Ephesians 5 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

Imitate God — walk in love 5:1–2

Therefore become imitators of God,independent — the hinge from 4:32 — imitatio Dei, the section's thesis

as beloved children,comparative — the ground of the imitation — children resemble their Father

and walk in love,independent — the walk-motif resumed (4:1) — love as its sphere

just as Christ also loved uscomparative — the measure of the walk — Christ's love

and gave himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma.comparative — coordinate with ἠγάπησεν — the cross in cultic dress (Gen 8:21; Lev 1:9)

No part in the deeds of immorality 5:3–7

vv. 3–4 — not even named: the vices of body and tongue

But sexual immorality and all impurity or greed must not even be named among you,independent — the antithesis of the love-walk — a third-person prohibition

as is fitting for saints,comparative — the standard — what becomes the consecrated

and shameful conduct and foolish talk or coarse jesting,phrase modifier — the second triad — sins of the tongue, ὀνομαζέσθω carried over

which are not fitting,relative — the neuter plural sweeps up the whole list

but rather thanksgiving.phrase modifier — the substitute — elliptical: 'let there be' thanksgiving instead

vv. 5–7 — the warning: no inheritance, coming wrath, no partnership

For know this — knowing it full well —independent — ἴστε read as imperative; ἴστε γινώσκοντες mirrors a Hebrew infinitive absolute

that no immoral or impure or greedy person —content — the vices of v. 3 personified; the subject suspended over the parenthesis

that is, an idolater —relative — the neuter ὅ — greed unmasked as idolatry

has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.content — the ὅτι clause's verb resumed — the covenant allotment (1:14, 18) denied

Let no one deceive you with empty words;independent — against the talkers-away of judgment

for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.cause — the warning is no empty word — wrath already on its way (cf. 2:2–3)

Therefore do not become partners with them;independent — the inference — μὴ γίνεσθε answers Γίνεσθε (v. 1)

Children of light 5:8–14

vv. 8–10 — once darkness, now light: walk accordingly

for you were once darkness,independent — γάρ grounds v. 7 — the then/now schema (cf. 2:11–13)

but now light in the Lord.independent — verbless — you ARE light, not merely in it

walk as children of lightindependent — the imperative frame again — be what you are

— for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth —cause — verbless parenthesis — light's singular fruit vs. darkness's fruitless works (v. 11)

testing what is pleasing to the Lord;participial — means of the walk — ongoing discernment (cf. Rom 12:2)

vv. 11–14 — take no part but expose: what light touches becomes light

and do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness,independent — the negative — no fellowship with barren deeds

but rather even expose them.independent — the corrective — light does not only abstain, it unmasks

for it is shameful even to speak of the things done by them in secret;cause — why exposure is needed — deeds too shameful even to name

but everything exposed by the light is made visible,cause — why exposure works — light makes manifest

for everything that is made visible is light.cause — the gnomic capstone — what light touches, it transforms into light

Therefore it says:independent — the citation formula (cf. 4:8) — introducing no canonical text but, most likely, a baptismal hymn

'Awake, O sleeper,content — the hymn fragment — sleep as the old darkness

and rise from the dead,content — resurrection language for conversion (2:1, 5–6)

and Christ will shine on you.'content — the promise — Isa 60:1–2 echoed, Christ as the dawning light

Walk wisely — be filled with the Spirit 5:15–21

vv. 15–17 — the careful walk: redeem the time, understand the will

Watch carefully, then,independent — the third walk-imperative frame

how you walk —content — indirect question — the object of the watching

not as unwise but as wise,phrase modifier — the manner — the wisdom antithesis

redeeming the time,participial — the wise walk's practice — buying up every opportunity

because the days are evil.cause — the urgency — evil days make time precious

Because of this do not become foolish,independent — the negative restated — γίνεσθε again

but understandindependent — the positive counterpart

what the will of the Lord is.content — verbless indirect question — the object of understanding

vv. 18–21 — not wine but the Spirit: one imperative, five participles

And do not get drunk with wine,independent — the false filling

in which is debauchery,relative — on οἴνῳ — the antecedent read as the wine-drinking itself

but be filled in the Spirit,independent — the governing imperative — five participles hang from this one verb

addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,participial — participle 1 — the filled life speaks to the community

singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord,participial — participles 2 and 3 — song turned inward and Lordward

giving thanks always for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God the Father,participial — participle 4 — the εὐχαριστία of v. 4 made a way of life

submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.participial — participle 5 — mutual submission: the hinge into the household code

Wives — as the church to Christ 5:22–24

Wives — to your own husbands, as to the Lord,independent — verbless — the verb supplied from ὑποτασσόμενοι (v. 21): the code grows out of mutual submission

because the husband is head of the wife,cause — the ground — headship

as Christ also is head of the church,comparative — verbless — the christological analogy (cf. 1:22; 4:15)

he himself the Savior of the body;phrase modifier — apposition — αὐτός marks where the analogy stops: Christ alone saves

But as the church submits to Christ,comparative — fronted comparative — leans on the main clause below (ὡς … οὕτως)

so also wives to their husbands, in everything.independent — verbless again — ὑποτάσσεται carried over from the comparison

Husbands — Christ, the church, and the great mystery 5:25–33

vv. 25–27 — the pattern: he loved, gave himself, to sanctify and present her

Husbands, love your wives,independent — the husband's whole duty — one verb: love

just as Christ also loved the churchcomparative — the measure — the same pairing as v. 2

and gave himself up for her,comparative — coordinate with ἠγάπησεν — self-surrender, the cost of the love

that he might sanctify her,purpose — purpose 1 — consecration

having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,participial — the means — the bridal bath (Ezek 16:9), read baptismally, joined to the word

that he might present the church to himself in splendor,purpose — purpose 2, built on the first — the bridegroom presents the bride to himself

having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing,participial — the bride described — flawless

but that she might be holy and blameless.purpose — the third ἵνα — the goal of 1:4 reached: ἁγία καὶ ἄμωμος

vv. 28–30 — the application: the wife as one's own body

In the same way husbands too ought to love their own wives as their own bodies.independent — οὕτως — as Christ loved the church-body, so the husband his wife-body

He who loves his own wife loves himself,independent — the aphorism — one flesh means self-love and wife-love coincide

for no one ever hated his own flesh,cause — the ground — an appeal to universal experience

but nourishes and cherishes it,cause — the positive side of the ground — feeding and warming

just as Christ also does the church,comparative — verbless — ἐκτρέφει καὶ θάλπει carried over: Christ nourishing his body

because we are members of his body.cause — why Christ so tends the church — we are limbs of his own body

vv. 31–33 — Genesis 2:24 and the great mystery

'For this reason a man will leave his father and motherindependent — Gen 2:24 — quoted without a citation formula, flush with the argument

and will be joined to his wife,independent — Gen 2:24 — the cleaving

and the two will become one flesh.'independent — Gen 2:24 — the one-flesh union, the σάρξ of v. 29 given its charter

This mystery is great —independent — the μυστήριον — Gen 2:24's union read at full depth, not marriage's obscurity

but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.independent — the referent declared — ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω: the union is Christ and the church

Nevertheless, let each one of you also love his own wife as himself,independent — πλήν — back from the mystery to the household: the husband's summary charge

and the wife — let her fear her husband.independent — imperatival ἵνα — an independent command, with the subject cast forward

Analysis. The chapter is framed by flush-left purple imperatives of becoming and walking — Γίνεσθε (v. 1), περιπατεῖτε (vv. 2, 8), Βλέπετε … πῶς περιπατεῖτε (v. 15) — each trailing its own short chain: pink comparative lines keep setting Christ beside the command (vv. 2, 25, 29), and the one blue column of the first half hangs a three-line hymn fragment from the single word λέγει (v. 14) — 'Awake, sleeper', quoted as Scripture speaks though no Scripture contains it, most likely a baptismal hymn woven from Isaiah 60. The chapter's structural signature is v. 18: after the last flush-left prohibition (not wine) the imperative πληροῦσθε ἐν πνεύματι carries five teal participles in a single suspended column — speaking, singing and psalming, giving thanks, submitting — the Spirit-filled life spelled out as one sentence; and the fifth participle, ὑποτασσόμενοι, is the hinge on which the household code turns: v. 22 is a dashed verbless line ('Wives — to your own husbands') whose verb must be borrowed from v. 21's mutual submission, so the code visibly grows out of the Spirit sentence rather than starting fresh. Interpretive choices the layout takes a side on: ἴστε (v. 5) is read as imperative ('know this'), with γινώσκοντες kept on its line as the Hebraic doubling; ἐν ᾧ (v. 18) takes οἴνῳ as its antecedent (debauchery lies in the drinking, though some read it of the whole practice); the ὡς … οὕτως correlative of v. 24 is set like a protasis, leaning forward on its verbless apodosis; the Gen 2:24 citation (v. 31) stands flush left because no citation formula introduces it; and τὸ μυστήριον (v. 32) is taken as the one-flesh union of Gen 2:24 read of Christ and the church — 'great' in what it signifies, not obscure.