New International VersionThis is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
New Living Translationfor the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
English Standard Versionfor anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Berean Standard BibleSo it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Berean Literal BibleTherefore it says: "Awake you, the one sleeping, and rise up out from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you."
King James BibleWherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
New King James VersionTherefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
New American Standard BibleFor this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
NASB 1995For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
NASB 1977For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
Legacy Standard BibleFor this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”
Amplified BibleFor this reason He says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine [as dawn] upon you and give you light.”
Christian Standard Biblefor what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Holman Christian Standard Biblefor what makes everything clear is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.
American Standard VersionWherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.
Contemporary English VersionLight shows up everything, just as the Scriptures say, "Wake up from your sleep and rise from death. Then Christ will shine on you."
English Revised VersionWherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.
GOD'S WORD® Translationbecause light makes everything easy to see. That's why it says: "Wake up, sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Good News Translationfor anything that is clearly revealed becomes light. That is why it is said, "Wake up, sleeper, and rise from death, and Christ will shine on you."
International Standard Versionfor the light is making everything visible. That is why it says, "Wake up, sleeper! Arise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.''
NET BibleFor everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says: "Awake, O sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!"
New Heart English BibleTherefore he says, "Awake, you who sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Webster's Bible TranslationWherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give thee light.
Weymouth New TestamentFor this reason it is said, "Rise, sleeper; rise from among the dead, and Christ will shed light upon you." Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSo it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
World English BibleTherefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionfor this reason it says, “Arouse yourself, you who are sleeping, and arise out of the dead, and the Christ will shine on you.”
Berean Literal BibleTherefore it says: "Awake you, the one sleeping, and rise up out from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you."
Young's Literal Translation wherefore he saith, 'Arouse thyself, thou who art sleeping, and arise out of the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee.'
Smith's Literal TranslationWherefore he says, Awake, who sleeping, and arise from the dead, and Christ will enlighten thee. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWherefore he saith: Rise thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall enlighten thee.
Catholic Public Domain VersionBecause of this, it is said: “You who are sleeping: awaken, and rise up from the dead, and so shall the Christ enlighten you.”
New American Biblefor everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
New Revised Standard Versionfor everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleTherefore it is said: Awake thou that sleepest, and rise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Aramaic Bible in Plain EnglishTherefore it is said, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from among the dead and The Messiah will illuminate you.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentWherefore, the scripture says: Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.
Godbey New Testament
Therefore he says, Awake, thou sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon thee.
Haweis New Testament
Wherefore he saith, ?Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.?
Mace New Testament
wherefore 'tis said, " awake thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."
Weymouth New Testament
For this reason it is said, "Rise, sleeper; rise from among the dead, and Christ will shed light upon you."
Worrell New Testament
Wherefore, He saith: "Awake, you who are sleeping; and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you!"
Worsley New Testament
Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Children of Light… 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself. 14Soit is said:“Wake up,Osleeper,rise upfromthedead,andChristwill shine onyou.”15Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,…
Cross References Isaiah 60:1Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
Romans 13:11And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
John 8:12Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
1 Thessalonians 5:6So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.
Isaiah 26:19Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is like the dew of the morning, and the earth will bring forth her dead.
2 Corinthians 4:6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Malachi 4:2“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.
John 1:4-5In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. / The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Colossians 1:13He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son,
Isaiah 9:2The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.
1 John 1:7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Matthew 5:14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
Luke 1:78-79because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high, / to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Acts 26:18to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’
Isaiah 52:1Awake, awake, clothe yourself with strength, O Zion! Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, holy city! For the uncircumcised and unclean will no longer enter you.
Treasury of Scripture Why he said, Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. he. Isaiah 51:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling,and wrungthem out. Isaiah 52:1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. arise. Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) Isaiah 26:19 Thy deadmen shall live,together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dewis as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Ezekiel 37:4-10 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD… Christ. John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Acts 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us,saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. Jump to Previous AriseArouseAwakeChristDeadLightMakesReasonRiseShedShineSleepSleeperSleepestSleepingThyselfVisibleWakeWhereforeJump to Next AriseArouseAwakeChristDeadLightMakesReasonRiseShedShineSleepSleeperSleepestSleepingThyselfVisibleWakeWhereforeEphesians 5 1.After general exhortations to love;3.to flee sexual immorality;4.and all uncleanness;7.not to converse with the wicked;15.to walk carefully;18.and to be filled with the Spirit;22.he descends to the particular duties, how wives ought to obey their husbands;25.and husbands ought to love their wives,32.even as Christ does his church.So it is said:This phrase introduces a quotation or a saying that was likely familiar to the early Christian community. It may have been part of an early Christian hymn or liturgical text. The use of "it is said" suggests a common understanding or teaching that the audience would recognize, emphasizing the authority and importance of the message that follows. Wake up, O sleeper:
This call to awaken is a metaphor for spiritual revival and awareness. In the context of Ephesians, it addresses believers who may have become complacent or spiritually lethargic. The imagery of sleep is often used in Scripture to denote a lack of spiritual vigilance or awareness (e.g.,Romans 13:11,1 Thessalonians 5:6). The call to "wake up" is an urgent exhortation to return to a state of spiritual alertness and readiness. Rise up from the dead:
This phrase continues the metaphor of awakening, suggesting a transition from spiritual death to life. It echoes the resurrection theme found throughout the New Testament, where believers are called to live in the new life provided through Christ (Romans 6:4,Colossians 3:1). The imagery of rising from the dead underscores the transformative power of the Gospel, which brings believers from a state of sin and separation from God to one of life and communion with Him. and Christ will shine on you:
This promise of Christ's light shining on the believer is rich with biblical symbolism. Light represents truth, purity, and divine presence (John 8:12, 1John 1:5). The assurance that Christ will shine on those who awaken and rise suggests both guidance and blessing. It reflects the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies where the coming of the Messiah would bring light to those in darkness (Isaiah 60:1-3). This light is not only for personal illumination but also for reflecting Christ's glory to the world. Persons / Places / Events 1. Paul the ApostleThe author of the letter to the Ephesians, Paul was a key figure in the early Christian church, known for his missionary journeys and theological teachings. 2. EphesusA major city in Asia Minor, Ephesus was a center of commerce and culture. The Ephesian church was one of the early Christian communities to which Paul wrote. 3. ChristCentral to this verse, Christ is the one who brings light and life to those who are spiritually asleep or dead. Teaching Points Spiritual AwakeningThe call to "wake up" is a metaphor for spiritual awakening. Believers are urged to be alert and aware of their spiritual condition. Resurrection Power"Rise up from the dead" signifies the transformative power of Christ's resurrection, which believers are invited to experience in their own lives. Christ's Illumination"Christ will shine on you" emphasizes the role of Jesus as the source of spiritual light and guidance. Believers are encouraged to live in His light. Urgency of the GospelThe verse underscores the urgency of responding to the Gospel message, as spiritual lethargy can lead to missed opportunities for growth and service. Living in the LightBelievers are called to live as children of light, reflecting Christ's character in their daily lives and interactions. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Ephesians 5
What does the Bible say about spiritual sleep?
Will Christ shine on you if you awaken?
Will Christ shine on you if you awaken?
What defines a spiritual awakening?(14) Wherefore he (or, it) saith.--This phrase is used (as also in James 4:6) in Ephesians 4:8 to introduce a scriptural quotation; and the most natural completion of the elliptical expression is by the supply of the nominative, "God," or "the scripture," from the ordinary phrase of quotation or citation. But no scriptural passage can be adduced which, with the fullest allowance for the apostolic freedom of quotation, comes near enough to be a satisfactory original of this passage. The nearest is Isaiah 60:1, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee;" and this is certainly very far off indeed. Nor is the case much helped by blending other passages (as, for example, Isaiah 26:19) with this. Some additional verbal coincidences may be gained, but at the expense of still greater diversity from the spirit of the passage as a whole. Hence we are driven to conclude that the quotation is not from Holy Scripture. Yet the very form shows that it is from something well known. An apocryphal quotation is imagined by some, but with no knowledge of any quotation at all resembling it. Others have supposed it a traditional saying of our Lord (like Acts 20:35); but the form seems decisive against this. On the whole, it seems most likely that it is from some well-known Christian hymn. In the original a rhythmical character, rough, but by no means indistinct, strikes us at once. The growth of defined and formal expressions--mostly, it is true, of embryo creeds of Christian faith, as in 1Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 6:1-2; 1Timothy 3:16, in the last of which the acknowledged difficulty of etymological construction in the true reading may perhaps be best explained by the supposition of quotation--is notable in the later Epistles, and especially in the "faithful sayings" of the Pastoral Epistles. The use of some liturgical forms is traced with high probability to a very early date. The embodiment of popular faith in hymns, always natural, was peculiarly natural as adapted to the imperfect education of many early converts, and to the practice of trusting so much to memory, and so comparatively little to writing. Some such usage certainly appears to be referred to in the celebrated letter of Pliny to Trajan, the first heathen description of Christian worship. . . . Verse 14. - Therefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. This is evidently intended to give an additional impulse to the Ephesians to walk as children of the light; but a difficulty arises as to the source of the quotation. There is no difficulty with the formula, "he saith," which, like the same expression in Ephesians 4:8, is clearly to be referred to God. But no such words occur in the Old Testament. The passage that comes nearest to them is Isaiah 60:1," Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord hath risen upon thee." The simplest and best explanation is, not that the apostle quoted from any lost book, but flint he did not mean to give the words, but only the spirit of the passage. This is evident from his introducing the word "Christ." It must be owned that the apostle makes a very free use of the prophet's words. But the fundamental idea in the prophecy is, that when the Church gets the light of heaven, she is not to lie still, as it' she were asleep or dead, but is to be active, is to make use of the light, is to use it for illuminating the world. The apostle maintains that the Ephesian Church had got the light of heaven; she, therefore, was not to sleep or loiter, but spring forth as if from the grave, and pour light on the world. The changes which the apostle makes on the form of the prophecy are remarkable, and show that it was to its spirit and substance rather than to its precise form and letter that he attached the authority of inspiration.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek Soδιὸ(dio)Conjunction
Strong's 1352:Wherefore, on which account, therefore. From dia and hos; through which thing, i.e. Consequently.it is said:λέγει(legei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004:(a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.“Wake up,Ἔγειρε(Egeire)Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1453:(a) I wake, arouse, (b) I raise up. Probably akin to the base of agora; to waken, i.e. Rouse.Oὁ(ho)Article - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.sleeper,καθεύδων(katheudōn)Verb - Present Participle Active - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2518:To sleep, be sleeping. From kata and heudo; to lie down to rest, i.e. to fall asleep.rise upἀνάστα(anasta)Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 450:To raise up, set up; I rise from among (the) dead; I arise, appear. From ana and histemi; to stand up.fromἐκ(ek)Preposition
Strong's 1537:From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.theτῶν(tōn)Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.dead,νεκρῶν(nekrōn)Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3498:(a) adj: dead, lifeless, subject to death, mortal, (b) noun: a dead body, a corpse. From an apparently primary nekus; dead.andκαὶ(kai)Conjunction
Strong's 2532:And, even, also, namely.ChristΧριστός(Christos)Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547:Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.will shine onἐπιφαύσει(epiphausei)Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2017:To shine upon, give light to. A form of epiphaino; to illuminate.you.”σοι(soi)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.
Links Ephesians 5:14 NIVEphesians 5:14 NLTEphesians 5:14 ESVEphesians 5:14 NASBEphesians 5:14 KJV
Ephesians 5:14 BibleApps.comEphesians 5:14 Biblia ParalelaEphesians 5:14 Chinese BibleEphesians 5:14 French BibleEphesians 5:14 Catholic Bible
NT Letters: Ephesians 5:14 Therefore he says Awake you who sleep (Ephes. Eph. Ep) |
