Ephesians 5:2

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

Live in a loving way, just like Christ loved us and gave Himself up [to die] for us as an offering and fragrant smelling sacrifice to God.

Cross References

Matthew 20:28

Even so, the Son of man did not come to be served [by others] but to be the servant [of others], and to sacrifice His life as a ransom price to purchase many people [i.e., back from Satan].”

John 13:34

I am giving you a new commandment: love one another. Also you should love one another in the same way that I have loved you.

John 6:51

I am the living bread who came down from heaven; if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. Yes, and the bread that I will give [him] is my physical body, [so] that the world can have [never ending] life.”

Romans 15:16

in appointing me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I am serving like a priest in preaching God’s good news, so that the Gentiles might be like an acceptable sacrifice [to God], dedicated by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 4:25

[This] Jesus was delivered up [to die] for our sins and was raised [from the dead] to make us right with God.

Romans 8:3

For what the law was not able to do [for mankind], since it was [too] weak [to deliver them from condemnation] because fleshly people [were unable to obey it perfectly], God condemned sin in the flesh [i.e., sin was declared evil and its power over man broken]. God did this by sending His own Son in a body like sinful man’s, and to destroy sin,

Romans 8:37

No, [suffering any one of these things is not proof that Christ does not love us], for in spite of all these things we have a decisive victory [over life’s difficulties] through [the care shown us by] Christ who loved us.

1 Corinthians 16:14

Everything you do should be done lovingly.

1 Corinthians 5:7

Get rid of the old yeast [i.e., of sin, and especially the unrepentant sinner], so that you can be a new batch of dough, without yeast in it [i.e., a godly church without unrepentant sinners in it] as [I know] you really are. For our Passover [Lamb], Christ, has already been sacrificed.

2 Corinthians 2:14

But I offer thanks to God, who always leads us [preachers] to victory in [the service of] Christ, and through us makes known the “fragrant odor” of His knowledge everywhere.

2 Corinthians 2:15

For we [i.e., through our preaching] are like a fragrant incense which goes up to God, [and spreads the knowledge] of Christ among both saved and lost people.

2 Corinthians 8:9

For you know the unearned favor of our Lord Jesus Christ, [how] that even though He was rich, He became poor for your sakes, so that through His poverty you people could become [spiritually] rich.

Galatians 1:4

who gave Himself to [save us from] our sins so that He might deliver us from [the control and condemnation of] this present evil world. [This is] according to the will of our God and Father,

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified [i.e., died] with Christ, and so I am not the one who lives [anymore] but rather, it is Christ who lives in my heart. And [now] my entire life is being lived by trusting in the Son of God [to save and keep me], because He loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Ephesians 1:4

Even before the creation of the world God chose us, who are in [fellowship with] Christ, to be dedicated [to Him] and to be without just blame in His sight. Out of love

Ephesians 3:17

so that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. [I pray] that you will be rooted and grounded in [your] love,

Ephesians 3:19

and to know that His love for us surpasses [our] knowledge, so that you people will be completely filled with the fullness of God.

Ephesians 4:15

But [instead], we should speak [and practice] truth in a loving way, so that we can, in all respects, grow up [spiritually] into [union with] Christ, who is the head [i.e., of His body, the church].

Ephesians 4:2

Live in a humble, gentle and patient way, showing tolerance [for the weaknesses] of one another out of love [for them].

Ephesians 5:15

So, be careful how you live. Do not live ignorantly, but wisely,

Ephesians 5:25

Husbands, you should love your wives just as Christ also loved the church, and gave up His life for her,

Philippians 4:18

But I have everything [I need], and in abundance; I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts that you sent, [which are like] a fragrant-smelling sacrifice, acceptable and very pleasing to God.

Colossians 3:14

And beyond all these things, clothe yourselves with love, which binds these things together in complete [unity].

1 Thessalonians 4:9

Now you people do not need anyone to write to you about loving [your] brothers, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.

1 Timothy 2:6

who gave Himself as a ransom on behalf of all people [i.e., as a substitute in place of others]. The proper time for the testimony [of this event to be proclaimed] has arrived. [Note: The correct meaning of the foregoing sentence is very difficult to determine].

1 Timothy 4:12

Do not allow anyone to look down on you because you are [so] young, but you should be an example to those who believe [in Christ] in your speech, in your conduct, in your love, in your faith [and] in your purity.

Titus 2:14

He gave Himself up for us, to buy us back from [enslavement to] all [kinds of] wickedness and to purify for Himself a group of people who belong to Him and who are eager to do good deeds.

Hebrews 8:3

For every head priest [on earth] is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, so it is necessary that this Head Priest [i.e., Jesus] also have something to offer.

Hebrews 9:14

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Holy Spirit [or, His eternal Spirit] offered Himself without [moral] blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from deeds which lead to [spiritual] death to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:23

Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things [i.e., the Tabernacle, its furniture and utensils, etc.] to be [ceremonially] cleansed by these things [i.e., the blood of animal sacrifices], but the heavenly things themselves [i.e., the church, both on earth and in heaven] require better sacrifices than these [i.e., the sacrifice of Christ].

Hebrews 9:26

For then He would have had to suffer often since the creation of the world; but now at the end of the ages [i.e., the final period of world history] He has been revealed once [for all] to remove sin by sacrificing Himself.

1 Peter 4:8

Above everything else, have a warm love for one another, for such a love keeps many sins from occurring [between you].

1 John 3:16

Here is how we can know what [God’s] genuine love really is: It was [demonstrated by] Jesus laying down His life [on the cross] for us. And [because of that] we [too] should [be willing to] lay down our lives for [the sake of helping] our brothers [and sisters].

1 John 3:23

And this is His commandment: We should believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ [i.e., the person of Christ], and love one another, just as He has commanded us to do.

Revelation 1:5

[It is also] from Jesus Christ, who is the Faithful Witness [to the truth], the Firstborn from the dead [i.e., the first One raised never to die again], the Ruler of the kings of the world. May there be honor and power forever and ever to Christ, who loved us and released us from our sins by His blood [Note: Some manuscripts say “washed us” since the two Greek words are spelled almost alike].

Revelation 5:9

And they sang a new song [which went like this]: “You deserve to take the book and break the seals on it, for you were killed and, with your blood, you purchased people for God from every tribe and language and race and nation,