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OET interlinear EPH 5:11

◄ ← EPH 5:11 ↓ → ► ║ ©

SR Greek word order

    1. Greek word
    2. Greek lemma
    3. OET-LV words
    4. OET-RV words
    5. Strongs
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. Καί
    2. kai
    3. And
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. C·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. S
    10. Y64
    11. 129897
    1. μή
    2. mē
    3. not
    4. Don't don't
    5. 33610
    6. D·······
    7. not
    8. not
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129898
    1. συγκοινωνεῖτε
    2. sugkoinōneō
    3. be participating
    4. -
    5. 47900
    6. VMPA2··P
    7. ˓be˒ participating
    8. ˓be˒ participating
    9. -
    10. Y64; R128863
    11. 129899
    1. τοῖς
    2. ho
    3. with the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····DNP
    7. ˱with˲ the
    8. ˱with˲ the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129900
    1. ἔργοις
    2. ergon
    3. works
    4. works
    5. 20410
    6. N····DNP
    7. works
    8. works
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129901
    1. τοῖς
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····DNP
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129902
    1. ἀκάρποις
    2. akarpos
    3. unfruitful
    4. -
    5. 1750
    6. A····DNP
    7. unfruitful
    8. unfruitful
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129903
    1. τοῦ
    2. ho
    3. the
    4. -
    5. 35880
    6. E····GNS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129904
    1. σκότους
    2. skotos
    3. of darkness
    4. darkness
    5. 46550
    6. N····GNS
    7. ˱of˲ darkness
    8. ˱of˲ darkness
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129905
    1. μᾶλλον
    2. mallon
    3. rather
    4. -
    5. 31230
    6. D·······
    7. rather
    8. rather
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129906
    1. δέ
    2. de
    3. but
    4. but
    5. 11610
    6. C·······
    7. but
    8. but
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129907
    1. καί
    2. kai
    3. even
    4. -
    5. 25320
    6. D·······
    7. even
    8. even
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129908
    1. ἐλέγχετε
    2. elegχō
    3. be rebuking them
    4. -
    5. 16510
    6. VMPA2··P
    7. ˓be˒ rebuking ‹them›
    8. ˓be˒ rebuking ‹them›
    9. -
    10. Y64; R128863
    11. 129909

OET (OET-LV) And not be_participating with_the the unfruitful works of_ the _darkness, but rather even be_rebuking them,

OET (OET-RV) Don’t join in with the works of darkness which don’t lead to positive results, but instead you all should expose them

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–20: Paul described behavior which is fitting for believers

In chapter 5, Paul continued with the subject of Christian behavior, which he had begun in the last section of chapter 4. So it is not necessary to start a new section here. One reason to start a new section here is to help the reader, as the previous section is already long. Some English versions begin a new section at 5:1 (BSB, GNT, NLT, NET, GW, NCV, ESV, NASB, NKJV), and some do not (NIV, RSV, NRSV, NJB, CEV, REB, KJV). You may want to consult your national translation and follow their example.

In this section, Paul exhorted the Christians to imitate God and avoid the sins of the pagan people surrounding them.

Here are some other examples for a heading for this section:

Living in the light (GNT, NLT, NCV)

Imitate God (GW)

Paragraph 5:6–14

Some English versions begin a new paragraph at 5:6. Others begin a new paragraph at 5:8.

In this paragraph, Paul used the words “darkness” and “light” in a metaphorical sense. These words will be discussed further below.

5:11a

Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness,

Have no fellowship with: The clause Have no fellowship with means “Do not participate in…” or “Take no part in….”

It is also similar in meaning to Paul’s words in 5:7 “do not be partners with” people who do evil. In 5:7, Paul said that the Ephesians should not be included in the group of those who do evil. Here in 5:11, he said that they should not be involved in their deeds.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Do not participate in (NET)

Take no part in (RSV, NLT)

the fruitless deeds of darkness: This clause contains two metaphors and is parallel to “fruit of the light” in 5:9.

fruitless deeds: This refers to worthless, sinful acts. If you dropped the figure of fruit in 5:9, you will probably also have to drop the figure of fruitless here. However, if possible, try to keep the metaphor of darkness in your translation.

If in your translation you want to make explicit the people who do the deeds, you could say:

Do not join in doing the deeds of people who are in the darkness.

darkness: The word darkness is a metaphor. It refers to being disobedient and separated from the will and purposes of God. See how you translated it in 5:8a and translate it the same way here.

