Ephesians 5:14

Amplified Bible

For this reason He says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine [as dawn] upon you and give you light."

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Yes, everything is made clear by the light. This is why we say, "Wake up, you who are sleeping! Rise from death, and Christ will shine on you."

Revised Standard Version
Therefore it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Wherfore he sayth: awake thou that slepest and stond vp from deeth and Christ shall geve the light.

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore he says, "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Messiah will shine on you."

New American Standard Bible
For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you."

New Century Version
and everything that is made easy to see can become light. This is why it is said: "Wake up, sleeper! Rise from death, and Christ will shine on you."

Update Bible Version
for everything that is made manifest is light. Therefore [he] says, Awake, you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine on you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give thee light.

English Standard Version
for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

World English Bible
Therefore he says, "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Weymouth's New Testament
For this reason it is said, "Rise, sleeper; rise from among the dead, and Christ will shed light upon you."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For which thing he seith, Rise thou that slepist, and rise vp fro deth, and Crist schal liytne thee.

English Revised Version
Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.

Berean Standard Bible
So it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

Contemporary English Version
Light shows up everything, just as the Scriptures say, "Wake up from your sleep and rise from death. Then Christ will shine on you."

American Standard Version
Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.

Bible in Basic English
For this reason he says, Be awake, you who are sleeping, and come up from among the dead, and Christ will be your light.

Complete Jewish Bible
since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says, "Get up, sleeper! Arise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you!"

Darby Translation
Wherefore he says, Wake up, [thou] that sleepest, and arise up from among the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee.

International Standard Version
for everything that is visible is light. That is why it says,Isaiah 60:1; John 5:25; Romans 6:4-5; 13:11-12; 1 Corinthians 15:34; Ephesians 2:5; Colossians 3:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:6;">[xr] "Wake up, O sleeper! Arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.''[fn]

Etheridge Translation
Wherefore it is said, Awake thou who sleepest, And arise from the dead, And the Meshiha shall enlighten thee.

Murdock Translation
Wherefore it is said: Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and the Messiah will illuminate thee.

King James Version (1611)
Wherfore hee saith: Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall giue thee light.

New Living Translation
for 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."

New Life Bible
The Holy Writings say, "Wake up, you who are sleeping. Rise from the dead and Christ will give you light."

New Revised Standard
for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore hee sayeth, Awake thou that sleepest, and stande vp from the deade, and Christ shall giue thee light.

George Lamsa Translation
Therefore it is said: Awake thou that sleepest, and rise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Wherefore it saith - Up! thou sleeper, and arise from among the dead, and the Christ will shine upon thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Wherefore he saith: Rise, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall enlighten thee.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherefore he sayth: Awake thou that sleepest, and stande vp from the dead, and Christe shall geue thee lyght.

Good News Translation
for 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."

Christian Standard Bible®
for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said:

King James Version
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Lexham English Bible
for everything made visible is light. Therefore it says, Wake up, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

Literal Translation
Because of this, He says, Arise, sleeping ones and stand up out of the dead ones, and Christ will shine on you. No OT passage

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.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore sayeth he: Awake thou that slepest, and stonde vp fro the deed, and Christ shal geue the lighte.

Mace New Testament (1729)
wherefore 'tis said, " awake thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."

New English Translation
For 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 King James Version
Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."

Simplified Cowboy Version
No one can hide from God's light. This is why this was spoken, "Get up sleeper, rise from your grave, and Christ will light your way."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you."

Legacy Standard Bible
For this reason it says,"Awake, sleeper,And arise from the dead,And Christ will shine on you."

Contextual Overview

³But sexual immorality and all [moral] impurity [indecent, offensive behavior] or greed must not even be hinted at among you, as is proper among saints [for as believers our way of life, whether in public or in private, reflects the validity of our faith]. ⁴Let there be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse [obscene or vulgar] joking, because such things are not appropriate [for believers]; but instead speak of your thankfulness [to God]. ⁵For be sure of this: no immoral, impure, or greedy person—for that one is [in effect] an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God [for such a person places a higher value on something other than God]. ⁶Let no one deceive you with empty arguments [that encourage you to sin], for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience [those who habitually sin]. ⁷So do not participate or even associate with them [in the rebelliousness of sin]. ⁸For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [live as those who are native-born to the Light] ⁹(for the fruit [the effect, the result] of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰trying to learn [by experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [and letting your lifestyles be examples of what is most acceptable to Him—your behavior expressing gratitude to God for your salvation]. ¹¹Do not participate in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness, but instead expose them [by exemplifying personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character]; ¹²for it is disgraceful even to mention the things that such people practice in secret.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he: or, it

Awake: Isaiah 51:17, Isaiah 52:1, Isaiah 60:1, Romans 13:11, Romans 13:12, 1 Corinthians 15:34, 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 2 Timothy 2:26, *marg.

arise: Ephesians 2:5, Isaiah 26:19, Ezekiel 37:4-10, John 5:25-29, John 11:43, John 11:44, Romans 6:4, Romans 6:5, Romans 6:13, Colossians 3:1

Christ: John 8:12, John 9:5, Acts 13:47, 2 Corinthians 4:6, 2 Timothy 1:10

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:3 - Let Genesis 2:17 - surely Judges 5:12 - Deborah 1 Samuel 25:36 - she told him 2 Kings 4:31 - not awaked 1 Chronicles 22:16 - Arise Job 14:12 - awake Job 29:3 - by his light Psalms 13:3 - lest Psalms 119:130 - entrance Proverbs 6:9 - when Proverbs 19:15 - casteth Proverbs 20:13 - open Proverbs 24:33 - General Song of Solomon 3:2 - will rise Song of Solomon 5:2 - sleep Isaiah 9:2 - walked Isaiah 29:18 - the deaf Isaiah 35:5 - the eyes Isaiah 46:8 - bring Isaiah 46:12 - Hearken Isaiah 49:9 - to them Jonah 1:6 - What Matthew 8:22 - and Matthew 25:5 - they Mark 13:36 - he find Luke 15:17 - when Luke 15:24 - this Luke 24:45 - General John 1:4 - the life John 9:39 - that they John 11:11 - awake John 12:35 - Walk John 12:46 - abide Acts 12:7 - Arise Acts 17:12 - many Acts 26:18 - and to 2 Corinthians 5:15 - that they Ephesians 2:1 - dead Colossians 2:12 - wherein Colossians 2:13 - dead 1 Thessalonians 5:7 - they that sleep 1 Timothy 5:6 - dead

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore he saith,.... Either the man that is light in the Lord, who reproves the unfruitful works of darkness; or else the Holy Ghost by Paul, who here speaks after the manner of the prophets; or God, or the Spirit, or the Scripture; see James 4:6; but where is it said? some think the apostle refers to Isaiah 9:2; others to

Isaiah 26:19; others to Isaiah 60:1; some are of opinion the words are cited out of an apocryphal book of Jeremy, or from some writing now lost; and some have thought them to be a saying of Christ, that was fresh in memory: it may not be improper to observe what Maimonides says m, that

"the blowing of the trumpet in the beginning of the year had an intimation in it, as if was said, עורו ישינים "awake ye that sleep", from your sleep, and ye that slumber rouse up from your slumber, and search into your actions, and return by repentance, and remember your Creator;''

whether any reference may be had to this, may be considered: the words are spoken not to unregenerate men, for though they are asleep, and dead in sin, and need awaking out of sleep, and raising from the dead, yet they are never called upon to awake and arise of themselves; such a sense would countenance the doctrine of man's free will and power, against the quickening and efficacious grace of God; but to regenerate persons, professors of religion, to whom the epistle in general was written; and who are spoken to, and exhorted in the context:

awake thou that sleepest: the children of God are sometimes asleep, and need awaking; of the nature, causes, and ill consequences of such sleeping, and of the methods by which they are sometimes awaked out of it, Isaiah 60:1- :.

And arise from the dead; living saints are sometimes among dead sinners, and it becomes them to arise from among them, and quit their company, which is oftentimes the occasion of their sleepiness: besides, the company of dead sinners is infectious and dangerous; it is a means of hardening in sin, and of grieving of the people of God, who observe it; and by abstaining from their company, a testimony is bore against sin, and conviction is struck into the minds of sinners themselves; to which add, that so to do is well pleasing to God, who promises to receive such who come out from among them, and separate themselves from them: and it follows here as an encouragement, and Christ shall give thee light; for such who are made light in the Lord, stand in need of more light; and by keeping close to the word, ways, ordinances, and people of Christ, they may expect more light from Christ: they need fresh light into pardoning grace and mercy, through the blood of Christ; they want more to direct them in the way they should go; and they are often without the light of God's countenance; and they may hope for light from Christ, since it is sown in him, and promised through him; and he is given to be a light unto them, and he is the giver of it himself.

m Hilchot Heshuba, c. 3. sect 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wherefore he saith - Margin, or “it.” Διὸ λέγει Dio legei. The meaning may be, either that the Lord says, or the Scripture. Much difficulty has been experienced in endeavoring to ascertain “where” this is said. It is agreed on all hands that it is not found, in so many words, in the Old Testament. Some have supposed that the allusion is to Isaiah 26:19, “Thy dead men shall live - awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of herbs,” etc. But the objections to this are obvious and conclusive.

