Ephesians 5:11

Ephesians 5:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
• New International Version (NIV)Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Context of Ephesians 5:11

9The light helps you to live in a way that is good, right and true. 10You should learn more and more to do the things that please the Lord. People whose minds are in the dark do things that have no good purpose. Keep away from wrong things like that. Instead, show how bad those things really are. 12People like that should be ashamed of the things that they do secretly. Those things are too bad for us even to talk about. 13But when God's light shines on something, people can see clearly its true nature.

Ephesians 5:11 word by word

καὶ μὴ συγκοινωνεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐλέγχετε·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• haveσυγκοινωνέωsugkoinōneō · to share withG4790
• noμήmē · notG3361
• with the unfruitfulἄκαρποςakarpos · unfruitfulG175
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• of darknessσκότοςskotos · darknessG4655
• butδέde · thenG1161
• ratherμᾶλλονmallon · more: ratherG3123
• reproveἐλέγχωelegchō · to rebukeG1651

Cross-references for Ephesians 5:11

• Ephesians 5:7So keep away from those kinds of people.
• Genesis 49:5Simeon and Levi are brothers. They use their swords as weapons to destroy people.
• Psalms 1:1If someone does not do what wicked people tell him to do, if he does not join with sinners, if he does not meet with those who laugh at God, God has blessed that person!
• Psalms 26:4I do not become a friend of people who tell lies. I do not join together with hypocrites.
• Psalms 94:20You will not become a friend of cruel rulers. They make laws that only hurt people.
• Proverbs 4:14Do not join with wicked or evil people. Do not do the things that they do.
• Proverbs 9:6Leave foolish ways so that you may live. Learn to understand what is right, so that you can do it.’
• Jeremiah 15:17When people were enjoying wild parties, I did not join with them. I sat alone, because you held me. You caused me to be angry with those people.
• Romans 16:17My Christian friends, I want to tell you something important. Be very careful about people who teach wrong things. They teach things that are different from God's true message that you learned. Those people cause you to quarrel with each other. They cause people to turn away from God. You must stay away from them.
• 1 Corinthians 5:9I already wrote a letter to you. I told you that you must not be friends with people who have sex in wrong ways.
• 1 Corinthians 10:20But the people who offer food to idols are worshipping demons. They are not worshipping God when they do that. I do not want you to share in what they do to worship demons.
• 2 Corinthians 6:14Do not become united with people who do not believe in Christ. God has made you right with himself. Right and wrong cannot work together. Light and dark cannot join together.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:6Our friends, you must stay away from every believer who is living in a lazy way. We tell you this with the authority that the Lord Jesus Christ gives to us. Lazy people like that are not living in the way that we taught you.
• 1 Timothy 6:5Their minds have become confused and they argue all the time. They refuse to believe God's true message. They think that they will become rich if they say that they are serving God.
• 2 Timothy 3:5Those people will seem to be serving God. But really they refuse to accept God's power to help them. You must stay away from people like that.
• 2 John 1:10Someone may come to you and teach you something that is different. Do not receive that person into your house. Do not receive him as a Christian.

Commentaries on Ephesians 5:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Have no fellowship - Have no religious connection whatever with heathens or their worship. Unfruitful works of darkness - Probably alluding to the mysteries among the heathens, and the different lustrations and rites through which the initiated went in the caves and dark recesses where these mysteries were celebrated; all which he denominates works of darkness, because they were destitute of true wisdom; and unfruitful works, because they were of no use…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11And have no fellowship - See the sentiment here expressed fully explained in the notes on 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. The unfruitful works - The deeds of darkness that produce no “benefit” to the body or the soul. The word “unfruitful” is used here in contrast with the “fruit of the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:9. But rather reprove them - By your life, your conversation, and all your influence. This is the business of Christians. Their lives should be a standing…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-14Verses 3-14 Filthy lusts must be rooted out. These sins must be dreaded and detested. Here are not only cautions against gross acts of sin, but against what some may make light of. But these things are so far from being profitable. that they pollute and poison the hearers. Our cheerfulness should show itself as becomes Christians, in what may tend to God's glory. A covetous man makes a god of his money; places that hope, confidence, and delight, in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11but rather expose them: This does not mean to accuse or condemn people with words (see 1 Corinthians 5:9–13). Instead, it means to show what is wrong by living in a way that reflects God’s light (see John 3:20–21; Romans 13:12; 1 Peter 2:9),Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. unfruitful works of darkness--Sins are terminated in themselves, and therefore are called "works," not "fruits" (Ga 5:19, 22). Their only fruit is that which is not in a true sense fruit (De 32:32), namely, "death" (Ro 6:21; Ga 6:8). Plants cannot bear "fruit" in the absence of light. Sin is "darkness," and its parent is the prince of darkness (Ep 6:12). Graces, on the other hand, as flourishing in "the light," are reproductive, and abound in fruits…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 5:11

• Adultery
• Commandments
• Communion
• Darkness
• Fellowship
• Holiness
• Reproof
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

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

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