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

15So 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. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.

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 5:15So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.
• Colossians 4:5Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.
• Deuteronomy 4:6Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’
• 1 Kings 3:9Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”
• Job 28:28And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”
• Psalms 111:10Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!
• Psalms 119:27Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.
• Proverbs 2:5Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.
• Proverbs 14:8The prudent understand where they are going, but fools deceive themselves.
• Proverbs 23:23Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.
• Jeremiah 4:22“My people are foolish and do not know me,” says the Lord. “They are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!”
• John 7:17Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.
• Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
• 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.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:1Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to 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