Ephesians 5:3

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Cross-reference

Ephesians 5:5 directly warns that the sexually immoral, impure, or covetous have no inheritance, reinforcing the prohibition in verse 3.

Ephesians 5:12 reinforces that such sins are shameful even to mention, urging silence about what the disobedient do in secret.

Ephesians 4:17 Historical context

In Ephesians 4:17, Paul warns against walking like Gentiles, providing the broader context for why sexual immorality must not be named among saints.

Ephesians 4:19 describes the Gentiles' former sensuality and impurity, contrasting with the holiness demanded in verse 3.

Ephesians 4:20 states believers did not learn Christ that way, contrasting the old lifestyle with the new calling to avoid impurity.

In 1 Timothy 3:3, an overseer must not be a lover of money — applying the same prohibition to church leadership here.

1 Corinthians 6:9 warns that the sexually immoral will not inherit God's kingdom — showing the gravity behind Paul's command here.

In 1 Corinthians 6:10, the greedy are listed among those who will not inherit God's kingdom — reinforcing the warning against covetousness.

In 1 Corinthians 6:18, Paul commands to flee sexual immorality, emphasizing urgent avoidance as here.

1 Corinthians 10:8 warns by example—Israel's fall from sexual sin—reinforcing the call to avoid it.

2 Corinthians 12:21 shows Paul mourning over unrepentant sexual sin, highlighting the seriousness of the prohibition.

Galatians 5:19-21 lists sexual immorality among works of the flesh that exclude from God's kingdom, echoing the warning.

Colossians 3:5 parallels nearly verbatim—'sexual immorality, impurity, covetousness'—as vices to put to death.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 states God's will as abstaining from sexual immorality, directly supporting the command.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 contrasts impurity with holiness, reinforcing the call to be saints as in Ephesians.

1 Corinthians 6:13 declares the body is for the Lord, not for sexual immorality — directly grounding the call to not even name such sins.

In 1 Timothy 6:10, the love of money is called a root of all kinds of evil — expanding on the danger of covetousness mentioned here.

In 2 Timothy 3:2, being lovers of money is a mark of last-days people — echoing the same covetousness condemned here.

Titus 1:7 Related theme

In Titus 1:7, an overseer must not be greedy for gain — a specific application of the impurity and covetousness forbidden here.

Titus 1:11 Parallel

In Titus 1:11, false teachers are silenced for teaching for shameful gain — a direct example of covetousness condemned here.

Hebrews 12:16 warns against sexual immorality using Esau as an example, underlining the danger.

Hebrews 13:4 honors marriage and condemns sexual immorality, providing a positive counterpart to the prohibition.

In Hebrews 13:5, believers are commanded to keep free from love of money — a direct parallel to the covetousness prohibition here.

1 Peter 5:2 Related theme

In 1 Peter 5:2, elders are urged to shepherd not for shameful gain — applying the same greed prohibition to pastoral ministry.

2 Peter 2:3 Parallel

In 2 Peter 2:3, false teachers exploit with greed — illustrating the covetousness that must not even be named among you.

2 Peter 2:10 describes false teachers indulging in defiling passion, showing consequences of ignoring the command.

In 2 Peter 2:14, false teachers are described with eyes full of adultery and hearts trained in greed — the same vices Paul prohibits here.

Revelation 21:8 warns the sexually immoral face eternal judgment, intensifying the seriousness of Paul's command to avoid this sin.

Revelation 22:15 excludes the sexually immoral from the New Jerusalem, reinforcing why Paul says such sin must not be named among saints.

1 Corinthians 5:1 provides a concrete example of sexual immorality in the church that Paul directly confronts.

Joshua 7:21 Parallel

Joshua 7:21 recounts Achan's coveting that led to Israel's defeat, a vivid warning of the consequences Paul's command seeks to prevent.

Exodus 20:17 is the direct commandment 'You shall not covet,' the foundational law behind Paul's instruction against covetousness.

