13

And do not offer the parts of your bodies [i.e., hands, eyes, etc. See Matt. 5:29-30] as tools for [accomplishing] evil purposes; but [instead] offer yourselves to God, as [people who are] alive from the dead [i.e., no longer under the power of sin] and the parts of your bodies as tools for [accomplishing] righteous purposes for God.

1 Corinthians 10:8

Neither should we commit sexual immorality as some of them did, [with] 23,000 people falling dead in one day. [Note: Num. 25:9 mentions 24,000 people slain, but that number could have included the additional people slain by the judges. See Num. 25:5].

1 Corinthians 5:1

It has actually been reported [to me] that there is a case of sexual immorality among you that is unheard of, even among the [unconverted] Gentiles. One of you is having sex with his stepmother.

1 Corinthians 6:13

“Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food;” but God will destroy both of them. Yet the body is not intended for sexual immorality, but is intended for the Lord’s [honor and service]; and the Lord is for the body’s [benefit].

1 Corinthians 6:18

Stay away from [any involvement in] sexual immorality. Every sin a person commits is outside [the realm] of his body; but the one who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. [Note: Possibly this means that sex, because it requires the deepest and most complete commitment of human involvement, becomes a unique sin when its true purpose and expression are violated].

2 Corinthians 12:21

I am afraid that, when I come, my God will humiliate me in front of you, and I will be grieved over many [of those] who have sinned in the past without repenting of the [moral] impurity, sexual immorality and unrestrained indecency they have practiced.

Ephesians 5:12

For it is shameful even to talk about the things they do in private.

Ephesians 5:5

For you [should] know this for certain: No sexually immoral or [morally] impure person, or greedy person, who is [the same as] an idol worshiper, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Philippians 1:27

So, [whatever happens], live your daily lives in such a way as to be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or remain absent from you, I will hear about you, that you are standing firm in one spirit [i.e., united in purpose, and] contending with one mind for the faith of the Gospel [i.e., for the body of Christian teaching].

Colossians 3:5

So, put to death [i.e., stop practicing] the desires of your physical bodies [such as] sexual immorality, [moral] impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is [in reality] idolatry.

1 Thessalonians 4:3

For it is God’s will that you should be dedicated to Him, [that is], you should avoid sexual immorality.

1 Thessalonians 4:7

For God did not call us to be morally impure, but to be dedicated to Him.

1 Timothy 2:10

but with good deeds, which are [more] appropriate for women who claim to be godly.

1 Timothy 3:3

[He must] not be a drunkard or a fighter, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not wanting to get money by questionable [or, dishonest] means.

1 Timothy 6:10

For, loving money is a source of all kinds of evil, [and] some people who crave it have been led astray from the faith, and have stabbed themselves [in the heart] with many sorrows.

2 Timothy 3:2

For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive talkers, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

Titus 1:11

They must be silenced [because] they are upsetting entire families by teaching things they should not be for the shameful purpose of making money.

Titus 1:7

As God’s manager [of the church], an overseer must be free from just blame, not a drunkard, not a fighter [and] not in love with money.

Titus 2:3

Older women, likewise, should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine, teachers of what is good.

Hebrews 12:16

and that no one becomes immoral or ungodly, like Esau, who sold his right to the firstborn son’s inheritance for a single meal.

1 Peter 5:2

You should serve as shepherds of God’s flock [i.e., the church], among whom you minister, providing careful oversight [of the people], not because you feel forced to, but because you want to, as this is in accordance with the way God wants it to be. Do not [serve as elders] simply out of a desire for the income you receive, but because your heart is in it.

2 Peter 2:10

[This fate will come upon] those people especially who corrupt themselves with physical desires and despise being ruled by others. They are daring, self-willed, and are not afraid to speak against glorious beings [i.e., angels],

2 Peter 2:14

Their eyes are filled with sexual lust, and they are never satisfied when it comes to sinning. They entice unstable people and have hearts trained to be greedy [i.e., they continually desire the possessions of others]. [In this condition] they are under God’s curse.

2 Peter 2:3

And through greedy desires and deceptive words they will exploit you [for evil purposes]. But the judgment that they have had coming for a long time will not delay, but will eventually awaken [i.e., arrive] to bring destruction upon them.

Revelation 2:14

“But I have a few things against you because you have people there [in the church] who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites, [causing them] to eat food sacrificed to idols and to be sexually immoral [See Num. 23-24].

Revelation 2:21

And I gave her time to repent, but she refused to repent of her sexual immorality.

Revelation 21:8

But the place for cowards, and unbelievers, and disgusting people [i.e., because of their terrible sins], and murderers, and sexually immoral people, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will be the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

Revelation 22:15

On the outside [of the city] are the dogs [Note: This probably refers to people who practiced sexual perversions. See Deut. 23:17] and the sorcerers, and the sexually immoral people, and the murderers, and the idolaters and every person who loves and practices falsehood.

Revelation 9:21

And they refused to repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality and their thievery.