Parallel Verses

Amplified

For 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]

New American Standard Bible

for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light

King James Version

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Holman Bible

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

International Standard Version

For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light,

A Conservative Version

For ye were once darkness, but now light in Lord. Walk as children of light

American Standard Version

For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light

An Understandable Version

for you people were once darkness [i.e., when living in sin], but now you are light in [fellowship with] the Lord. [So], live like people who belong to light [i.e., who live godly lives],

Anderson New Testament

For you were formerly darkness; but now you are light in the Lord: walk as children of light;

Bible in Basic English

For you at one time were dark, but now are light in the Lord: let your behaviour be that of children of light

Common New Testament

for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

Daniel Mace New Testament

you were heretofore altogether in the dark, but now being enlightned by the Lord, behave as children of light:

Darby Translation

for ye were once darkness, but now light in the Lord; walk as children of light,

Godbey New Testament

For at one time ye were darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk about as children of the light,

Goodspeed New Testament

For once you were sheer darkness, but now, as Christians, you are light itself. You must live like children of light,

John Wesley New Testament

For ye were once darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord:

Julia Smith Translation

For ye were then darkness, and now light in the Lord: walk ye as children of light:

King James 2000

For you were once darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Lexham Expanded Bible

for you were formerly darkness, but now [you are] light in the Lord. Live like children of light

Modern King James verseion

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

Moffatt New Testament

For while once upon a time you were darkness, now in the Lord you are light; lead the life of those who are children of the light

Montgomery New Testament

For you were once darkness, but are now in the Lord.

NET Bible

for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light --

New Heart English Bible

For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,

Noyes New Testament

For ye were once darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,

Sawyer New Testament

For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,??9 for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth,??10 proving what is well pleasing to the Lord,

The Emphasized Bible

For ye were, at one time, darkness, but, now, are ye light in the Lord, - as children of light, be walking,

Thomas Haweis New Testament

For ye were formerly darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light;

Twentieth Century New Testament

For, although you were once in Darkness, now, by your union with the Lord, you are in the Light. Live as 'Children of Light'- -

Webster

For ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light;

Weymouth New Testament

There was a time when you were nothing but darkness. Now, as Christians, you are Light itself.

Williams New Testament

For at one time you were darkness itself, but now in union with the Lord you are light itself. You must live like children of light,

World English Bible

For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,

Worrell New Testament

for ye were once darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; walk as children of light

Worsley New Testament

For ye were heretofore darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord:

Youngs Literal Translation

for ye were once darkness, and now light in the Lord; as children of light walk ye,

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
For
γάρ 
Gar 
for, , not tr
Usage: 825

ye were
ἦν 
En 
was, were, had been, had, taught , stood , , vr was
Usage: 410

ποτέ 
Pote 
in time past, at any time, in times past, sometimes, sometime, once, not tr,
Usage: 28

σκότος 
Skotos 
Usage: 23

but
δέ 
De 
but, and, now, then, also, yet, yea, so, moreover, nevertheless, for, even, , not tr
Usage: 2184

now
νῦν 
Nun 
Usage: 102

are ye light
φῶς 
Phos 
Usage: 44

in
ἐν 
En 
in, by, with, among, at, on, through,
Usage: 2128

the Lord
κύριος 
Kurios 
Usage: 643

περιπατέω 
Peripateo 
walk, go, walk about, be occupied
Usage: 77

as
ὡς 
Hos 
as, when, how, as it were, about,
Usage: 417

τέκνον 
Teknon 
Usage: 69

Devotionals

Devotionals about Ephesians 5:8

Devotionals containing Ephesians 5:8

Images Ephesians 5:8

Prayers for Ephesians 5:8

Context Readings

Light Versus Darkness

7 So do not participate or even associate with them [in the rebelliousness of sin]. 8 For 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),



Cross References

Luke 16:8

And his master commended the unjust manager [not for his misdeeds, but] because he had acted shrewdly [by preparing for his future unemployment]; for the sons of this age [the non-believers] are shrewder in relation to their own kind [that is, to the ways of the secular world] than are the sons of light [the believers].

John 12:36

While you have the Light, believe and trust in the Light [have faith in it, hold on to it, rely on it], so that you may become sons of Light [being filled with Light as followers of God].”

