Single lesson
Ephesians 5: Imitators of God
Ephesians 5:1–7; Ephesians 5:8–20; Ephesians 5:21–33
This lesson explores how Ephesians 5 joins three connected ideas: imitating God in love, living as children of light, and showing Christ-shaped relationships. Students will trace the passage and practise one realistic response drawn from its teaching.
Before you teach
In this passage, the readers are told to imitate God as beloved children, to walk in love as Christ loved, to reject deeds of darkness, and to walk wisely. The section then speaks about thanksgiving, Spirit-filled worship, mutual submission, and the way wives and husbands are addressed in relation to Christ and the assembly.
Students will be able to identify three main instructions in Ephesians 5 and explain one practical way to respond to them from the passage.
Welcome: Spot the repeated walk commands
5 minWrite three headings where everyone can see: love, light, and wisdom. Ask students to listen for repeated commands as the passage is read aloud. Briefly explain that “walk” here describes a way of life. Tell them they will trace how the chapter moves from personal conduct to shared worship and then to marriage.
Ephesians 5:2, Ephesians 5:8, Ephesians 5:15
Read and explain: Imitators of God and children of light
10 minRead Ephesians 5:1–20 in two parts. Explain that believers are called “beloved children” and told to imitate God by walking in love, following Christ’s self-giving love. Then note the contrast between darkness and light. Students list what the passage rejects, such as uncleanness, foolish talk and drunkenness, and what it commends, such as thanksgiving, wisdom and songs to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:1, Ephesians 5:2, Ephesians 5:3, Ephesians 5:4, Ephesians 5:8, Ephesians 5:9, Ephesians 5:15, Ephesians 5:18, Ephesians 5:19, Ephesians 5:20
Discuss: What does the light reveal?
8 minRead Ephesians 5:11–17 again and discuss the difference between joining in dark deeds and exposing them. Keep the discussion anchored to the text: the passage says such deeds are unfruitful, shameful and need the light. Then ask how wisdom and understanding the Lord’s will shape time, speech and choices in everyday situations like friendship, online talk and habits.
Ephesians 5:11, Ephesians 5:12, Ephesians 5:13, Ephesians 5:15, Ephesians 5:16, Ephesians 5:17
Make and respond: Relationship reminder card
12 minRead Ephesians 5:21–33 carefully. Explain that this part speaks first of submitting to one another in the fear of Christ, then addresses wives and husbands, with special weight given to the husband’s call to love as Christ loved the assembly. Students choose one verse from the whole chapter and make a small reminder card with a realistic action they can take this week.
Ephesians 5:21, Ephesians 5:22, Ephesians 5:25, Ephesians 5:28, Ephesians 5:32, Ephesians 5:33
Closing: Summarise the chapter’s pattern
5 minInvite students to share their chosen verse and one matching action. Summarise the chapter in order: imitate God in love, walk as children of light, walk wisely, give thanks, and understand marriage in relation to Christ and the assembly. Finish by naming one sentence each student could remember from the reading.
Ephesians 5:1, Ephesians 5:8, Ephesians 5:15, Ephesians 5:20, Ephesians 5:32
Questions to explore
How does the passage say God should be imitated?
Look for the command in the opening verses and the example that immediately follows: the text connects imitating God with walking in love as Christ loved and gave himself up.
Ephesians 5:1, Ephesians 5:2
What contrasts do you see between darkness and light in this chapter?
Use the actual words of the passage: darkness is linked with unfruitful deeds and shame, while light is linked with goodness, righteousness, truth and what pleases the Lord.
Ephesians 5:8, Ephesians 5:9, Ephesians 5:11, Ephesians 5:12, Ephesians 5:13
In the marriage section, what part is explained by Christ’s love for the assembly?
Notice how often Christ and the assembly are mentioned. The husband’s love is described by Christ’s self-giving love, and the passage says this mystery speaks concerning Christ and the assembly.
Ephesians 5:25, Ephesians 5:26, Ephesians 5:27, Ephesians 5:32, Ephesians 5:33
Make, think or respond
Key Verse Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- Plain card or paper
- Pens or pencils
- Markers
- Bible text
Try it together
- Ask each student to choose one verse from Ephesians 5 that they can understand and remember.
- Have them write the verse reference on one side and a short phrase from the verse on the other.
- Under the phrase, students add one realistic action that fits the verse, such as giving thanks, choosing wise words, or encouraging someone with a song or Scripture-based truth.
- Invite volunteers to explain why they chose that verse and how their action connects to the passage.
This activity helps students connect the chapter’s commands about love, light, wisdom, thanksgiving and relationships to a specific response grounded in Ephesians 5.
Adapt for your group
- For younger or less confident readers, pre-select four short verse options such as Ephesians 5:1, Ephesians 5:8, Ephesians 5:15 or Ephesians 5:20 and let them choose from those.
- For older students, ask them to group the chapter into its three movements, note repeated ideas like walk and love, and explain how Ephesians 5:21 connects with Ephesians 5:22–33.
An optional closing prayer
Suggested prayer: Lord, please help us walk in love, live as children of light, choose what pleases you, and give thanks in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Ephesians 5
1 Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.
2 Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.
3 But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints;
4 nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate, but rather giving of thanks.
5 Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.
7 Therefore don’t be partakers with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
9 for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth,
10 proving what is well pleasing to the Lord.
11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.
13 But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that reveals is light.
14 Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise,
16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore, don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
21 subjecting yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.
22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body.
24 But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself up for her,
26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
27 that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without defect.
28 Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.
29 For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly,
30 because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones.
31 “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife. Then the two will become one flesh.”
32 This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and the assembly.
33 Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.