EPH 5:8 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. ἦτε
2. eimi
3. you all were
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIIA2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ were
8. ˱you_all˲ were
9. -
10. Y64; R128863
11. 129865
1. γάρ
2. gar
3. for/because
4. because
5. 10630
6. C·······
7. for/because
8. for
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129866
1. ποτέ
2. pote
3. once
4. -
5. 42180
6. D·······
7. once
8. once
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129867
1. σκότος
2. skotos
3. darkness
4. darkness
5. 46550
6. N····NNS
7. darkness
8. darkness
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129868
1. νῦν
2. nun
3. now
4. -
5. 35680
6. D·······
7. now
8. now
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129869
1. δέ
2. de
3. but
4. -
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129870
1. φῶς
2. fōs
3. light
4. -
5. 54570
6. N····NNS
7. light
8. light
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129871
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129872
1. Κυρίῳ
2. kurios
3. +the master
4. -
5. 29620
6. N····DMS
7. ˓the˒ master
8. ˓the˒ Lord
9. GN
10. Y64
11. 129873
1. ὡς
2. hōs
3. as
4. -
5. 56130
6. C·······
7. as
8. as
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129874
1. τέκνα
2. teknon
3. children
4. children
5. 50430
6. N····NNP
7. children
8. children
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129875
1. φωτός
2. fōs
3. of light
4. -
5. 54570
6. N····GNS
7. ˱of˲ light
8. ˱of˲ light
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129876
1. περιπατεῖτε
2. peripateō
3. be walking
4. -
5. 40430
6. VMPA2··P
7. ˓be˒ walking
8. ˓be˒ walking
9. -
10. Y64; R128863
11. 129877

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.

5:8a–b

you were once darkness, but now you are light: Paul contrasted the way they once were in the past before they were Christians, with the way they now are, now that they are Christians.

darkness…light: The words darkness and light are metaphors here. Many languages use darkness and light as metaphors. In this context, darkness refers to being disobedient and separated from the will and purposes of God. Here, light represents having true knowledge about the will and purposes of God.

Paul uses this metaphor for several verses here, and often in his writings. You should try to keep the metaphors of light and dark, if possible.

5:8a

For you were once darkness,

For formerly you were in darkness,
Because even though your hearts were formerly dark in sin,

For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For introduces the reason that the Ephesians should not be partners with evil people. They should not be partners because they are now in the light.

Some versions do not translate this conjunction. Translate it in a way that is natural in your language.

you were once darkness: Here are some ways to translate this clause:

You used to be like people living in the dark (CEV)

your hearts were dark

you lived/dwelt in the dark

the darkness of disobedience and sin controlled you

5:8b

but now you are light in the Lord.

but now you have entered into the light, because you are united with the Lord.
God has now made your hearts light/bright with truth/goodness because you have become people of the Lord Jesus.

but now you are light: Here are some ways to translate this clause:

now you have light from the Lord (NLT)

now you have entered God’s light of truth and goodness

now God has made your hearts bright with purity and truth

Use expressions that are natural and clear in your language.

in the Lord: The phrase in the Lord means:

since you have become the Lord’s people

in union with the Lord (Jesus)

since you have become united to the Lord

Lord: Here the word Lord refers to Jesus. When Paul used the word Lord in his letters, he almost always meant the Lord Jesus.

5:8c

Walk as children of light,

So behave like people who are in the light.
Behave like people who know the truth should behave.

Walk: The Greek verb that the BSB literally translates as Walk means “behave.” See how you translated “walk/live” in 2:2a, 2:10c and 4:1b.)

as children of light: The phrase children of light here contrasts with the “sons of disobedience” in 5:6b. It refers to people who live in the light of God’s truth, that is, “people who behave as God wants.” All believers are children of light: they have turned away from their sins (darkness) and have come to Christ (light). For example:

people who belong to the light (GNT)

Here are some other ways to translate “Walk as children of light”:

So act like people of the light (CEV)

So you must live like people who belong to the light (GNT)

Live as children who have light. (GW)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἦτε γάρ ποτε σκότος

˱you_all˲_were for (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἦτε γάρ ποτέ σκότος νῦν δέ φῶς ἐν Κυρίῳ ὡς τέκνα φωτός περιπατεῖτε)

Just as one cannot see in the dark, so people who love to sin cannot see or understand the things of God. Alternate translation: [because formerly you did not understand anything about God]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γάρ

for

The connecting word because introduces a reason-result relationship. The result is stated first (v.7): that the Ephesian believers should not become partners with evil men. The reason is stated second (v. 8): that the Ephesian believers are no longer darkness, but are now light. Use a phrase in your language that connects a reason to a result, using the order that is most natural for your language.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

νῦν δὲ φῶς ἐν Κυρίῳ

now (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἦτε γάρ ποτέ σκότος νῦν δέ φῶς ἐν Κυρίῳ ὡς τέκνα φωτός περιπατεῖτε)

Just as one can see in the light, so people whom God has saved understand how to please God. Alternate translation: [but now you know God and can live for him]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

δὲ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἦτε γάρ ποτέ σκότος νῦν δέ φῶς ἐν Κυρίῳ ὡς τέκνα φωτός περιπατεῖτε)

The connecting word but introduces a contrast relationship. The fact that the Ephesian believers were formerly darkness is in contrast to the fact that they are now light.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὡς τέκνα φωτὸς περιπατεῖτε

as children (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἦτε γάρ ποτέ σκότος νῦν δέ φῶς ἐν Κυρίῳ ὡς τέκνα φωτός περιπατεῖτε)

To Walk on a path is a metaphor for how a person lives his life. Alternate translation: [Live as people who understand what the Lord wants them to do]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

ὡς τέκνα φωτὸς

as children (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἦτε γάρ ποτέ σκότος νῦν δέ φῶς ἐν Κυρίῳ ὡς τέκνα φωτός περιπατεῖτε)

God desires us to imitate or follow him since we are his spiritual children. Alternate translation: [as God’s children who know the truth] or [because you are God’s children and see the truth]

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 5:8