What Does Ephesians 5:13 Mean in the King James?

But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

Ephesians 5:13 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The revealing is itself light.

THE MEANING

What is hidden in you is being brought into view by light. The act that makes it visible belongs to the light itself. Revelation is not separate from illumination; it is how light becomes known now.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The belief that being exposed means being swallowed by darkness is undone: this verse calls the act of making something visible light.

THE ROOT

φανερόω

phaneroō

GROWS FROM

φαίνω

phainō

To appear, shine, or become visible.

The Greek word translated “made manifest” carries the sense of bringing something into view. The verse goes further than saying light reveals: it says whatever brings something into view is light.

ALSO GROWS

phanerós: Visible, apparent

φανερός

This related word names the state of being in view, the result of what light does here.

epiphainō: Appear, shine upon

ἐπιφαίνω

It shares the ⁨φαίνω⁩ root and joins appearing with shining, echoing the verse’s link between visibility and light.

THE PATTERN

Light brings hidden things into view, and their becoming visible is part of light’s work.

Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

Psalm 90:8 · KJVWhat is secret is placed in the light, where it is seen.

For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

Luke 8:17 · KJVThe hidden does not remain concealed; it comes into visibility.

Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

1 Corinthians 4:5 · KJVEven what is hidden in the heart is brought into the light and made visible.

THE THREAD

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

John 3:21 · KJV

“Made manifest” translates a form of the same Greek verb, ⁨φανερόω⁩ (phaneroō), used in Ephesians 5:13. Here, too, what comes into view in the light shows that revealing is part of light’s nature.

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