Ephesians 4:19

Ephesians 4:19

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

a. NLT: They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

b. NIV: Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

c. YLT: Who, having ceased to feel, themselves did give up to the lasciviousness, for the working of all uncleanness in greediness;

d. Amplified Bible Classic: In their spiritual apathy they have become callous and past feeling and reckless and have abandoned themselves [a prey] to unbridled sensuality, eager and greedy to indulge in every form of impurity [that their depraved desires may suggest and demand].

e. Worrell Translation: Who, indeed, having become without feeling, delivered themselves up to lasciviousness for the working of all uncleanness with greediness.

    

f. Wuest Translation: Who, being of such a nature as to have become callus, abandoned themselves to wantonness, resulting in a performing of every uncleanness in the sphere of greediness.

g. Peshitta Eastern Text: And who have given up their hope, and have surrendered themselves to wantonness, and to the practice of all uncleanness in their coveteousness.

1. “Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness…”

a. Who [Strong: 3748 hostis hos'-tis, including the feminine hetis hay'-tis, and the neuter ho,ti hot'-ee from 3739 and 5100; which some, i.e. any that; also (definite) which same:--X and (they), (such) as, (they) that, in that they, what(-soever), whereas ye, (they) which, who(-soever).]

b. being past feeling [Strong: 524 apalgeo ap-alg-eh'-o from 575 and algeo (to smart); to grieve out, i.e. become apathetic:--be past feeling.] [Zodhiates: apo-denoting privation; and algeo-to feel pain; To grow or become insensible, void of or past feeling.]

1). No feeling of any guilt or of wrong doing, all spiritual sensibilities stripped. Similar perhaps to those described in 1 Timothy.

a). 1 Timothy 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron.

c. have given…over [Strong: 3860 paradidomi par-ad-id'-o-mee from 3844 and 1325; to surrender, i.e yield up, intrust, transmit:--betray, bring forth, cast, commit, deliver (up), give (over, up), hazard, put in prison, recommend.]

d. themselves [Strong: 1438 heautou heh-ow-too' from a reflexive pronoun otherwise obsolete and the genitive case (dative case or accusative case) of 846; him- (her-, it-, them-, also (in conjunction with the personal pronoun of the other persons) my-, thy-, our-, your-) self (selves), etc.:--alone, her (own, -self), (he) himself, his (own), itself, one (to) another, our (thine) own(-selves), + that she had, their (own, own selves), (of) them(-selves), they, thyself, you, your (own, own conceits, own selves, -selves).]

1). This phrase “given themselves over” made up of two Greek words is also used in Romans 1 describing the descent of mankind after the flood, according to one school of thought among scholars. In the Roman passage we see mans action and then God’s reaction and it is repeated three times.

a). Romans 1:22-28  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

e. unto [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. lasciviousness [Strong: 766 aselgeia as-elg'-i-a from a compound of 1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed selges (of uncertain derivation, but apparently meaning continent); licentiousness (sometimes including other vices):--filthy, lasciviousness, wantonness.]

2. “…to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

a. to [Strong: 1519 eis ice a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), ...ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).]

b. work [Strong: 2039 ergasia er-gas-ee'-ah from 2040; occupation; by implication, profit, pains:--craft, diligence, gain, work.]

c. all [Strong: 3956 pas pas including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

d. uncleanness [Strong: 167 akatharsia ak-ath-ar-see'-ah from 169; impurity (the quality), physically or morally:--uncleanness.]

e. with [Strong: 1722 en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

f. greediness [Strong: 4124 pleonexia pleh-on-ex-ee'-ah from 4123; avarice, i.e. (by implication) fraudulency, extortion:--covetous(-ness) practices, greediness.]

1). Adam Clarke Commentary: To work all uncleanness with greediness - This is a complete finish of the most abandoned character; to do an unclean act is bad, to labor in it is worse, to labor in all uncleanness is worse still.