Ephesians 5:8
in Ephesians 5For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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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This verse in Ephesians 5
Commentary
16 notes on this verseThe 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.
This site's exposition
you were once darkness
on Ephesians 5:8-10
Paul names what the Ephesians were and are: you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. In both cases the words name an identity.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"Once you were darkness" suggests ignorance. No one sees clearly in shadows. The ignorance referred to is disbelief, harking back to pagan days. Those who lived in darkness have been drawn to faith by the grace of God, which has been brought to light, that …
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
A hermit said, 'When the donkey's eyes are covered it walks round the mill-wheel. If you uncover its eyes, it will not go on walking in the circle. So if the devil succeeds in covering a man's eyes, he leads him into every kind of …
And if so, the apostle too was in error when he said in his epistle, "Ye were at one time darkness, (but now are ye light in the Lord: )" and, "We also were by nature children of wrath; " and, "Such were some of you, but ye are washed.
Observe how wisely he urges them forward; first, from the thought of Christ, that ye love one another, and do injury to no man; then, on the other hand, from the thought of punishment and hell-fire. "For ye were once darkness," says he, "but are now light in the Lord." Which is what he says also in the Epistle to the Romans; "What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed?" (Rom. vi. 21), and reminds them of their former wickedness. That is to say, thinking what ye once were, and what ye are now become, do not run back into your former wickedness, nor do "despite to the grace" (Heb. x. 29) of God. "Ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord!" Not, he says, by your own virtue, but through the grace of God has this accrued to you. That is to say, ye also were sometime worthy of the same punishments, but now are so no more. "Walk" therefore "as children of light." What is meant however by "children of light," he adds afterwards.
As, then, those who have shaken off sleep forthwith become all awake within; or rather, as those who try to remove a film that is over the eyes, do not supply to them from without the light which they do not possess, but removing the obstacle from the eyes, leave the pupil free; thus also we who are baptized, having wiped off the sins which obscure the light of the Divine Spirit, have the eye of the spirit free, unimpeded, and full of light, by which alone we contemplate the Divine, the Holy Spirit flowing down to us from above. This is the eternal adjustment of the vision, which is able to see the eternal light, since like loves like; and that which is holy, loves that from which holiness proceeds, which has appropriately been termed light. "Once ye were darkness, now are ye light in the Lord." Hence I am of opinion man was called by the ancients φώς. But he has not yet received, say they, the perfect gift. I also assent to this; but he is in the light, and the darkness comprehendeth him not.
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church4 voices
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 7 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
These philosophers had the wings of ostriches, for their affective powers were not cleansed or ordained or straightened: for this can be obtained only through faith. Hence they proposed a false circle of beatitude, second a false sufficiency of merits in the present world, third …
Previously the Apostle had banned carnal sins by threatening punishment and rejecting a fallacy (5:6). Here he gives the reason; it is taken from their situation. Thus he remarks you were heretofore darkness blinded by ignorance and error. "Having their understanding darkened" (Eph. 4:18). "They …
Hence also the pillar of fire by night and the pillar of cloud by day rightly went before the people journeying through the desert. For in fire there is terror, but in cloud there is the gentle comfort of vision; and day is taken as the life of the just, and night as the life of the sinner. Hence Paul also says to converted sinners: "You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord." Therefore by day the pillar was shown through cloud, and by night through fire, because almighty God will appear both gentle to the just and terrible to the unjust.
But you, he says, do not associate with them. Then he reminds them of their former wickedness, saying: consider what you were and what you have become, namely: from darkness, light. Before, both in teaching and in life, you were truly darkness, but now you …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
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:
Now, upon your believing in Christ, and your receiving the gospel. Walk as children of light. Children of light, according to the Hebrew dialect, are those who are in a state of light, endued with knowledge and holiness.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
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.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For ye were sometimes darkness - see the Eph 2:11-12 notes; 1Co 6:11 note. The meaning here is, that they were themselves formerly sunk in the same ignorance, and practiced the same abominations. But now are ye light in the Lord - Light is the emblem of happiness, knowledge, holiness. The meaning is, that they had been enlightened by the Lord to see the evil of these practices, and that they ought, therefore, to forsake them. Walk as children of light - see the notes on Mat 1:1, on the use of the word “son,” or “children.” The meaning here is, that they should live as became those who had been enlightened to see the evil of sin, and the beauty of virtue and religion; compare Joh 12:36, where the same phrase occurs.
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἦτε | ete | You were | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| γάρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ποτε | pote | once | G4218 → | 54 times |
| σκότος | skotos | darkness | G4655 → | 31 times |
| νῦν | nun | now | G3568 → | 145 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| φῶς | phos | light | G5457 → | 72 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| κυρίῳ· | kurio | [the] Lord; | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ὡς | hos | as | G5613 → | 500 times |
| τέκνα | tekna | children | G5043 → | 99 times |
| φωτὸς | photos | of light | G5457 → | 72 times |
| περιπατεῖτε, | peripateite | do walk — | G4043 → | 94 times |
ἦτεYou were
eteG1510 →2333 times
γάρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ποτεonce
poteG4218 →54 times
σκότοςdarkness
skotosG4655 →31 times
νῦνnow
nunG3568 →145 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
φῶςlight
phosG5457 →72 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
κυρίῳ·[the] Lord;
kurioG2962 →711 times
ὡςas
hosG5613 →500 times
τέκναchildren
teknaG5043 →99 times
φωτὸςof light
photosG5457 →72 times
περιπατεῖτε,do walk —
peripateiteG4043 →94 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 8:12Once 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.”
it 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.’
- John 12:46
Through
Colossians 1:13He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,
it 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 separate 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.
- 1 Peter 2:9
Where this verse is studied
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About Ephesians
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 5.8; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 7; Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor Book 1; Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks; Gregory the Dialogist, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 21; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ephesians 5:8; John Chrysostom, Homily on Ephesians 18; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, A Treatise on the Soul; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Ephesians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Ephesians.