5:14a–c
The words in 5:14b–c are probably from an early Christian hymn. It is not a direct quotation from the OT. Paul quoted these words because they speak about the same things he has just said: we must expose the evil deeds of people so they will come to the light.
So it is said: This is a passive clause. If you need to translate this with an active verb, you can translate it as “people say.”
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
This is why ⌊people⌋ say:
-or-
This is the reason ⌊there is a song/poem⌋ with these words:
-or-
And so there is a saying which sounds like this:
In the words that Paul quotes, there are three metaphors for turning to God:
(a) waking from sleep,
(b) being raised from death,
(c) going from darkness into light.
You should try to translate all three of these metaphors as literally as possible. Add only as much of the implicit meaning as is necessary.
Wake up, O sleeper: The clause Wake up, O sleeper is a metaphor. The meaning of this metaphor is: “You are like a person who is asleep, because you are not aware of your sins. Become aware of your sins!”
O sleeper: The word O is not in the Greek text, but the Berean Standard Bible and some other English versions have included it. It is sometimes used in English poetry to add emphasis to what follows it.
He is speaking about someone who isn’t aware of his sin and needs to be forgiven. He is not speaking about someone who is actually asleep.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
Get up you sleeping ones!
-or-
You who are asleep, wake up!
If people would think that this is speaking of a person who is actually asleep then you may want to add some of the meaning in the text to make the meaning clear. For example:
You who are asleep ⌊spiritually⌋, wake up!
-or-
You who are ⌊like⌋ a sleeping person, Get up!
-or-
You who are ⌊unaware of your sins are like a person who is⌋ asleep. Wake up!
rise up from the dead: The clause rise up from the dead is also a metaphor. The meaning of this metaphor is: “You are like a person who is dead, because you are separated from God and do not have the new life that God gives. Come to God and get this new life!” (In 2:1 Paul also used the word “dead” as a metaphor.) He is not speaking to people who are literally dead.
In some languages a literal translation of this metaphor may be difficult to understand.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
You who are ⌊like⌋ dead people, rise up!
• Change the metaphor to a simile and make explicit the meaning. For example:
You who are separated from God like dead people, rise up and be saved
• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
You who are separated from God, be saved
-or-
You who do not know God, accept Him!
and Christ will shine on you: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Christ will shine on you is yet another metaphor. Christ is like the sun. The idea is that Christ’s goodness and truth will be given to them (shine on them) giving them new life.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Christ will ⌊make his light⌋ shine in your heart.
-or-
…⌊the light of⌋ Christ will shine on you.
-or-
Christ will give his light ⌊of truth and goodness⌋ to you ⌊and change you⌋.
and: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and here introduces a result of doing what 14b says.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
⌊If you do these things,⌋ then as a result Christ will shine on you.
-or-
As a result ⌊of doing this⌋ Christ will give you his light ⌊of truth and goodness⌋
General Comment on 5:14b–c
The person being spoken to in 5:14b–c (“Wake up, O sleeper…”) is an unbeliever. In the Greek, the commands in 5:14b and the “you” in 5:14c are singular, as if one person is being spoken to. But these words are good for all people who are still “in the darkness.” If it is more natural in your language, you can translate these words as plural:
Wake up, O sleepers…Christ will shine on you (plur.).
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