Ephesians 5:11 BSB — MannaFest

Ephesians 5:11

Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them;

KJV

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

⋯

Commentary

4 voices

Jerome

Commentary on Ephesians 5:11 (420)

No one is prepared to admonish sinners except one who does not deserve to be called a hypocrite [as with the account in Lk 6:42].… Only those prophets who were themselves unpolluted by any stain of sin were in a position to upbraid others for their wrongdoing. From this we learn that the one who is in the best position to reprimand is the one who cannot himself rightly be reprimanded in turn.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

And have no fellowship - See the sentiment here expressed fully explained in the notes on 2Co 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,” Eph 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 rebuke of a sinful world, and they should be ever ready to express their disapprobation of its wickedness in every form.

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2401: “The Child of Light and the Works of Darkness” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) (1895)

SINS, especially the grosser vices, are "works of darkness." They delight in concealment. They are not fit to be seen. They flourish in the darkness of the unrenewed heart. They are most fully maintained in the ignorance of a soul that is without the knowledge of the ever-blessed God. They are also works of darkness because those who follow them have a sad life of it, after all—they are not only dark as to knowledge, but they are dark as to comfort as well! There is no true light, no real joy in sin. "The wages of sin is death."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Sin is "darkness," and its parent is the prince of darkness (Eph 6:12). Graces, on the other hand, as flourishing in "the light," are reproductive, and abound in fruits; which, as harmoniously combining in one whole, are termed (in the singular) "the FRUIT of the Spirit" (Eph 5:9). rather, &c.--Translate as Greek, "rather even reprove them" (compare Mt 5:14-16).

Voices on this verse

loading…

Original language & word study

13 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
καὶ	kai	And	G2532 →
μὴ	mē	not	G3361 →
συγκοινωνεῖτε	sugkoinōneite	do have fellowship with	G4790 →
τοῖς	tois	the	G3588 →
ἔργοις	ergois	works	G2041 →
τοῖς	tois	<the>	G3588 →
ἀκάρποις	akarpois	unfruitful	G175 →
τοῦ	tou	<the>	G3588 →
σκότους,	skotous	of darkness,	G4655 →
μᾶλλον	mallon	rather	G3123 →
δὲ	de	however	G1161 →
καὶ	kai	even	G2532 →
ἐλέγχετε·	elegchete	do expose [them];	G1651 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Romans 13:12
The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
leads to
- Ezekiel 18:31–32
  Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
- 2 Corinthians 6:7
  in truthful speech and in the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;
- Colossians 3:8–17
  But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Through
2 Thessalonians 3:6
Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received…
leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 3:10–11
  For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7
  For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,
Through
Romans 16:17
Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.
leads to
- Jude 1:19
  These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6
  Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received…
- 1 Timothy 6:3–5
  If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching,

Featured studies on this passage

Moses and Aaron Appear before Pharaoh — engraving by Gustave Doré

Walks through Ephesians 5

The Tabernacle

A floor plan of the gospel. Eight furniture pieces, three concentric zones, one veil torn the moment Christ died. Among the most architecturally complete typological structures in Scripture.

Open the study →

Walks through Ephesians 5

The Bronze Laver

Open the study →

Walks through Ephesians 5

Light

Open the study →

Walks through Ephesians 5

Water

Open the study →

About Ephesians

The Ascension — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Ephesians: the study guide →Read chapter 5 →The featured study →

Continue: Ephesians 5 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Ephesians

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Ephesians