Ephesians 5:1 Meaning and Explanation
“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →We are invited to imitate God the way a beloved child naturally copies a parent who is loved.
What Does Ephesians 5:1 Mean?
The word translated followers means imitators, and the picture is tender. A small child watches a parent and copies the walk, the words, the way of doing things, not out of duty but out of love and belonging. Paul says be that, toward God. The line just before this called us to be kind and forgiving as God has forgiven us (4:32), so the imitating is concrete: we love and forgive because we have watched our Father do exactly that.
The phrase as dear children is the ground the whole verse stands on. We imitate Him because we are already loved, already His. This is the family likeness growing in us. And the fullest image of God ever lived among us in Jesus, who showed us the Father's heart in flesh. To follow God is, in the end, to grow up to look like Christ, the beloved Son in whom we have been welcomed home.
Ephesians 5:1 in the Original Language
mimetes (μιμητής), 'followers' -- imitators; the word behind our 'mimic', one who copies a pattern closely.
How to Apply Ephesians 5:1 Today
We are not told to impress God but to imitate Him, the way a loved child copies a parent. Because we are already dear children, we can watch how our Father forgives and loves, and let that likeness grow in us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ephesians 5:1
What does Ephesians 5:1 mean?
We are invited to imitate God the way a beloved child naturally copies a parent who is loved.
How can I apply Ephesians 5:1 today?
We are not told to impress God but to imitate Him, the way a loved child copies a parent. Because we are already dear children, we can watch how our Father forgives and loves, and let that likeness grow in us.