Ephesians 6:3

Ephesians 6:3

That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

a. NLT: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”

b. NIV: “So that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.

c. YLT: Which is the first command with a promise, 'That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live a long time upon the land.'

d. Amplified Bible Classic: That all may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.

e. Worrell Translation: “That I may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.”

f. Wuest Translation: In order that it may be well with you, and in order that you may live long upon the earth.

1. “That it may be well with thee…”

a. That [Strong: 2443 hina hin'-ah probably from the same as the former part of 1438 (through the demonstrative idea; compare 3588); in order that (denoting the purpose or the result):--albeit, because, to the intent (that), lest, so as, (so) that, (for) to.]

b. it may be [Strong: 1096 ginomai ghin'-om-ahee a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.]

c. well [Strong: 2095 eu yoo neuter of a primary eus (good); (adverbially) well:--good, well (done).]

d. [with] thee [Strong: 4671  soi soy dative case of 4771; to thee:--thee, thine own, thou, thy.]

1). It is interesting that Paul is quoting from both passages I previously mentioned above. The first section of this quote is from Deuteronomy.

a). Deuteronomy 5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

2. “…and thou mayest live long on the earth.”

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. thou mayest [Strong: 2071 esomai es'-om-ahee future of 1510; will be:--shall (should) be (have), (shall) come (to pass), X may have, X fall, what would follow, X live long, X sojourn.]

c. live long [Strong: 3118 makrochronios mak-rokh-ron'-ee-os from 3117 and 5550; long-timed, i.e. long-lived:--live long.]

d. on [Strong: 1909 epi ep-ee' a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

e. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

f. earth [Strong: 1093 ge ghay contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application):--country, earth(-ly), ground, land, world.]

1). The last section is a quote from Exodus.

a). Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

2). This is not the only passage that promises long or longer life. Solomon was promised by God that He would lengthen his days if he would obey God’s word as his father David did.

a). 1 Kings 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

3). There are more than a few passages in the Scripture that promises longer life if we will walk in the fear of the LORD.

a). Proverbs 9:10, 11 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

9:11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.

b). Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.