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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Context of Ephesians 5:17

15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·διάdia · through/because ofG1223
• Whereforeοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• be yeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• notμήmē · notG3361
• unwiseἄφρωνaphrōn · foolishG878
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• understandingσυνίημιsuniēmi · to understandG4920
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• the willὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962

Cross-references for Ephesians 5:17

• Ephesians 5:15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
• Colossians 4:5Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
• Deuteronomy 4:6Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
• 1 Kings 3:9So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
• Job 28:28And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”
• Psalms 111:10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
• Psalms 119:27Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds.
• Proverbs 2:5then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
• Proverbs 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
• Proverbs 23:23Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
• Jeremiah 4:22“My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.”
• John 7:17Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
• Romans 12:2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
• Colossians 1:9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,
• 1 Thessalonians 4:1As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

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