Mark 7:22 Parallel

Mark 7:22 lists greed (the same Greek word) among evils from the heart—directly matching the specific sin here.

Luke 12:15 Parallel

Luke 12:15 warns against all kinds of greed, amplifying Jesus' explicit teaching against the very sin named here.

Acts 15:20 Parallel

Acts 15:20 explicitly commands Gentile believers to abstain from sexual immorality — the same prohibition Paul enforces in the church here.

Acts 20:33 Parallel

In Acts 20:33, Paul testifies he coveted no one's possessions — modeling the freedom from covetousness commanded here.

1 Corinthians 5:11 commands not to associate with a brother who is sexually immoral — directly applying the same prohibition within the church community.

Romans 7:7 Parallel

Romans 7:7 reveals that the law exposes covetousness as sin — the same covetousness Paul forbids here.

Genesis 34:7 calls Shechem's act 'a thing that should not be done' among God's people, directly parallel to Paul's 'improper for holy people'.

Exodus 20:14 Historical context

Exodus 20:14 is the OT command against adultery that underlies Paul's broader prohibition of all sexual immorality here.

In 1 Timothy 1:10, the sexually immoral are listed among those contrary to sound doctrine, directly echoing the prohibition of sexual immorality in Ephesians.

Matthew 15:20 concludes that sexual immorality defiles a person from within — the same principle Paul enforces by forbidding it among saints.

In Romans 13:13, Paul similarly lists sexual immorality among vices to avoid, reinforcing the same call to purity in walking properly.

Romans 8:13 Parallel

Romans 8:13 commands putting to death deeds of the body by the Spirit — the same imperative behind Paul's call to avoid sexual immorality.

Matthew 15:19 traces sexual immorality to the heart — showing that the command to avoid naming it targets sin's inward source.

Micah 2:2 Parallel

Micah 2:2 describes coveting fields and houses, illustrating greed that leads to theft and oppression.

Mark 7:21 Parallel

Mark 7:21 likewise lists sexual immorality as coming from within — reinforcing the need to exclude it from the saints' speech.

Psalm 119:36 prays for a heart turned from selfish gain—directly echoing the greed warned against here.

Revelation 9:21 lists sexual immorality among sins people refused to repent of, echoing Paul's insistence that such sin be absent from believers.

Revelation 2:21 features Jezebel's unrepentant sexual immorality, illustrating the stubborn persistence that Paul warns must not even be named.

Revelation 2:14 shows sexual immorality promoted by Balaam's teaching, revealing how this sin infiltrated the church—directly opposing Paul's prohibition.

Numbers 25:1 Historical context

Numbers 25:1 records Israel's sexual immorality with Moabites, an OT example of the sin Ephesians 5:3 warns against.

Deuteronomy 23:17 prohibits cult prostitution, an OT law against sexual impurity, supporting the NT command to avoid such sins.

Exodus 18:21 calls for leaders who hate dishonest gain, a positive example of rejecting covetousness—the very sin Paul prohibits.

1 Samuel 8:3 depicts Samuel's sons corruptly coveting gain, a negative example of the covetousness Paul says must not be named.

Psalm 10:3 Parallel

Psalm 10:3 describes the greedy as wicked, underscoring that covetousness is contrary to godly character as Paul commands.

Proverbs 28:16 condemns unjust gain, reinforcing that greed is a marker of oppression and folly.

Isaiah 57:17 connects covetousness to divine wrath, echoing why Paul says impurity and covetousness must not be named among saints.

Jeremiah 6:13 declares everyone greedy for gain—showing this sin pervades even religious leaders.

Jeremiah 22:17 exposes a heart set only on dishonest gain, paralleling the greed forbidden here.

Romans 1:29 Contrast

Romans 1:29 lists covetousness among sins of the unrighteous — showing that what must not even be named among saints characterizes the fallen world.

Jeremiah 8:10 repeats the same indictment of universal greed from Jeremiah 6:13.