Devine Scripture

Ephesians 4:18

What does Ephesians 4:18 mean?

A plain-English look at Ephesians 4:18 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Ephesians 4:18 means

Paul diagnoses the inner condition behind a godless walk: darkened understanding and separation from the life of God. This alienation is not purely intellectual; it arises from ignorance rooted in a hardened heart. Moral stubbornness blinds the mind. When the heart resists God, the mind becomes dark, and life is cut off from God’s vitality. This sobering analysis guards believers from envy of the old life and calls them to pity, not pride, toward those still in it. The solution is not human enlightenment but God’s renewing grace, which softens hearts, opens eyes, and reconciles sinners to Himself.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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:

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Whose thoughts are dark, to whom the life of God is strange because they are without knowledge, and their hearts have been made hard;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

being darkened in the understanding, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Having their understanding darkened: being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

being darkened in understanding, estranged from the life ofGod by reason of the ignorance which is in them, by reason of the hardness of their hearts,

Context

This verse deepens the critique begun in verse 17, moving from outward futility to inward causes—darkened understanding, alienation, ignorance, and hardness. It sets up verse 19’s description of the behavioral outcome: callousness and unrestrained impurity. The flow shows how belief and behavior interlock: heart-hardness breeds ignorance; ignorance alienates from God; alienation issues in corrupt practices. The coming contrast (verses 20–24) will offer the gospel’s alternative: learning Christ and being renewed.

v.17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind,

v.18This passage

v.19who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Acts 17:30

    The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:

  • Matthew 13:15

    For this people’s heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.

  • Romans 8:7

    because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be:

  • Ephesians 2:12

    that ye were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

  • Romans 11:25

    For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in;

  • Isaiah 46:5

    To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?

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