EPH 5:4 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. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129796
1. ἤ
2. ē
3. -
4. -
5. 22280
6. C·······
7. or
8. or
9. -
10. -
11. 129797
1. αἰσχρότης
2. aisχrotēs
3. filthiness
4. -
5. 1510
6. N····NFS
7. filthiness
8. filthiness
9. -
10. Y64; F129847
11. 129798
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129799
1. ἤ
2. ē
3. -
4. -
5. 22280
6. C·······
7. or
8. or
9. -
10. -
11. 129800
1. μωρολογία
2. mōrologia
3. foolish talk
4. foolish talk
5. 34730
6. N····NFS
7. foolish_talk
8. foolish_talk
9. -
10. Y64; F129847
11. 129801
1. ἤ
2. ē
3. or
4. -
5. 22280
6. C·······
7. or
8. or
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129802
1. καί
2. kai
3. -
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. -
11. 129803
1. εὐτραπελία
2. eutrapelia
3. crude joking
4. crude joking
5. 21600
6. N····NFS
7. crude_joking
8. crude_joking
9. -
10. Y64; F129847
11. 129804
1. ἅ
2. hos
3. which
4. -
5. 37390
6. R····NNP
7. which
8. which
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129805
1. τά
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····NNP
7. which
8. which
9. -
10. -
11. 129806
1. οὐκ
2. ou
3. not
4. -
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129807
1. ἀνήκοντα
2. anēkō
3. -
4. -
5. 4330
6. VPPA·NNP
7. fitting
8. fitting
9. -
10. -
11. 129808
1. ἀνῆκεν
2. anēkō
3. was fitting
4. fitting
5. 4330
6. VIIA3··S
7. ˓was˒ fitting
8. ˓was˒ fitting
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129809
1. ἀλλά
2. alla
3. but
4. but
5. 2350
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129810
1. μᾶλλον
2. mallon
3. rather
4. rather
5. 31230
6. D·······
7. rather
8. rather
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129811
1. εὐχαριστία
2. euχaristia
3. thanksgiving
4. thankfulness
5. 21690
6. N····NFS
7. thanksgiving
8. thanksgiving
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129812

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)

5:4a–b

Paul said that when Christians talk, they should not use any shameful talk. He uses three terms for shameful talk: obscenity, foolish talk and coarse joking.

5:4a

Nor should there be obscenity,

Also, you must not talk obscenely/shamefully
Also, do not say/use obscene/vulgar words,

Nor: The NET translates Nor as “neither.”

should there be obscenity: The word obscenity refers to talking of sexual matters or other taboo subjects in a shameful, crude way.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

obscene stories (NLT)

dirty stories (GW)

5:4b

foolish talk, or crude joking,

or stupidly or make/tell vulgar jokes.
meaningless/unwise words or naughty/dirty jokes/stories.

foolish talk: The term foolish talk means saying things that are of no good use. This does not mean talking like a person who has not been to school or who is not intelligent.

Here are some other ways to translate this term:

empty talk

flippant talk

disrespectful talk

In the OT, a fool was a person who ignored God or did not believe in God. So foolish talk may mean talking disrespectfully or lightly about serious things, making fun of God and other important things.

or crude joking: The term crude joking means “vulgar jokes,” which usually refers to jokes about sex.

In most languages there are terms for using vulgar and shameful language. You may have expressions like:

saying vulgar words

laughing about things that bring shame

telling stories that are not fit for people’s ears

General Comment on 5:4a–b

In some languages, two terms or even one generic term may be sufficient to express all the ideas in the three terms “obscenity, foolish talking and coarse joking.” For example:

don't even talk about such things; they are no fit subjects for Christians to talk about (JBP)

5:4c

which are out of character,

These are not suited for you.
These things are not right for you. (NCV)

which are out of character: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as out of character means “not right,” or “not fitting.” It is the opposite of “proper” in 5:3a.

5:4d

but rather thanksgiving.

Instead, give thanks to God. (GW)
Instead, you should thank God for that which he does for you.

but rather thanksgiving: The clause but rather thanksgiving means “instead, give thanks to God” or “instead of doing those things, thank God for that which he has done for you.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. (NLT)

Rather you should give thanks to God. (GNT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί αἰσχρότης καί μωρολογία ἤ εὐτραπελία ἅ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν ἀλλά μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of thanksgiving, you could express the same idea in another way. The word thanksgiving is a verbal noun, and can be translated with a verb. Alternate translation: [instead of those things, you should thank God]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: καί αἰσχρότης καί μωρολογία ἤ εὐτραπελία ἅ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν ἀλλά μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία)

The connecting phrase but instead introduces a contrast relationship. Sinful acts and thoughts are in contrast to thanksgiving to God. Use a connecting word that indicates a contrast in your language.

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
5. kai
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129796
1. filthiness
2. -
3. 1510
5. aisχrotēs
6. N-····NFS
7. filthiness
8. filthiness
9. -
10. Y64; F129847
11. 129798
1. and
2. -
3. 25320
5. kai
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129799
1. foolish talk
2. foolish talk
3. 34730
5. mōrologia
6. N-····NFS
7. foolish_talk
8. foolish_talk
9. -
10. Y64; F129847
11. 129801
1. or
2. -
3. 22280
5. ē
6. C-·······
7. or
8. or
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129802
1. crude joking
2. crude joking
3. 21600
5. eutrapelia
6. N-····NFS
7. crude_joking
8. crude_joking
9. -
10. Y64; F129847
11. 129804
1. which
2. -
3. 37390
5. hos
6. R-····NNP
7. which
8. which
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129805
1. not
2. -
3. 37560
5. ou
6. D-·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129807
1. was fitting
2. fitting
3. 4330
5. anēkō
6. V-IIA3··S
7. ˓was˒ fitting
8. ˓was˒ fitting
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129809
1. but
2. but
3. 2350
5. alla
6. C-·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129810
1. rather
2. rather
3. 31230
5. mallon
6. D-·······
7. rather
8. rather
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129811
1. thanksgiving
2. thankfulness
3. 21690
5. euχaristia
6. N-····NFS
7. thanksgiving
8. thanksgiving
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129812

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 5:4

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