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Ephesians 5:14-21
New International Version
Ephesians 5:14-21
New International Version
14 This is why it is said:
15 Be very careful, then, how you live(D)—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity,(E) because the days are evil.(F) 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.(G) 18 Do not get drunk on wine,(H) which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,(I) 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.(J) Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks(K) to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Instructions for Christian Households(L)
21 Submit to one another(M) out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:14-21
New King James Version
Ephesians 5:14-21
New King James Version
14 Therefore He says:
(A)“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
Walk in Wisdom
15 (B)See then that you walk [a]circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 (C)redeeming the time, (D)because the days are evil.
17 (E)Therefore do not be unwise, but (F)understand (G)what the will of the Lord is. 18 And (H)do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another (I)in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making (J)melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 (K)giving thanks always for all things to God the Father (L)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 (M)submitting to one another in the fear of [b]God.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ephesians 5:15 carefully
- Ephesians 5:21 NU Christ
Ephesians 5:14-21
New American Standard Bible
Ephesians 5:14-21
New American Standard Bible
14 For this reason [a]it says,
15 So then, [b]be careful how you (D)walk, not (E)as unwise people but as wise, 16 [c](F)making the most of your time, because (G)the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but (H)understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And (I)do not get drunk with wine, [d]in which there is (J)debauchery, but be (K)filled with the Spirit, 19 (L)speaking to [e]one another in (M)psalms and (N)hymns and spiritual (O)songs, (P)singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; 20 (Q)always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our (R)God and Father; 21 [f](S)and subject yourselves to one another in the [g](T)fear of Christ.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ephesians 5:14 Or He
- Ephesians 5:15 Lit look carefully
- Ephesians 5:16 Lit redeeming the time
- Ephesians 5:18 Or by which
- Ephesians 5:19 Or yourselves
- Ephesians 5:21 Lit being submissive to
- Ephesians 5:21 Or reverence for
Ephesians 5:14-21
Amplified Bible
Ephesians 5:14-21
Amplified Bible
14 For this reason He says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine [as dawn] upon you and give you light.”(A)
15 Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], 16 [a]making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is wickedness (corruption, stupidity), but be filled with the [Holy] Spirit and constantly guided by Him.(B) 19 [b]Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21 being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ephesians 5:16 The Greek word in this verse means “buy up at the market place.” Opportunity is regarded as a commodity to be used by believers.
- Ephesians 5:19 The Greeks had a tradition of holding drinking parties (called, in the singular, a symposium) where the object was to sing the praises of the pagan gods while becoming drunk. Perhaps with this tradition in mind, Paul instructs believers to “be filled” instead with the Holy Spirit and to sing meaningful praises to God.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.