Ephesians 5:8 BSB — MannaFest

Ephesians 5:8

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

for ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light

KJV

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

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Commentary

4 voices

Jerome

Commentary on Ephesians 5:8 (420)

The darkness is being turned into light. There is not, as some heretics argue, a nature so alienated that it cannot receive salvation.… Those who receive salvation—the righteous—are "the light of the world." Those who refuse, the unrighteous, are in consequence called darkness.… The difference and distance between one and the other is clearly seen by their own fruits.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

For ye were sometimes darkness,.... Not only dark, but darkness itself; exceeding blind, dark, and ignorant, respecting spiritual things; so the Gentiles were wont to be called by the Jews, הושך, "darkness" (k) itself; of this darkness; see Gill on Eph 4:

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

For ye were sometimes (ποτε, formerly) darkness - While ye lived in darkness, ye lived in these crimes. But now are ye light in the Lord - When ye were in heathenish darkness ye served divers lusts and pleasures, but now ye have the light - the wisdom and teaching which come from God; therefore walk as children of the light - let the world see that ye are not slaves to the flesh, but free, willing, rational servants of the Most High; not brutish followers of devil gods.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Stronger than "in darkness" (Ro 2:19). light--not merely "enlightened"; but light enlightening others (Eph 5:13). in--in union with the Lord, who is THE LIGHT. children of light--not merely "of the light"; just as "children of disobedience" is used on the opposite side; those whose distinguishing characteristic is light.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

13 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
ἦτε	ēte	You were	G1510 →
γάρ	gar	for	G1063 →
ποτε	pote	once	G4218 →
σκότος	skotos	darkness	G4655 →
νῦν	nun	now	G3568 →
δὲ	de	however	G1161 →
φῶς	phōs	light	G5457 →
ἐν	en	in	G1722 →
κυρίῳ·	kuriō	[the] Lord;	G2962 →
ὡς	hōs	as	G5613 →
τέκνα	tekna	children	G5043 →
φωτὸς	phōtos	of light	G5457 →
περιπατεῖτε,	peripateite	do walk —	G4043 →

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
John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
leads to
- John 12:46
  I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
- John 9:5
  While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
- John 12:35
  Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the…
- Matthew 5:14
  You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
- Job 33:28
  He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’
Through
Colossians 1:13
He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,
leads to
- 1 Peter 2:9
  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Acts 26:18
  to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified…
- Titus 3:3–6
  For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

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On Ephesians 5:8

Light

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Moses and Aaron Appear before Pharaoh — engraving by Gustave Doré

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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.

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The Bronze Laver

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Water

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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