Jesus said these things, and then He left and hid Himself from them.

Acts 26:18

to open their [spiritual] eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness and release from their sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified (set apart, made holy) by faith in Me.’

Isaiah 2:5


O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.

John 8:12

Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Ephesians 2:2

in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].

Psalm 74:20


Consider the covenant [You made with Abraham],
For the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.

Isaiah 9:2


The people who walk in [spiritual] darkness
Will see a great Light;
Those who live in the dark land,
The Light will shine on them.

Isaiah 42:6-7


“I am the Lord, I have called You (the Messiah) in righteousness [for a righteous purpose],
I will also take You by the hand and keep watch over You,
And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people [Israel],
As a light to the nations (Gentiles),

Isaiah 42:16


“I will lead the blind by a way they do not know;
I will guide them in paths that they do not know.
I will make darkness into light before them
And rugged places into plains.
These things I will do [for them],
And I will not leave them abandoned or undone.”

Isaiah 49:6


He says, “It is too trivial a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will also make You a light to the nations
That My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:9


Saying to those who are bound and captured, ‘Go forth,’
And to those who are in [spiritual] darkness, ‘Show yourselves [come into the light of the Savior].’
They will feed along the roads [on which they travel],
And their pastures will be on all the bare heights.

Isaiah 60:1-3

“Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the Lord]; for your light has come,
And the glory and brilliance of the Lord has risen upon you.

Isaiah 60:19-20


“The sun will no longer be your light by day,
Nor shall the bright glow of the moon give light to you,
But the Lord will be an everlasting light for you;
And your God will be your glory and splendor.

Jeremiah 13:16


Give glory to the Lord your God,
Before He brings darkness
And before your feet stumble
On the dark and shadowy mountains,
And while you are longing for light
He turns it into the shadow of death,
And makes it into thick darkness.

Matthew 4:16


The people who were sitting (living) in [spiritual] darkness have seen a great Light,
And for those who were sitting (living) in the land and shadow of [spiritual and moral] death,
Upon them a Light has dawned.”

Luke 1:79


To shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
To guide our feet [in a straight line] into the way of peace and serenity.”

John 1:4-5

In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men.

John 1:9

There it was—the true Light [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] which, coming into the world, enlightens everyone.

John 12:46

I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness.

Acts 17:30

Therefore God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God’s purpose for their lives],

Romans 1:21

For even though they knew God [as the Creator], they did not honor Him as God or give thanks [for His wondrous creation]. On the contrary, they became worthless in their thinking [godless, with pointless reasonings, and silly speculations], and their foolish heart was darkened.

Romans 2:19

and [if you] are confident that you are a [qualified] guide to the blind [those untaught in theology], a light to those who are in darkness,

1 Corinthians 1:30

But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin],

2 Corinthians 3:18

And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit. Cross references: 2 Corinthians 3:3 : Ex 24:12; 31:18; 32:15, 16; Jer 31:33 2 Corinthians 3:6 : Jer 31:31 2 Corinthians 3:7 : Ex 34:29-35 2 Corinthians 3:17 : Is 61:1, 2 end of crossrefs

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the glory and majesty of God [clearly revealed] in the face of Christ.

2 Corinthians 6:14

Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

Galatians 5:25

If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit].

Ephesians 2:11-12

Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, who are called “Uncircumcision” by those who called themselves “Circumcision,” [itself a mere mark] which is made in the flesh by human hands—

Ephesians 4:18

for their [moral] understanding is darkened and their reasoning is clouded; [they are] alienated and self-banished from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the [willful] ignorance and spiritual blindness that is [deep-seated] within them, because of the hardness and insensitivity of their heart.

Ephesians 5:2

and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

Ephesians 6:12

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.

Colossians 1:13

For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

1 Thessalonians 5:4-8

But you, believers, [all you who believe in Christ as Savior and acknowledge Him as God’s Son] are not in spiritual darkness [nor held by its power], that the day [of judgment] would overtake you [by surprise] like a thief;

Titus 3:3

For we too once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various sinful desires and pleasures, spending and wasting our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

1 Peter 2:9-11

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

1 John 1:7

but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

1 John 2:8-11

On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true and realized in Christ and in you, because the darkness [of moral blindness] is clearing away and the true Light [the revelation of God in Christ] is already shining.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain