Ephesians 5:15–17
Paul asks us to watch how we live and understand the Lord's will
Study it word by word15Look therefore carefully how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
16making the most of the time, because the days are evil.
17For this reason do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
In its context
13But all things exposed by the light are made visible,
14for everything that is made visible is light. Therefore it says: Awake, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you.
…
18And do not get drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
19speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and praising with psalms in your heart to the Lord,
Its words in the original
- ΒλέπετεBlepete· see, look
See, look; watch out.
- ἀκριβῶςakribōs· carefully, accurately
Carefully, accurately, exactly.
- περιπατεῖτεperipateite· walk
Walk; also live in a certain way.
- ἄσοφοιasophoi· unwise
Unwise, not acting with good sense.
- σοφοίsophoi· wise
Wise, skilled, clever.
- ἐξαγοραζόμενοιexagorazomenoi· redeem, buy up
Redeem, buy someone's freedom by paying the price; also buy up, make the most of the time.
- καιρόνkairon· time, right time
Time, the appointed moment.
- ἡμέραιhēmerai· day
Day. "In the days of" someone: in their time.
- πονηραίponērai· evil, wicked
Bad, wicked. "The evil one": the devil.
- εἰσινeisin· be
Be, exist.
- γίνεσθεginesthe· become, happen
Become, happen, come about; be born.
- ἄφρονεςaphrones· foolish
Foolish, senseless.
- συνίετεsyniete· understand
Understand, grasp.
- θέλημαthelēma· will
Will: what someone wants and decides.
- κυρίουkyriou· Lord, lord
Lord, master, owner. Said of God, the Lord; in Old Testament quotations it stands for the name YHWH.