Ephesians 5:2

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Cross-reference

Ephesians 5:8 continues the 'walk' metaphor — as we walk in love (5:2), we also walk as children of light.

Ephesians 4:2 specifies the humility, gentleness, and patience that mark walking in love.

Ephesians 3:19 Related theme

In Ephesians 3:19, Paul prays for knowledge of Christ's surpassing love, the same love that motivates sacrifice here.

Ephesians 1:4 reveals that our walk in love (5:2) is rooted in God's choosing us in love before creation.

Ephesians 4:15 shows that love involves speaking truth and growing into Christ — love is not just feeling but truthful action.

Ephesians 3:17 roots love in Christ's indwelling — love flows from being rooted and grounded in Him.

In Hebrews 7:25-27, Christ as high priest offered himself once for all — emphasizing the finality and priestly nature of his sacrifice.

John 15:12 Parallel

In John 15:12, Jesus commands loving as he loved, directly echoing the call here to walk in love as Christ loved us.

John 13:34 Parallel

John 13:34 gives the same command to love as Christ loved — the foundation for walking in love.

John 15:13 Parallel

In John 15:13, laying down one's life is the greatest love, exemplified by Christ and urged here.

Titus 2:14 Parallel

In Titus 2:14, Christ gave himself to redeem and purify a people zealous for good works — adding the cleansing outcome.

Romans 8:3 Parallel

Romans 8:3 explains God sending His Son as a sin offering, matching the sacrificial giving of Christ for us.

1 Corinthians 5:7 identifies Christ as our Passover lamb who was sacrificed, directly linking to the sacrificial language of the main verse.

In 1 Timothy 2:6, Christ gave himself as a ransom for all — specifying the atoning purpose of his self-offering.

1 Corinthians 16:14 echoes the command to do everything in love — a concise summary of walking in love.

2 Corinthians 2:15 applies the 'aroma of Christ' to believers, directly connecting to Paul's description of Christ as a fragrant offering.

2 Corinthians 5:14 Related theme

In 2 Corinthians 5:14, Christ's love compels us, providing the motivation for the sacrificial love urged here.

2 Corinthians 5:15 Related theme

In 2 Corinthians 5:15, Christ's death is the basis for living not for oneself but for him who died and rose again.

Colossians 3:14 presents love as the unifying bond for all virtues — the same call to put on love.

In Galatians 1:4, Christ gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this evil age — specifying the deliverance his sacrifice accomplishes.

Galatians 2:20 Related theme

In Galatians 2:20, Paul personalizes Christ's self-giving ('for me') and links it to living by faith in the Son.

1 Peter 2:21-24 describes Christ's suffering as an example, echoing the self-giving love of Christ who bore our sins.

Revelation 5:9 celebrates Christ's sacrifice as the slain Lamb who ransoms people, echoing the 'gave himself up' in the main verse.

Revelation 1:5 proclaims Christ's love in freeing us from sins by his blood, the same sacrificial act that is a fragrant offering.

Leviticus 1:9 introduces the 'pleasing aroma' of burnt offerings — the precise OT language Paul applies to Christ's sacrifice.

1 John 4:21 Parallel

In 1 John 4:21, the command to love one another is restated, directly aligning with this call to walk in love.

1 John 3:16 Parallel

1 John 3:16 directly parallels Christ laying down his life for us, calling us to do the same for others — the same self-sacrificial love.

1 John 3:12 Contrast

In 1 John 3:12, Cain's hatred contrasts with Christ's sacrificial love, showing the opposite behavior.

1 Peter 4:8 Parallel

1 Peter 4:8 emphasizes earnest love that covers sins — the same call to walk in love with covering power.

Hebrews 10:12 states Christ offered a single sacrifice for all time and sat down, the same once-for-all offering described in the main verse.

Hebrews 10:11 contrasts Christ's one sacrifice with repeated OT offerings that cannot remove sin, highlighting the uniqueness of Christ's self-giving.

In Hebrews 10:10, we are sanctified through the offering of Christ's body once for all — highlighting the sanctifying effect.

Amos 5:21 Contrast

Amos 5:21 shows God rejecting offerings without justice — contrasting with Christ's acceptable sacrifice that embodies true love.

In Matthew 20:28, Jesus giving his life as a ransom parallels the self-sacrifice described here as a fragrant offering.

In Hebrews 9:26, Christ appeared once to put away sin by sacrificing himself — stressing the once-for-all removal of sin.

In Hebrews 9:14, Christ's self-offering purifies our conscience from dead works to serve the living God — adding inner cleansing.

1 Thessalonians 5:10 also emphasizes Christ died for us, directly paralleling Christ's self-giving in Eph 5:2. It reinforces the sacrificial basis for love.

Hebrews 12:2 adds the motive (joy) and outcome (exaltation) to Christ's death, complementing Eph 5:2's focus on his self-giving as a love offering.

Hebrews 8:3 Historical context

Hebrews 8:3 explains that every high priest offers gifts and sacrifices, providing the priestly framework for Christ's self-offering described in Eph 5:2.

