Ephesians 5:14 kjv
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Ephesians 5:14 nkjv
Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."
Ephesians 5:14 niv
This is why it is said: "Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Ephesians 5:14 esv
for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
Ephesians 5:14 nlt
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."
Ephesians 5 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Eph 5:14 | "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." | Ephesians 5:14 (NIV) |
| Isa 60:1 | "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." | Isaiah 60:1 (NIV) |
| Rom 13:11 | "Besides this, you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from your slumber." | Romans 13:11 (ESV) |
| 1 Thess 5:6 | "So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and sober." | 1 Thessalonians 5:6 (ESV) |
| 1 Cor 15:34 | "Wake up righteously and sin no more. For some of you have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame." | 1 Corinthians 15:34 (ESV) |
| Col 3:1 | "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is..." | Colossians 3:1 (ESV) |
| 2 Cor 4:6 | "For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." | 2 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV) |
| John 1:9 | "The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world." | John 1:9 (ESV) |
| John 12:36 | "...while you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." | John 12:36 (ESV) |
| Titus 2:13 | "...waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." | Titus 2:13 (ESV) |
| Rev 3:2 | "Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die..." | Revelation 3:2 (ESV) |
| Matt 25:6 | "But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here comes the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’" | Matthew 25:6 (ESV) |
| Gal 3:27 | "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." | Galatians 3:27 (ESV) |
| Eph 4:1 | "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called." | Ephesians 4:1 (ESV) |
| Ps 119:130 | "The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple." | Psalm 119:130 (ESV) |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." | Romans 1:18 (ESV) |
| Rom 6:4 | "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." | Romans 6:4 (ESV) |
| Song of Sol 6:10 | "Who is this that looks down like the dawn, beautiful as the night?" | Song of Solomon 6:10 (NIV) |
| Prov 24:16 | "For the righteous falls seven times and rises again..." | Proverbs 24:16 (ESV) |
| Heb 12:1 | "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," | Hebrews 12:1 (ESV) |
Ephesians 5 verses
Ephesians 5 14 Meaning
This verse is a powerful exhortation calling believers to awaken from spiritual slumber and arise to righteous living, highlighting the illuminating power of Christ's light upon them. It implies a past state of darkness or inactivity and a present call to active, God-honoring conduct.
Ephesians 5 14 Context
Ephesians chapter 5 exhorts believers to live a life of love, distinguishing their conduct from the former dark ways of the ungodly. The preceding verses (Ephesians 5:3-13) speak against sexual immorality and the works of darkness, contrasting them with the fruit of light. Verse 14 serves as a transition and a powerful call to action, likely drawing on imagery from Old Testament prophetic calls to wakefulness and the advent of God's glory. It positions believers to respond to the spiritual light that Christ brings. The letter was written to the church at Ephesus, a significant city with its own cultural and religious landscape, which included practices and beliefs that contrasted with Christian teachings.
Ephesians 5 14 Word Analysis
"Awake" (egéiro):
- To rouse, awaken, stir up.
- In a spiritual sense, to be roused from spiritual torpor, indifference, or sin.
- Carries a sense of resurrection or revival.
"O sleeper" (ho kathéuodōn):
- One who is sleeping, in a state of inaction or spiritual dullness.
- Implies unconsciousness to spiritual realities or dangers.
"and arise" (kai anástēthi):
- "Kai" - and, moreover, even. Connects the command to awake with the command to arise.
- "Anástēthi" - imperative form of "anístēmi."
- To stand up, to rise.
- Suggests a decisive movement from a state of lying down or inactivity to one of alertness and action.
"from the dead" (ek nekrōn):
- "Ek" - out from, from.
- "Nekrōn" - dead (plural).
- Literally, to rise from a state of death.
- Figuratively, to rise from spiritual death, which is a state of separation from God due to sin.
"and Christ will shine" (kai epiphaneî soi Christos):
- "Kai" - and.
- "Epiphaneî" - future active indicative of "epiphainō."
- To shine forth, to appear, to make manifest, to illuminate.
- Implies Christ as the source of true light, dispelling darkness.
- "Soi" - to you. The shining is directed specifically at the one being addressed.
- "Christos" - Christ.
"on you" (soi):
- Directly indicates the recipient of Christ's illuminating power.
Ephesians 5 14 Bonus Section
The imagery of "awakening from sleep" and "rising from the dead" is potent throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, prophetic calls to Israel often include calls to "arise" and "wake up," especially when the nation had fallen into spiritual lethargy or idolatry (e.g., Isaiah 51:17). The metaphor of death is also used to describe the state of humanity estranged from God due to sin (Ephesians 2:1, 5). Christ Himself is repeatedly identified as the light that overcomes darkness (John 8:12, 1 John 1:5). This verse acts as a bridge, connecting the believer's past state in Adam with their present reality in Christ, urging them to live out the new life they possess. The threefold imperative ("awake," "arise," and implied "shine") forms a progression of spiritual experience: from dormant awareness to decisive action and then to outward radiance.
Ephesians 5 14 Commentary
This verse serves as a direct and urgent call to spiritual awakening. It's not merely an observation but an imperative command. The language employed, "sleeper" and "dead," vividly depicts a state of spiritual unconsciousness or ineffectiveness, a stark contrast to the active, vibrant life God intends. The phrase "arise from the dead" powerfully echoes the Christian proclamation of resurrection, linking personal spiritual awakening to Christ's own victory over death. The promise that "Christ will shine on you" emphasizes Christ as the source of spiritual illumination, knowledge, and life, bringing believers out of darkness and into His light. This illumination is a transformative event, enabling a life lived in accordance with God’s will, as outlined in the surrounding chapters. It signifies the Holy Spirit’s work in making the reality of Christ manifest to the believer, thereby empowering them to live a life characterized by the "fruit of the light" (Ephesians 5:9). The awakening is not a passive experience; it requires a response of rising and actively turning towards Christ.