Bible Strands
Ephesians 5:10
Test and prove what pleases the Lord.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul writing to the Ephesian congregation, mid-exhortation (5:8–14) that moves from identity as "children of light" to concrete behavioral boundaries.
The words — δοκιμάζοντες (dokimazontes), present participle of δοκιμάζω, originally the metallurgical term for assaying metal against a standard weight; the present tense marks this as a continuous, habitual act of testing, not a one-time decision.
The thread — The idea of being "well-pleasing" (εὐαρέστον) to the Lord recurs in Romans 12:1 (sacrifice "pleasing" to God), Psalms 19:14 (words and meditation "pleasing in Your sight"), and Hebrews 12:28 (worship "acceptably," i.e., pleasingly).
Why it lands — The verse sits between the positive fruit of light (v. 9) and the rejection of darkness (v. 11), making it the active hinge: the reader is not told to avoid evil passively but to continuously test and confirm what the Lord actually approves.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Cross-references
- Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
- Psalms 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
- Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
- 1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- 1 Peter 2:20 How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21 but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.
- Proverbs 21:3 To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.
- Romans 14:18 For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
- Philippians 1:10 so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
- 1 Timothy 2:3 This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,