(1) This is not a quotation of that place, nor has it a “resemblance” to it, except in the word “awake.”

(2) The passage in Isaiah refers to a different matter, and has a different sense altogether; see the notes on the passage.

To make it refer to those to whom the gospel comes, is most forced and unnatural. Others have supposed that the reference is to Isaiah 60:1-3, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come,” etc. But the objection to this is not less decisive.

(1) It is “not” a quotation of that passage, and the resemblance is very remote, if it can be seen at all.

(2) “that” is addressed to the church, calling on her to let her light shine; “this,” to awake and arise from the dead, with the assurance that Christ would give them light. The exhortation here is to Christians, to “avoid the vices of the pagan around them;” the exhortation in Isaiah is to the church, to “rejoice and exult” in view of the fact that the day of triumph had come, and that the pagan were to be converted, and to come in multitudes and devote themselves to God. In the “design” of the two passages there is no resemblance. Some have supposed that the words are taken from some book among the Hebrews which is now lost. Epiphanius supposed that it was a quotation from a prophecy of Elijah; Syncellus and Euthalius, from some writing of Jeremiah; Hippolytus, from the writing of some now unknown prophet. Jerome supposed it was taken from some apocryphal writings. Grotius supposes that it refers to the word “light” in Ephesians 5:13, and that the sense is,” That light says; that is, that a man who is pervaded by that light, let him so say to another.” Heumann, and after him Storr, Michaelis, and Jennings (Jewish Ant. 2:252), suppose that the reference is to a song or hymn that was sung by the early Christians, beginning in this manner, arid that the meaning is, “Wherefore, as it is said in the hymns which we sing,

‘Awake, thou that sleepest;

Arise from the dead;

Christ shall give thee light.’

Others have supposed that there is an allusion to a sentiment which prevailed among the Jews, respecting the significancy of blowing the trumpet on the first day of the month, or the feast of the new moon. Maimonides conjectures that that call of the trumpet, especially in the month Tisri, in which the great day of atonement occurred, was designed to signify a special call to repentance; meaning, “You who sleep, arouse from your slumbers; search and try yourselves; think on your Creator, repent, and attend to the salvation of the soul.” “Burder,” in Ros. Alt. u. neu. Morgenland, in loc. But all this is evidently conjecture. I see no evidence that Paul meant to make a quotation at all. Why may we not suppose that he speaks as an inspired man, and that he means to say, simply, that God now gives this command, or that God now speaks in this way? The sense then would be, “Be separate from sinners. Come out from among the pagan. Do not mingle with their abominations; do not name them. You are the children of light; and God says to you, awake from false security, rouse from the death of sin, and Christ shall enlighten you.” Whatever be the origin of the sentiment in this verse, it is worthy of inspiration, and accords with all that is elsewhere said in the Scriptures.

(The grand objection to this view of our author is, that the apostle evidently introduces a citation. In the writings of Paul, the form διὸ λέγει dio legei is never used in any other sense. Whence then is the quotation taken? There is nothing absurd in supposing, with Scott and Guyse, that the apostle gives the general sense of the Old Testament prophecies con cerning the calling of the Gentiles. But Isaiah 60:1-3, bears a sufficiently close resemblance to the passage in Ephesians, to vindicate the very commonly received opinion, that the apostle quotes that prophecy, in which the subject is the increase of the Church by the accession of the pagan nations. The church is called to arise and shine, and the apostle reminds the converted Ephesians of their lofty vocation. It forms no very serious objection, that between the place in Isaiah and that in Ephesians, there are certain verbal discrepancies. No one will make much of this, who remembers, nat in a multitude of cases similar variations occur, the apostles contenting themselves with giving the sense of the places to which they refer. “Accordingly,” says Dr. Dodridge, “the sense of tire passage before us is so fairly deducible from the words of Isaiah, that I do not see any necessity of having recourse to this supposition,” namely, that the quotation was from an apocryphal book ascribed to Jeremiah.)

Awake thou that sleepest - Arouse from a state of slumber and false security. “Sleep and death” are striking representations of the state in which people are by nature. In “sleep” we are, though living, insensible to any danger that may be near; we are unconscious of what may he going on around us; we hear not the voice of our friends; we see not the beauty of the grove or the landscape; we are forgetful of our real character and condition. So With the sinner. It is as if his faculties were locked in a deep slumber. He hears not when God calls; he has no sense of danger; he is insensible to the beauties and glories of the heavenly world; he is forgetful of his true character and condition. To see all this, he must be first awakened; and hence this solemn command is addressed to man. He must rouse from this condition, or he cannot be saved. But can he awaken himself? Is it not the work of God to awaken a sinner? Can he rouse himself to a sense of his condition and danger? How do we do in other things? The man that is sleeping on the verge of a dangerous precipice we would approach, and say, “Awake, you are in danger.” The child that is sleeping quietly in its bed, while the flames are bursting into the room, we would rouse, and say, “Awake, or you will perish.” Why not use the same language to the sinner slumbering on the verge of ruin, in a deep sleep, while the flames of wrath are kindling around him? We have no difficulty in calling on sleepers elsewhere to awake when in danger; how can we have any difficulty when speaking to the sinner?

And arise from the dead - The state of the sinner, is often compared to death; see the notes on Ephesians 2:1. People are by nature dead in sins; yet they must rouse from this condition, or they will perish. How singular, it may be said, to call upon the dead to rise! How could they raise themselves up? Yet God speak thus to people, and commands them to rise from the death of sin. Therefore, learn:

(1) That people are not dead in sin in any such sense that they are not moral agents, or responsible.

(2) That they are not dead in any such sense that they have no power of any kind.

(3) That it is right to call on sinners to arouse from their condition, and live.

(4) That they must put forth their efforts as if they were to “begin” the work themselves, without waiting for God to do it for them. “They” are to awake; “they” are to arise. It is not God who is to awake; it is not Christ who is to arise. It is the sinner who is to awake from his slumber, and arise from the state of death nor is he to wait for God to do the work for him.

And Christ shall give thee light - Christ is the light of the world; see the John 1:4, note, 9, note; John 8:12, note notes; Hebrews 1:3, note. The idea here is, that it they will use all the powers with which God has endowed them, and arouse from their spiritual slumber, and make an appropriate effort for salvation, then they may expect that Christ will shine upon them, and bless them in their efforts. This is just the promise that we need, and it is all that we need. All that man can ask is, that if he will make efforts to be saved, God will bless those efforts, so that they shall not be in vain. Faculties of mind have been given us to be employed in securing our salvation; and if we will employ them as they were intended to be employed, we may look for the divine aid; if not, we cannot expect it. “God helps those who help themselves;” and they who will make no effort for their salvation must perish as they wire will make no effort to provide food must starve. This command was indeed addressed at first to Christians; but it involves a principle which is applicable to all. Indeed, the “language” here is rather descriptive of the condition of impenitent sinners, than of Christians. In a far more important sense they are “asleep,” and are “dead;” and with the more earnestness, therefore, should they be entreated to awake, and to rise from the dead, that Christ may give them light.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. Wherefore he saith — It is a matter of doubt and controversy whence this saying is derived. Some think it taken from Isaiah 26:19: Thy dead men shall live; with my dead body shall they arise; Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust, c. Others think that it is taken from Isaiah 60:1-3: Arise, shine for thy light is come, c. But these passages neither give the words nor the meaning of the apostle. Epiphanius supposed them to be taken from an ancient prophecy of Elijah, long since lost: Syncellus and Euthalius think they were taken from an apocryphal work attributed to Jeremiah the prophet: others, that they made part of a hymn then used in the Christian Church for that there were, in the apostle's time, hymns and spiritual songs, as well as psalms, we learn from himself, in Ephesians 5:19, and from Colossians 3:16. The hymn is supposed to have begun thus:-

Εγειραι ὁ καθευδων,

Και αναστα εκ των νεκρων,

Επιφαυσει σοι ὁ Χριστος.

Awake, O thou who sleepest,

And from the dead arise thou,

And Christ shall shine upon thee.

See Rosenmuller, Wolf, and others. But it seems more natural to understand the words he saith as referring to the light, i.e. the Gospel, mentioned Ephesians 5:13. And the διο λεγει should be translated, Wherefore IT saith, Awake thou, c. that is: This is the general, the strong, commanding voice of the Gospel in every part-Receive instruction leave thy sins, which are leading thee to perdition; believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will enlighten and save thee.

As a man asleep neither knows nor does any thing that can be called good or useful, so the Gentiles and all others, while without the knowledge of Christianity, had not only no proper knowledge of vice and virtue, but they had no correct notion of the true God.

As the dead can perform no function of life, so the Gentiles and the unconverted were incapable of performing any thing worthy either of life or being. But though they were asleep-in a state of complete spiritual torpor, yet they might be awoke by the voice of the Gospel; and though dead to all goodness, and to every function of the spiritual life, yet, as their animal life was whole in them, and perception and reason were still left, they were capable of hearing the Gospel, and under that influence which always accompanies it when faithfully preached, they could discern its excellency, and find it to be the power of God to their salvation. And they are addressed by the apostle as possessing this capacity; and, on their using it properly, have the promise that Christ shall enlighten them.