EPH 5:14 Interlinear View

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. Διό
2. dio
3. Therefore
4. -
5. 13520
6. C·······
7. therefore
8. therefore
9. S
10. Y64
11. 129935
1. λέγει
2. legō
3. he is saying
4. -
5. 30040
6. VIPA3··S
7. ˱he˲ ˓is˒ saying
8. ˱he˲ ˓is˒ saying
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129936
1. Ἔγειρε
2. egeirō
3. Be raising
4. -
5. 14530
6. VMPA2··S
7. ˓be˒ raising
8. ˓be˒ raising
9. R
10. Y64; R129940
11. 129937
1. Ἐγεῖραι
2. egeirō
3. -
4. -
5. 14530
6. VMAM2··S
7. raise
8. raise
9. R
10. -
11. 129938
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. you
4. -
5. 35880
6. R···2VMS
7. you
8. you
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129939
1. καθεύδων
2. katheudō
3. sleeping
4. -
5. 25180
6. VPPA·VMS
7. sleeping
8. sleeping
9. -
10. Y64; F129937; F129942
11. 129940
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129941
1. ἀνάστα
2. anistanō
3. rise up
4. -
5. 4500
6. VMAA2··S
7. rise_up
8. rise_up
9. -
10. Y64; R129940
11. 129942
1. ἐκ
2. ek
3. from
4. -
5. 15370
6. P·······
7. from
8. from
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129943
1. τῶν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129944
1. νεκρῶν
2. nekros
3. dead
4. dead
5. 34980
6. S····GMP
7. dead
8. dead
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129945
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129946
1. ἐπιφαύσει
2. epifauskō
3. will be shining upon
4. -
5. 20170
6. VIFA3··S
7. ˓will_be˒ shining_upon
8. ˓will_be˒ shining_upon
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129947
1. σοί
2. su
3. upon you
4. -
5. 47710
6. R···2D·S
7. ˱upon˲ you
8. ˱upon˲ you
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129948
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129949
1. Χριστός
2. χristos
3. chosen one messiah
4. messiah
5. 55470
6. N····NMS
7. chosen_one/messiah
8. Messiah
9. WN
10. Y64; Person=Jesus
11. 129950

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.

5:14a

So it is said:

And for this reason it says: (NET)
That is why people say:

5:14b

“Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead,

“You^(sing) sleeper, wake up, rise up from death,
“You^(sing) who are asleep, wake up! Do not remain dead from your sins, become alive!

5:14c

and Christ will shine on you.”

and the light of Christ will shine on you^(sing).”
Then Christ will make his light of truth and goodness/righteousness shine in your heart.”

5:14a–c

The words in 5:14b–c are probably from an early Christian hymn. It is not a direct quotation from the OT. Paul quoted these words because they speak about the same things he has just said: we must expose the evil deeds of people so they will come to the light.

So it is said: This is a passive clause. If you need to translate this with an active verb, you can translate it as “people say.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

This is why people say:

This is the reason there is a song/poem with these words:

And so there is a saying which sounds like this:

In the words that Paul quotes, there are three metaphors for turning to God:

waking from sleep,
being raised from death,
going from darkness into light.

You should try to translate all three of these metaphors as literally as possible. Add only as much of the implicit meaning as is necessary.

Wake up, O sleeper: The clause Wake up, O sleeper is a metaphor. The meaning of this metaphor is: “You are like a person who is asleep, because you are not aware of your sins. Become aware of your sins!”

O sleeper: The word O is not in the Greek text, but the BSB and some other English versions have included it. It is sometimes used in English poetry to add emphasis to what follows it.

He is speaking about someone who isn’t aware of his sin and needs to be forgiven. He is not speaking about someone who is actually asleep.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

Get up you sleeping ones!

You who are asleep, wake up!

If people would think that this is speaking of a person who is actually asleep then you may want to add some of the meaning in the text to make the meaning clear. For example:

You who are asleep spiritually, wake up!

You who are like a sleeping person, Get up!

You who are unaware of your sins are like a person who is asleep. Wake up!

rise up from the dead: The clause rise up from the dead is also a metaphor. The meaning of this metaphor is: “You are like a person who is dead, because you are separated from God and do not have the new life that God gives. Come to God and get this new life!” (In 2:1 Paul also used the word “dead” as a metaphor.) He is not speaking to people who are literally dead.

In some languages a literal translation of this metaphor may be difficult to understand.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
You who are like dead people, rise up!
Change the metaphor to a simile and make explicit the meaning. For example:
You who are separated from God like dead people, rise up and be saved
Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
You who are separated from God, be saved
You who do not know God, accept Him!

and Christ will shine on you: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as Christ will shine on you is yet another metaphor. Christ is like the sun. The idea is that Christ’s goodness and truth will be given to them (shine on them) giving them new life.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Christ will make his light shine in your heart.

…the light of Christ will shine on you.

Christ will give his light of truth and goodness to you and change you.

and: The Greek word that the BSB translates as and here introduces a result of doing what 14b says.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

If you do these things, then as a result Christ will shine on you.

As a result of doing this Christ will give you his light of truth and goodness

General Comment on 5:14b–c

The person being spoken to in 5:14b–c (“Wake up, O sleeper…”) is an unbeliever. In the Greek, the commands in 5:14b and the “you” in 5:14c are singular, as if one person is being spoken to. But these words are good for all people who are still “in the darkness.” If it is more natural in your language, you can translate these words as plural:

Wake up, O sleepers…Christ will shine on you^(plur).

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

διὸ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διό λέγει Ἔγειρε ὁ καθεύδων καί ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν καί ἐπιφαύσει σοί ὁ Χριστός)

The connecting word Therefore introduces a reason-result relationship. The reason is that their sins will be revealed by the light. The result is that sinners should allow Christ to shine on them. Use a phrase in your language that connects a reason to a result. It is unknown if this quotation is a combination of quotations from the prophet Isaiah or a quotation from a hymn sung by the believers.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἔγειρε, ὁ καθεύδων, καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διό λέγει Ἔγειρε ὁ καθεύδων καί ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν καί ἐπιφαύσει σοί ὁ Χριστός)

This could mean: (1) Paul is addressing the believers and using death as a metaphor for the areas of spiritual weakness that they need to become aware of and reject. (2) Paul is addressing unbelievers who need to wake up from being dead spiritually, just as a person who has died must come alive again in order to respond.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / apostrophe

ὁ καθεύδων

you sleeping

This could mean: (1 )Paul is addressing this comment directly to unbelievers who are not reading or hearing the letter. (2) Paul is addressing this comment directly to the believers who are reading or hearing the letter.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν

from the dead

This expression describes all dead people together in the underworld. To arise from among them speaks of becoming alive again and is a metaphor for becoming alive spiritually and living for God. Alternate translation: [from among all those who have died] or [from among those who are spiritually dead]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

ἐπιφαύσει σοι

˓will_be˒_shining_upon (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Διό λέγει Ἔγειρε ὁ καθεύδων καί ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν καί ἐπιφαύσει σοί ὁ Χριστός)

Here, you refers to the “sleeper” and is singular.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός

Christ will enable an unbeliever to understand how evil his deeds are and how Christ will forgive him and give him new life, just as light shows what actually is there that the darkness had hid. This aso applies to anything that a believer has not yet recognized as sinful. Alternate translation: [Christ will show you what is right]

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

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.

OET interlinear EPH 5:14

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

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

Paragraph 5:6–14

5:14a

5:14b

5:14c

5:14a–c

General Comment on 5:14b–c

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