In some languages, it may be natural to change the order of these two clauses. For example:

People who don’t walk in the light don’t bear fruit, stay far away from them

5:11b

but rather expose them.

but rather: The phrase but rather introduces a contrast between 5:11a and 5:11b. This is the type of negative-positive contrast, “Don’t do…but instead do…” In 5:11a Paul encouraged the Ephesians to not participate in “the fruitless deeds of darkness.” Now he is exhorting them to show others that the “fruitless deeds of darkness” are evil.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

But instead (RSV)

But (NCV)

But, on the contrary (NJB)

Instead

expose them: Here and in 5:13 (where the context is “light”) the Greek verb that the BSB translates as expose means, “bring into the open,” or “bring into the light.” When a person says to someone “What you are doing is evil, it is against God’s teaching,” it is like shining a light on his or her evil deeds, thus “exposing” the fruitless deeds.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

bring them out to the light (GNT)

show that they are wrong (NCV)

make it clear to people that this kind of behavior is wrong

them: The pronoun them refers to “the fruitless deeds of darkness.”

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

μὴ συνκοινωνεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί μή συγκοινωνεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους μᾶλλον δέ καί ἐλέγχετε)

Paul speaks of the useless, sinful things that unbelievers do as if they are evil deeds that people do in the dark so no one will see them. Alternate translation: [do not do useless, sinful things with unbelievers]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους

˱with˲_the works ¬the unfruitful ¬the ˱of˲_darkness

Paul is comparing evil actions to an unhealthy tree that produces nothing good. Alternate translation: [actions that do nothing good, useful, or profitable, caused by darkness]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους

˱with˲_the works ¬the unfruitful ¬the ˱of˲_darkness

The word darkness is often used to represent sin. In this instance, these works result from sinful motives. Alternate translation: [deeds that are worthless because they were done from sinful motives]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

μᾶλλον δὲ

rather (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί μή συγκοινωνεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους μᾶλλον δέ καί ἐλέγχετε)

The connecting phrase but rather introduces contrast relationship. Participating in the works of darkness is in contrast to exposing them.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐλέγχετε

˓be˒_rebuking_‹them›

Speaking against the works of darkness is spoken of as bringing them out into the light so that people can see them. Alternate translation: [bring them out into the light] or [uncover them] or [show and tell people how wrong these actions are]

TSN Tyndale Study Notes:

5:11 expose them: By the light shining from their lives (cp. John 3:20-21; Rom 13:12; 1 Pet 2:9), not by verbally accusing or condemning people (see 1 Cor 5:9-13).

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

    1. OET-LV words
    2. OET-RV words
    3. Strongs
    4. Greek word
    5. Greek lemma
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. OET Gloss
    8. VLT Gloss
    9. CAPS codes
    10. Confidence
    11. OET tags
    12. OET word #
    1. And
    2. -
    3. 25320
    4. S
    5. kai
    6. C-·······
    7. and
    8. and
    9. S
    10. Y64
    11. 129897
    1. not
    2. Don't don't
    3. 33610
    5. mē
    6. D-·······
    7. not
    8. not
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129898
    1. be participating
    2. -
    3. 47900
    5. sugkoinōneō
    6. V-MPA2··P
    7. ˓be˒ participating
    8. ˓be˒ participating
    9. -
    10. Y64; R128863
    11. 129899
    1. with the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····DNP
    7. ˱with˲ the
    8. ˱with˲ the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129900
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····DNP
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129902
    1. unfruitful
    2. -
    3. 1750
    5. akarpos
    6. A-····DNP
    7. unfruitful
    8. unfruitful
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129903
    1. works
    2. works
    3. 20410
    5. ergon
    6. N-····DNP
    7. works
    8. works
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129901
    1. of
    2. darkness
    3. 46550
    5. skotos
    6. N-····GNS
    7. ˱of˲ darkness
    8. ˱of˲ darkness
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129905
    1. the
    2. -
    3. 35880
    5. ho
    6. E-····GNS
    7. ¬the
    8. ¬the
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129904
    1. darkness
    2. darkness
    3. 46550
    5. skotos
    6. N-····GNS
    7. ˱of˲ darkness
    8. ˱of˲ darkness
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129905
    1. but
    2. but
    3. 11610
    5. de
    6. C-·······
    7. but
    8. but
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129907
    1. rather
    2. -
    3. 31230
    5. mallon
    6. D-·······
    7. rather
    8. rather
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129906
    1. even
    2. -
    3. 25320
    5. kai
    6. D-·······
    7. even
    8. even
    9. -
    10. Y64
    11. 129908
    1. be rebuking them
    2. -
    3. 16510
    5. elegχō
    6. V-MPA2··P
    7. ˓be˒ rebuking ‹them›
    8. ˓be˒ rebuking ‹them›
    9. -
    10. Y64; R128863
    11. 129909

OET (OET-LV) And not be_participating with_the the unfruitful works of_ the _darkness, but rather even be_rebuking them,

OET (OET-RV) Don’t join in with the works of darkness which don’t lead to positive results, but instead you all should expose them

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

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◄ ← EPH 5:11 ↑ → ► ║ ©