Ephesians 5:14

Ephesians 5:14

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

a. YLT: Wherefore he saith, 'Arouse thyself, thou who art sleeping, and arise out of the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee.'

b. ASV: Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee.

c. RSV: Therefore it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light."

d. Darby Translation: Wherefore he says, Wake up, thou that sleepest, and arise up from among the dead, and the Christ shall shine upon thee.

1. “Wherefore he saith…”

a. Wherefore [Strong: 1352 dió, dee-o'; from G1223 and G3739; through which thing, i.e. consequently:—for which cause, therefore, wherefore.]

b. he saith [Strong: 3004 légō, leg'-o; a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 and G5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:—ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

1). Some scholars believe this is referring to Scripture quotation such as in Ephesians 4:8 where Paul then quotes Psalm 68:18. I would have to agree.

a). Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

b). Psalm 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God dwell among them.

2. “…Awake thou that sleepest…”

a. Awake [thou] [Strong: 1453 egeírō, eg-i'-ro; probably akin to the base of G58 (through the idea of collecting one's faculties); to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e. rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence):—awake, lift (up), raise (again, up), rear up, (a-)rise (again, up), stand, take up.]

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

c. sleepest [Strong: 2518 katheúdō, kath-yoo'-do; from G2596 and εὕδω heúdō (to sleep); to lie down to rest, i.e. (by implication) to fall asleep (literally or figuratively):—(be a-)sleep.]

1). The sleep Paul refers to here is spiritual sleep, not aware spiritually of what is going on around them.

a). 1 Thessalonians 5:1-7 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

b). Romans 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

c). Romans 13:11-14 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

2. “…and arise from the dead…”

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. arise [Strong: 450 anístēmi, an-is'-tay-mee; from G303 and G2476; to stand up (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive):—arise, lift up, raise up (again), rise (again), stand up(-right).]

c. from [Strong: 1537 ek, ek; a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote):—after, among, × are, at, betwixt(-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, × hereby, + very highly, in, …ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, × thenceforth, through, × unto, × vehemently, with(-out).]

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

e. dead [Strong: 3498 nekrós, nek-ros'; from an apparently primary νέκυς nékys (a corpse); dead (literally or figuratively; also as noun):—dead.]

1). Scholars see a number of passages where these words come from.

a). Isaiah 59:10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

b) Isaiah 60:1-3

3. “…and Christ shall give thee light.”

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. Christ [Strong: 5547 Christós, khris-tos'; from G5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:—Christ.]

c. [shall give] thee [Strong: 4671 soí, soy; dative case of G4771; to thee:—thee, thine own, thou, thy.]

d. light [Strong: 2017 epiphaúō, ep-ee-fow'-o; a form of G2014; to illuminate (figuratively):—give light.]