EPH 5:4 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT and filthiness and foolish talk or crude jokes—which are not fitting—but instead, thanksgiving.

UST When you speak to each other, do not tell obscene stories or say foolish things or joke about committing sins. Such things are not what people who belong to God talk about. Instead, express the things that you are thankful for.

BSB [Nor should there be] obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.

BLB and filthiness, and foolish talking, or crude joking, which are not fitting, but rather thanksgiving.

AICNT and there must be no filthiness, foolish talk, or coarse jesting, which are not {permitted},[fn] but rather giving of thanks.

5:4, permitted: Later manuscripts read “fitting.” BYZ TR

OEB nor shameful conduct, nor foolish talk or obscene jokes, for they are wholly out of place among you; but rather thanksgiving.

WEBBE nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate, but rather giving of thanks.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving.

LSV also filthiness, and foolish talking, or jesting—the things not fit—but rather thanksgiving;

FBV Obscene talk, stupid chatter, and coarse jokes are totally inappropriate—instead you should be thanking God.

TCNT Nor should there be any obscenity, foolish talk, or coarse joking, which are not fitting, but there should be thanksgiving instead.

T4T Do not use obscene/shameful language when you talk to people. Do not talk foolishly. Do not use vulgar/indecent language, because it is not appropriate/fitting that God’s people should talk like that. Instead, tell people how much you thank God for all he does for you.

LEB and obscenity, and foolish talk, or coarse jesting (which are not proper), but rather thanksgiving.

BBE And let there be no low behaviour, or foolish talk, or words said in sport, which are not right, but in place of them the giving of praise.

Moff no, nor indecent, silly, or scurrilous talk — all that is improper. Rather, voice your thanks to God.

Wymth Avoid shameful and foolish talk and low jesting—they are all alike discreditable—and in place of these give thanks.

ASV nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks.

DRA Or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose; but rather giving of thanks.

YLT also filthiness, and foolish talking, or jesting, — the things not fit — but rather thanksgiving;

Drby and filthiness and foolish talking, or jesting, which are not convenient; but rather thanksgiving.

RV nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks.

SLT And obscenity, and silly discourse, or wit, which things concern not; but rather thankfulness.

Wbstr Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

KJB-1769 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

KJB-1611 Neither filthinesse, nor foolish talking, nor iesting, which are not conuenient: but rather giuing of thankes.
(Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor iesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.)

Bshps Neither fylthynesse, neither foolyshe talkyng, neither iestyng, which are not comely: but rather, geuyng of thankes.
(Neither filthiness, neither foolyshe talking, neither iesting, which are not comely: but rather, giving of thanks.)

Gnva Neither filthinesse, neither foolish talking, neither iesting, which are things not comely, but rather giuing of thankes.
(Neither filthiness, neither foolish talking, neither iesting, which are things not comely, but rather giving of thanks. )

Cvdl nether fylthines, ner folish talkynge, ner ieastynge (which are not comly) but rather geuynge of thakes.
(neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor ieasting (which are not comly) but rather giving of thanks.)

TNT nether filthynes nether folishe talkyng nether gestinge which are not comly: but rather gevynge of thankes
(neither filthiness neither foolishe talking neither guestinge which are not comly: but rather geving of thanks )

Wycl ethir filthe, or foli speche, or harlatrye, that perteyneth not to profit, but more doyng of thankyngis.
(either filth, or folly speech, or harlatrye, that pertaineth/pertains not to profit, but more doing of thankings.)

Luth auch schandbare Worte und Narrenteidinge oder Scherz, welche euch nicht ziemen, sondern vielmehr Danksagung.
(also schandbare words and fool(n)teidinge or Scherz, which you not ziemen, rather rather thanksgiving.)

ClVg aut turpitudo, aut stultiloquium, aut scurrilitas, quæ ad rem non pertinet: sed magis gratiarum actio.
(or ugliness, or foolsloquium, or scurrilousness, which to thing not/no belongs: but more thanks action. )

UGNT καὶ αἰσχρότης, καὶ μωρολογία, ἢ εὐτραπελία, ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία.
(kai aisⱪrotaʸs, kai mōrologia, aʸ eutrapelia, ha ouk anaʸken, alla mallon euⱪaristia.)

SBL-GNT καὶ αἰσχρότης καὶ μωρολογία ἢ εὐτραπελία, ⸂ἃ οὐκ ἀνῆκεν⸃, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία.
(kai aisⱪrotaʸs kai mōrologia aʸ eutrapelia, ⸂ha ouk anaʸken⸃, alla mallon euⱪaristia.)

RP-GNT καὶ αἰσχρότης, καὶ μωρολογία, ἢ εὐτραπελία, τὰ οὐκ ἀνήκοντα· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία.
(kai aisⱪrotaʸs, kai mōrologia, aʸ eutrapelia, ta ouk anaʸkonta; alla mallon euⱪaristia.)

TC-GNT καὶ αἰσχρότης, καὶ μωρολογία, ἢ εὐτραπελία, [fn]τὰ οὐκ ἀνήκοντα· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐχαριστία.
(kai aisⱪrotaʸs, kai mōrologia, aʸ eutrapelia, ta ouk anaʸkonta; alla mallon euⱪaristia. )

5:4 τα ουκ ανηκοντα ¦ α ουκ ανηκεν CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN 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)