Colossians 3:13 commands forgiveness as the Lord forgave — directly echoing the 'as Christ loved us' pattern in 5:2.

1 John 2:6 Parallel

In 1 John 2:6, the call to walk as Christ walked echoes the command to walk in love as Christ loved, reinforcing the imitation of Christ.

Philippians 4:18 uses the same 'fragrant offering' language — what Christ did (5:2) is mirrored in the Philippians' generous gift.

Philippians 2:5 calls for the same mindset as Christ's self-emptying — mirroring the 'gave himself up' of 5:2.

1 John 4:11 Parallel

1 John 4:11 commands love because God loved us, directly paralleling the call to walk in love as Christ loved us.

Hebrews 10:6 states God takes no pleasure in animal sacrifices, contrasting with Christ's sacrifice which Eph 5:2 calls a sweet-smelling savor. Shows why Christ's offering is superior.

Galatians 4:5 ties Christ's sacrifice to redemption and adoption, deepening the purpose of His giving Himself.

Luke 6:36 Parallel

In Luke 6:36, Jesus commands to be merciful as the Father is merciful—directly parallel to walking in love as Christ loved.

Genesis 22:9 depicts Abraham binding Isaac — a typology of a father offering his beloved son, prefiguring God's sacrifice of Christ.

In Leviticus 2:9, the grain offering is described as a sweet savor—Paul uses this same cultic language for Christ's sacrifice.

In Leviticus 4:31, the fat of a sin offering is burned as a sweet savor—Paul applies this to Christ's atoning sacrifice.

In Leviticus 4:35, the fat of a sin offering is a sweet savor—this OT type underlies Paul's description of Christ.

In Leviticus 8:21, the consecration ram is a sweet savor—Paul alludes to this type with Christ's offering.

In Numbers 15:3, the 'sweet aroma' of offerings prefigures Christ's sacrifice as a fragrant offering to God.

Numbers 28:2 commands a 'pleasing aroma' from daily offerings, echoing Paul's sacrificial language for Christ's love.

Isaiah 53:5 Prophetic fulfillment

Isaiah 53:5 prophesies Christ's wounds for our transgressions — the atoning suffering that fulfills the 'gave Himself for us' here.

Isaiah 53:10 describes the Messiah's soul as an offering for sin — directly matching the 'offering and sacrifice' language in this verse.

Luke 22:19 Parallel

In Luke 22:19, Jesus gives His body for us—the same sacrificial giving that Ephesians 5:2 says we should imitate.

John 6:51 Parallel

In John 6:51, Jesus says He gives His flesh for the life of the world—parallel to Christ giving Himself as an offering.

John 10:11 Parallel

In John 10:11, the Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep—directly parallel to Christ's self-giving in Ephesians 5:2.

Romans 4:25 Parallel

In Romans 4:25, Christ's delivery for our offenses directly reinforces the sacrificial giving of Himself described here.

Galatians 3:13 shows Christ becoming a curse to redeem us, another facet of His sacrificial work for us.

Second Corinthians 5:21 explains Christ being made sin for us, detailing the substitutionary nature of His sacrifice.

First Corinthians 15:3 states Christ died for our sins, the core event underlying His offering and sacrifice here.

First Corinthians 11:1 directly calls for imitation of Christ, which is the basis for walking in love as Christ loved.

John 10:15 Parallel

In John 10:15, Jesus lays down His life for the sheep—reinforcing the sacrificial love we are to imitate.

Genesis 8:21 uses 'pleasing aroma' for Noah's sacrifice, the same phrase applied to Christ's offering in the main verse.

1 John 3:23 Parallel

In 1 John 3:23, loving one another is commanded alongside belief, reinforcing the love command here.

1 John 4:20 Parallel

In 1 John 4:20, love for God is inseparable from love for others, tying directly to the walk of love here.

Exodus 29:18 describes the ram of ordination as a 'pleasing aroma' — the OT consecration offering Paul associates with Christ's self-giving.

Ezekiel 20:41 uses the exact 'sweet aroma' phrase for God accepting Israel — linking Christ's sacrifice to OT pleasing offerings.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 affirms that God teaches believers to love one another — love is divinely instructed.

In 2 Corinthians 8:9, Christ's self-emptying in becoming poor enriches us — a different expression of his self-giving love.

Colossians 2:6 ties walking to receiving Christ — 5:2 specifies that walk as love, modeled after Christ's self-giving.

1 John 3:11 Parallel

In 1 John 3:11, the command to love one another is the same message echoed here, grounded in Christ's example.

Colossians 1:14 describes the redemption Christ accomplished — the same sacrificial love mentioned in 5:2 provides forgiveness.

Leviticus 3:16 calls the peace offering fat a 'pleasing aroma' — another offering type echoed in Paul's 'fragrant offering'.

Colossians 1:10 calls for a walk worthy of the Lord — 5:2 specifies that walk as love, following Christ's example.

Leviticus 1:13 repeats the 'pleasing aroma' for bird offerings, reinforcing the sacrificial imagery Paul uses for Christ.

1 Timothy 4:12 includes love as a key area where believers set an example — walking in love is part of faithful witness.