Ephesians 5:17

Ephesians 5:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Context of Ephesians 5:17

15See therefore how ye walk carefully, not as unwise but as wise, 16redeeming the time, because the days are evil. For this reason be not foolish, but understanding what [is] the will of the Lord. 18And be not drunk with wine, in which is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and chanting with your heart to the Lord;

Ephesians 5:17 word by word

διὰ τοῦτο μὴ γίνεσθε ἄφρονες, ἀλλὰ συνίετε τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ κυρίου.Read the interlinear

• foolishἄφρωνaphrōn · foolishG878
• understandingσυνίημιsuniēmi · to understandG4920
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962

Cross-references for Ephesians 5:17

• Ephesians 5:15See therefore how ye walk carefully, not as unwise but as wise,
• Colossians 4:5Walk in wisdom towards those without, redeeming opportunities.
• Deuteronomy 4:6And ye shall keep and do them; for that will be your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the peoples that shall hear all these statutes, and say, Verily this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
• 1 Kings 3:9Give therefore to thy servant an understanding heart, to judge thy people, to discern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy numerous people?
• Job 28:28And unto man he said, Lo, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
• Psalms 111:10The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do [his precepts]: his praise abideth for ever.
• Psalms 119:27Make me to understand the way of thy precepts, and I will meditate upon thy wondrous works.
• Proverbs 2:5then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God.
• Proverbs 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way; but the folly of the foolish is deceit.
• Proverbs 23:23Buy the truth, and sell it not; wisdom, and instruction, and intelligence.
• Jeremiah 4:22For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have no intelligence; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
• John 7:17If any one desire to practise his will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is of God, or [that] I speak from myself.
• Romans 12:2And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of [your] mind, that ye may prove what [is] the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
• Colossians 1:9For this reason we also, from the day we heard [of your faith and love], do not cease praying and asking for you, to the end that ye may be filled with the full knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
• 1 Thessalonians 4:1For the rest, then, brethren, we beg you and exhort you in [the] Lord Jesus, even as ye have received from us how ye ought to walk and please God, even as ye also do walk, that ye would abound still more.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18in everything give thanks, for this is [the] will of God in Christ Jesus towards you;

Commentaries on Ephesians 5:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Wherefore be ye not unwise - · Do not become madmen. Here is a most evident allusion to the orgies of Bacchus, in which his votaries acted like madmen; running about, tossing their heads from shoulder to shoulder, appearing to be in every sense completely frantic. See the whole of the passage in Livy, to which I have referred on Ephesians 5:12. But understanding what the will of the Lord is - It is the will of God that ye should be sober, chaste, holy…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Be ye not unwise - Be not fools in the employment of your time, and in your manner of life. Show true wisdom by endeavoring to understand what the will of the Lord is, and then doing it.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-21Verses 15-21 Another remedy against sin, is care, or caution, it being impossible else to maintain purity of heart and life. Time is a talent given us by God, and it is misspent and lost when not employed according to his design. If we have lost our time heretofore, we must double our diligence for the future. Of that time which thousands on a dying bed would gladly redeem at the price of the whole world, how little do men think, and to what trifles they…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-20Paul gives believers specific guidelines for living a new life in Christ.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Wherefore--seeing that ye need to walk so circumspectly, choosing and using the right opportunity of good. unwise--a different Greek word from that in Ep 5:15. Translate, "foolish," or "senseless." understanding--not merely knowing as a matter of fact (Lu 12:47), but knowing with understanding. the will of the Lord--as to how each opportunity is to be used. The Lord's will, ultimately, is our "sanctification" (1Th 4:3); and that "in every thing,"…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 5:17

• Commandments
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Arise
• Awake
• Dear
• Fellowship
• Flesh
• Fruit
• Light
• Melody
• Redeem
• Reverence

Commentaries on Ephesians 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings