Ephesians 1:18

 

Ephesians 1:18

(KJV) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

(1611 KJV) The eyes of your vnderstanding being inlightned: that yee may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glorie of his inheritance in the Saints:

(1587 Geneva Bible) That the eyes of your vnderstanding may be lightened, that ye may knowe what the hope is of his calling, and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Saints,

(1526 Tyndale) and lighten the eyes of youre myndes yt ye myght knowe what that hope is where vnto he hath called you and what the riches of his glorious inheritaunce is apon the sainctes

 

Counterfeit Versions

(1881 RV) having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

(1901 ASV) having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

(CSB) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

(NIV) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,

(NASV) I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

(THE MESSAGE) your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers,

(AMP) By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),

(NLT) I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

(ESV) having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

(CEV) My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God's people.

(NCV) I pray also that you will have greater understanding in your heart so you will know the hope to which he has called us and that you will know how rich and glorious are the blessings God has promised his holy people.

(HCSB) [I pray] that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints,

(RSV) having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

(NAB-Roman Catholic) May the eyes of (your) hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones,

(NWTY-Jehovah’s Witnesses) the eyes of YOUR heart having been enlightened, that YOU may know what is the hope to which he called YOU, what the glorious riches are which he holds as an inheritance for the holy ones,

 

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text

πεφωτισμενους τους οφθαλμους της διανοιας υμων εις το ειδεναι υμας τις εστιν η ελπις της κλησεως αυτου και τις ο πλουτος της δοξης της κληρονομιας αυτου εν τοις αγιοις

 

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text

πεφωτισμενους τους οφθαλμους της καρδιας υμων εις το ειδεναι υμας τις εστιν η ελπις της κλησεως αυτου τις ο πλουτος της δοξης της κληρονομιας αυτου εν τοις αγιοις

 

Corrupted Manuscripts

This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:

Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century

B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century

D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century

K 018 - Ninth century

L 020 - Ninth century

P 025 - Ninth century

Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)*

 

*The Byzantine Text was not a corrupted manuscript as it was the forerunner of the King James Bible but in this case the word heart was used in this verse.

 

Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse

Stephanus - 1550-4

 

Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions

Reads “heart” instead of “understanding”

Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871

Greisbach, Johann - 1805

Lachmann, Karl - 1842

Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869

Tregelles, Samuel - 1857

Hodges and Farstad - Majority Text

Wordsworth, Christopher - 1856 revised in 1870

Westcott and Hort - 1881

Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941

Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition

United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition

 

Affected Teaching

The word for “understanding” carries with it the meaning of “mind, intellect, or disposition.” It is the word “dianoia.” If you break down the word, you will have two Greek words “dia” means through or by, and “noia” which means mind. Have you ever heard someone say they are beside themselves? That would be the word paranoia made up of two Greek words. They are “para” means “beside or called to be beside, and “noia” mind. The word “dianoia” as used in Ephesians 1:18 carries with it the meaning of “the mind as the seat of emotions and desire.” It is through the mind or the intellect in which we have our understanding. The mind is where the Holy Spirit illuminates the words of Scripture and gives us understanding. In Ephesians 4:18 we see the same principle but opposite. (Eph 4:18 KJV) 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: The unbeliever has a darkened understanding because they are unregenerate.

 

Part of our salvation inheritance is an enlightened mind which causes us to ponder things for two reasons: 1) to avoid sin and sinful situations, and 2) to be obedient to God. Do not be intimidated by those who put down the enlightened intellects God gives us in salvation. I have had numerous conversations with people who claim the intellect is not needed. I call them spiritual dummies because they are very bad testimonies for Christianity. They cannot hold a decent biblical conversation nor can they really give a reason for the hope that is within them. God is not glorified by Christians who choose to stay dumb thinking that is a form of humility. We are to use every faculty God gave us to His glory and for the defense of the Gospel and the dissemination of that Gospel. It is so paradoxical for a Christian to be very astute in their worldly profession and then spiritually illiterate for the Lord. Let me just say that God does save apart from the intellect as in the case of those who are mentally handicapped or a very young person but if He gives us a good mind, we are to use it to His glory. (1 Cor 13:11 KJV) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Back