Ephesians 5:8
New International Version
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light

New Living Translation
For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

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

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

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

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

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

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

NASB 1995
for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light

NASB 1977
for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

Legacy Standard Bible
for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

Amplified Bible
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]

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the 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

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in our Lord, therefore so walk as children of Light.

Contemporary English Version
You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light

Douay-Rheims Bible
For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Once you lived in the dark, but now the Lord has filled you with light. Live as children who have light.

Good News Translation
You yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord's people, you are in the light. So you must live like people who belong to the light,

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

Literal Standard Version
for you were once darkness, and now light in the LORD; walk as children of light,

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

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

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

New Revised Standard Version
For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light—

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

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

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

Young's Literal Translation
for ye were once darkness, and now light in the Lord; as children of light walk ye,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Children of Light
7Therefore do not be partakers with them. 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.…

Cross References
Isaiah 9:2
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.

Isaiah 42:16
I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light before them and rough places into level ground. These things I will do for them, and I will not forsake them.

Isaiah 50:10
Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.

Matthew 3:8
Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.

Luke 16:8
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.

John 12:35
Then Jesus told them, "For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

John 12:36
While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of light." After Jesus had spoken these things, He went away and was hidden from them.


Treasury of Scripture

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

ye were.

Ephesians 2:11,12
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; …

Ephesians 4:18
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

but.

Isaiah 42:6,7
I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; …

Isaiah 49:6,9
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth…

Isaiah 60:1,3,19,20
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee…

walk.

Ephesians 5:2
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Isaiah 2:5
O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Luke 16:8
And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

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Behaviour Children Christians Dark Darkness Formerly Itself Light Once Sometime Sometimes Time Walk
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Behaviour Children Christians Dark Darkness Formerly Itself Light Once Sometime Sometimes Time Walk
Ephesians 5
1. After general exhortations to love;
3. to flee sexual immorality;
4. and all uncleanness;
7. not to converse with the wicked;
15. to walk carefully;
18. and to be filled with the Spirit;
22. he descends to the particular duties, how wives ought to obey their husbands;
25. and husbands ought to love their wives,
32. even as Christ does his church.














(8) Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.--This expression is unique, and far more emphatic than the more common phrases of "being," or "walking," "in darkness" and "in light." (See Romans 2:9; Colossians 1:2; 1Thessalonians 5:4; 1John 1:6-7; 1John 2:9-10.) For here the outward element of light or darkness is said to pervade the inner nature of the soul. (1) Christ is the "true Light," the "Sun of Righteousness" (John 1:4-9; John 3:19; John 8:12; John 9:5; John 12:46). His servants are sometimes mere secondary lights (or "candles") (Luke 11:33-34; Luke 11:36; John 5:35; 2Peter 1:19), kindled from His rays; sometimes, like the moon or planets, they are said, as reflecting His light, or as having His light in them (John 12:35), to be actually "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14), which, however, shines as a mere reflected light, so that "men glorify" not it, but "the Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). They thus become light, but only "in the Lord:" that is, as being made one with Him. (2) So, on the other hand, they who walk in darkness are said to be themselves darkness--new sources, so to speak, of the darkness which hates and quenches light, both to themselves and to others. "The light" which is in them "becomes darkness;" "and how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:23.) As there is a natural delight in giving light, so the reprobate state is distinguished by a horrible pleasure in spreading the cloud of delusion, sin, or unbelief, by which to hide God from man. . . . Verse 8. - For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Another expressive "but." To make the contrast more emphatic, it is not said, "ye were in darkness, but are now in light;" but, "ye were darkness itself, and are now light itself," and this last is explained by the usual formula, "in the Lord." There was a celebrated Ephesian philosopher, Alexander, who was called "The Light;" but not from that source had the light come. The idea of light-giving is also involved in their being light. "Arise, shine, for thy light is come." Walk as children of light. Another expressive image, denoting close connection with light, as if they were actually born of it; hence their lives should be full of it. The figure connecting darkness with sin and light with purity, common to all languages, underlies the exhortation.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γάρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

you were
Ἦτε (Ēte)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

once
ποτε (pote)
Particle
Strong's 4218: At one time or other, at some time, formerly. From the base of pou and te; indefinite adverb, at some time, ever.

darkness,
σκότος (skotos)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4655: Darkness, either physical or moral. From the base of skia; shadiness, i.e. Obscurity.

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

now
νῦν (nyn)
Adverb
Strong's 3568: A primary particle of present time; 'now'; also as noun or adjective present or immediate.

[you are] light
φῶς (phōs)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5457: Light, a source of light, radiance. From an obsolete phao; luminousness.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[the] Lord.
Κυρίῳ (Kyriō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

Walk
περιπατεῖτε (peripateite)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4043: From peri and pateo; to tread all around, i.e. Walk at large; figuratively, to live, deport oneself, follow.

as
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

children
τέκνα (tekna)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5043: A child, descendent, inhabitant. From the base of timoria; a child.

of light,
φωτὸς (phōtos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 5457: Light, a source of light, radiance. From an obsolete phao; luminousness.


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NT Letters: Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness (Ephes. Eph. Ep)
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