Passage

Ephesians 5.15-16

Book: Ephesians · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"13. But all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light: for everything that is made manifest is light. 14. Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee."

"15. Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; 16. redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

"17. Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18. And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit;" (Ephesians 5:13-18, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"13. But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that reveals is light. 14. Therefore he says, “Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”"

"15. Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; 16. redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

"17. Therefore don’t be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18. Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit," (Ephesians 5:13-18, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"13. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. ^{reproved: or, discovered} 14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. ^{he: or, it}"

"15. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

"17. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" (Ephesians 5:13-18, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"13. and all the things reproved by the light are manifested, for everything that is manifested is light; 14. wherefore he saith, 'Arouse thyself, thou who art sleeping, and arise out of the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee.'"

"15. See, then, how exactly ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise, 16. redeeming the time, because the days are evil;"

"17. because of this become not fools, but, understanding what [is] the will of the Lord, 18. and be not drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be filled in the Spirit," (Ephesians 5:13-18, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: Paul the Apostle (imprisonment)
Audience: Christian believers in Ephesus (and circular to other Asian churches)
Location: composed during Roman imprisonment
Time period: composed c. AD 60-62

Theological reading

Key words

G2540 - kairos, kairos (Strong's G2540). Also appears in: Mark 11.12-14, Mark 12, Luke 19.41-44.

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.