Ephesians 5:8-16
The Message
8-10 You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.
11-16 Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!
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Ephesians 5:8-14
Good News Translation
8 You yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord's people, you are in the light. So you must live like people who belong to the light, 9 for it is the light[a] that brings a rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Try to learn what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light. (12 It is really too shameful even to talk about the things they do in secret.) 13 And when all things are brought out to the light, then their true nature is clearly revealed; 14 for anything that is clearly revealed becomes light.[b] That is why it is said,
“Wake up, sleeper,
and rise from death,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Footnotes
- Ephesians 5:9 the light; some manuscripts have the Spirit.
- Ephesians 5:14 anything that is clearly revealed becomes light; or it is light that clearly reveals everything.
Ephesians 5:8-14
English Standard Version
8 for (A)at one time you were (B)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. (C)Walk as children of light 9 (for (D)the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and (E)try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 (F)Take no part in the (G)unfruitful (H)works of darkness, but instead (I)expose them. 12 For (J)it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when (K)anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
Read full chapterCopyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
