Ephesians 5:11 - Children of Light (2024)

New International Version
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.New Living Translation
Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.English Standard Version
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.Berean Standard Bible
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.Berean Literal Bible
And do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even expose them.King James Bible
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.New King James Version
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.New American Standard Bible
Do not participate in the useless deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;NASB 1995
Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;NASB 1977
And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;Legacy Standard Bible
And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even expose them.Amplified Bible
Do not participate in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness, but instead expose them [by exemplifying personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character];Christian Standard Bible
Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them.American Standard Version
and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them;Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Neither should you fellowship with the Servants of darkness, because they have no fruit in them, but you should rebuke them.Contemporary English Version
Don't take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Instead, show how wrong they are. Douay-Rheims Bible
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. English Revised Version
and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them;GOD'S WORD® Translation
Have nothing to do with the useless works that darkness produces. Instead, expose them for what they are.Good News Translation
Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light. ( International Standard Version
and have nothing to do with the unfruitful actions that darkness produces. Instead, expose them for what they are. Literal Standard Version
and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of the darkness and rather even convict,Majority Standard Bible
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.New American Bible
Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them,NET Bible
Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.New Revised Standard Version
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.New Heart English Bible
Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them.Webster's Bible Translation
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.Weymouth New Testament
Have nothing to do with the barren unprofitable deeds of darkness, but, instead of that, set your faces against them;World English Bible
Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them. Young's Literal Translation
and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of the darkness and rather even convict,Additional Translations ...

(11) Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.--To "have no fellowship" with such works is not to refuse to take part in them (for this surely might be taken for granted), but to keep no terms with them, to have no sympathy or indulgence or excuse for them. So the word is used, in Philippians 4:14, of "communicating with my affliction;" and in Revelation 18:4, of "being partakers with the sins" of Babylon. It is through such weak or cowardly indulgence, more than the actual love of evil, that sin is suffered to prevail. Hence St. Paul adds, "rather reprove them." Our Lord Himself has declared in all such cases, "He that is not with Me is against Me."

The unfruitful works of darkness.--St. Paul has a similar antithesis in the Epistle to the Romans (Romans 6:19-22). They who are in sin "yield their members servants to iniquity unto iniquity." Iniquity has no result but iniquity; and hence he goes on to ask, "What fruit had ye then in those things of which ye are now ashamed?" This weary fruitlessness is at once the sign and the penalty of sin, so that men have fancied it to be one chief element of the suffering of the lost. But they who are in Christ "yield their members servants to righteousness unto holiness." "They have," he says, "their fruit unto holiness" now, and "in the end the everlasting life," which is everlasting holiness. Similarly, in Galatians 5:20-22, we have "the works of the flesh," but "the fruit of the Spirit." Rarely, indeed, does Scripture speak of "evil fruit" (Matthew 7:17; Matthew 12:33). Generally, "to be unfruitful" is an all-sufficient condemnation. "Every branch that beareth not fruit he taketh away" (John 15:2). . . .

Verse 11. - And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. The point of this exhortation is in the adjective "unfruitful." The works of darkness are unfruitful; they produce no goodness, give rise to no satisfaction, to no moral results that are "a joy forever;" or, if fruit they have, it is shame, remorse, despair. Contrast this with the renovating, satisfying, joy-producing, fruits of righteousness. But rather even reprove them. Do not be content with a passive attitude towards them, but take the aggressive and expose their wickedness, whether in public or in the domestic circle. A testimony has to be lifted up against ways that are so shameful and that bring down the wrath of God. Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

Have no fellowship with
συνκοινωνεῖτε (synkoinōneite)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4790: From sun and koinoneo; to share in company with, i.e. Co-participate in.

the
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

fruitless
ἀκάρποις (akarpois)
Adjective - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 175: Unfruitful, barren, profitless. Barren.

deeds
ἔργοις (ergois)
Noun - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2041: From a primary ergo; toil; by implication, an act.

of darkness,
σκότους (skotous)
Noun - Genitive 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.

rather
μᾶλλον (mallon)
Adverb
Strong's 3123: More, rather. Neuter of the comparative of the same as malista; more) or rather.

expose [them].
ἐλέγχετε (elenchete)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1651: (a) I reprove, rebuke, discipline, (b) I expose, show to be guilty. Of uncertain affinity; to confute, admonish.

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