New Living Translation
Ephesians 5:15
15So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.
Ephesians 5:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
- New International Version (NIV)Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- New King James Version (NKJV)See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
Context of Ephesians 5:15
13But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
Read all of Ephesians 5Ephesians 5:15 word by word
Βλέπετε οὖν ἀκριβῶς πῶς περιπατεῖτε μὴ ὡς ἄσοφοι ἀλλ᾽ ὡς σοφοί,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Ephesians 5:15
- Ephesians 5:33So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
- Matthew 8:4Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”
- Matthew 27:4“I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
- Hebrews 12:25Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
- 1 Peter 1:22You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
- Revelation 19:10Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.”
- Exodus 23:13“Pay close attention to all my instructions. You must not call on the name of any other gods. Do not even speak their names.
- Matthew 10:16“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
- 1 Corinthians 14:20Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.
- Philippians 1:27Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.
- Colossians 1:9So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.
- Colossians 4:5Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.
- 2 Samuel 24:10But after he had taken the census, David’s conscience began to bother him. And he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly by taking this census. Please forgive my guilt, Lord, for doing this foolish thing.”
- Job 2:10But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.
- Psalms 73:22I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
Commentaries on Ephesians 5:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Walk circumspectly - Our word circumspect, from the Latin circirmspicio, signifies to look round about on all hands; to be every way watchful, wary, and cautious, in order to avoid danger, discern enemies before they come too nigh, and secure a man's interest by every possible and lawful means. But the original word signifies correctly, accurately, consistently, or perfectly. Be ye, who have received the truth, careful of your conduct; walk by the rule…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15See then that ye walk circumspectly - carefully, anxiously, solicitous lest you fall into sin. The word rendered “circumspectly” - ̓͂ akribōs- means “diligently,” and the idea here is, that they were to take special pains to guard against the temptations around them, and to live as they ought to. Not as fools, but as wise - Not as the people of this world live, indulging in foolish pleasures and desires, but as those who have been taught to understand…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. 15Foolish people do not understand God and his ways. Wise people know God and understand his ways (see Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:7; 2:1–22).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. that--rather as Greek, "See how ye walk," &c. The double idea is compressed into one sentence: "See (take heed) how ye walk," and "See that ye walk circumspectly." The manner, as well as the act itself, is included. See how ye are walking, with a view to your being circumspect (literally, accurate, exact) in your walk. Compare Col 4:5, "Walk in wisdom (answering to 'as wise' here) toward them that are without" (answering to "circumspectly," that is…Read the comment
Topics related to Ephesians 5:15
In the dictionaries
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
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