3:18–19a

In 3:18–19a, Paul prayed about two things regarding God’s love.

He prayed that:

(a) the Ephesians would be able to understand that Christ’s love is very, very great (3:18),

and he prayed that:

(b) the Ephesians would know Christ’s love (3:19b).

3:18a–b

will have power…to comprehend: The clause will have power…to comprehend means “that you may have the ability to understand/know” or “that you may be able to understand.”

3:18a

together with all the saints: The word saints means “people set apart for God.” See the note on 1:15c for more information and Holy, Meaning 1, special use in the Glossary.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

so that you, together with all God’s people, may have the power to understand (Good News Translation)
-or-
This way, with all of God’s people you will be able to understand (God’s Word)
-or-
So that all of you believers will strongly recognize/realize

3:18b

the length and width and height and depth: The phrase length and width and height and depth is a figure of speech that compares love to an object that we can see and measure. It means that Christ’s love is “very, very great.”

It may be difficult in your language to speak of love being wide and long. So, in that case, think how you would describe love that is extremely great. For example:

love which has no end/limits
-or-
love which we can never measure
-or-
we can never finish describing how much he loves us

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Paragraph 4:29–32

In this paragraph, Paul gave additional commands about proper Christian behavior for the Ephesians. He lists speaking words that encourage others, being careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit, getting rid of bad behavior, and being kind to others and forgiving others.

4:29a

Let no unwholesome talk: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as unwholesome talk is literally “corrupt talk.” It refers to words that hurt other people. It may include things like profanity, talking in rude or coarse ways, insulting people and saying hateful things about people.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

foul or abusive language (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
say anything that would hurt ⌊another person⌋ (God’s Word)

come out of your mouths: The clause come out of your mouths is a figure of speech that simply means that we should not say or speak unwholesome things. This sentence may be unnatural if you translate it literally in your language. Translate this in a natural way in your language. For example:

Do not let harmful talk be on your tongue/lips
-or-
Never say profane things

4:29b

but: The conjunction but here introduces a contrast. In 4:29a Paul told the Ephesians what they should not do. Here he is telling them what they should do. Translate this contrast in a way that is natural in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

instead
-or-
but rather

only what is helpful: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as what is helpful is literally “any good (word).”

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

good and helpful (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
what is good (God’s Word)
-or-

⌊say⌋ only what helps other people

for building up the one in need: The phrase for building up means to “encourage” or to “make stronger/mature ⌊in their faith⌋.” See how you translated the similar phrase “built up” in 4:12b.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

to become stronger ⌊in their faith⌋
-or-
that cause others to trust Christ/God more
-or-
that help others to be more mature ⌊in their relationship/walk with Christ⌋
-or-
that they would stand strong ⌊in Christ⌋

4:29c

bringing grace to those who listen: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bringing grace is literally “give grace.” It means to “do good” or “give help.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
so that what you say will do good to those who hear you (Good News Translation)

See grace, Meaning 5 in the Glossary for more information.

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

5:29a

Indeed: The Greek conjunction that that Berean Standard Bible has translated as Indeed is usually translated as “for” (Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, English Standard Version). It introduces something that is the basis or reason for the previous statement. What Paul said here in 5:29 was the reason for what he told husbands to do in 5:28.

Some English versions do not translate this conjunction. Translate it in a way that is natural in your language for introducing a reason or basis for what he said before.

Here are some other ways to translate this conjunction:

⌊I say “as their own bodies”⌋ because
-or-
The reason ⌊I say this is⌋
-or-
Because/For ⌊we know that⌋

no one: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as no one refers back to “husbands” in 5:28.

Here are some other ways to translate this expression:

no man (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
none of us (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version)

hated his own body: This is literally “hated his own flesh.” See flesh, Meaning 1 in the Glossary for more information.

but he nourishes and cherishes it: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as cherishes is literally “cherishes” (Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version). It is a general term that refers to providing clothing and shelter for himself.

5:29b

just as Christ does the church: The verb does refers to “cares for” in 5:29a. Paul is making a comparison here. A man cares for his own body like Christ cares for the church.

Here are some other ways to translate these words:

in the same way that Christ loves and cares for the church
-or-
as Christ takes care of his people/followers

church: The church is the group of all believers in Christ throughout the world. See how you translated church in 5:27a. See church in the Glossary for more information.

General Comment on 5:29b

Some English versions end 5:29b with a dash “—.” This is to show that the following verse, 5:30 is a comment inserted by the author. Most versions translate this verse without a dash, as the Berean Standard Bible also does. Translate it in a way that is natural in your language.

© 1999, 2019 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.