Ephesians 4:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Summary

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 understanding

Alienated

Because

Romans 1:21

Romans 2:19

1 John 2:11

General references

Leviticus 11:16

Deuteronomy 29:4

Bible References

The understanding

Pay attention to your covenant, for the dark regions of the earth are full of violence.

Their idols are silver and gold, crafted by human hands.

They don't realize; they don't understand, because their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds, too, so they cannot understand.

"To whom will you compare me, count me equal, or liken me, so that I may be compared?

Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent,

I'll continue to rescue you from your people and from the gentiles to whom I'm sending you.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him. Instead, their thoughts turned to worthless things, and their senseless hearts were darkened.

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe through the nonsense of our preaching.

In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe to keep them from seeing the light of the glorious gospel of the Messiah, who is the image of God.

However, in the past, when you did not know God, you were slaves to things that are not really gods at all.

not with passion and lust like the gentiles who do not know God.

Alienated

At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from citizenship in Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise. You had no hope and were in the world without God.

That is why the mind that focuses on human nature is hostile toward God. It refuses to submit to the authority of God's Law because it is powerless to do so.

However, in the past, when you did not know God, you were slaves to things that are not really gods at all.

You who were once alienated with a hostile attitude, doing evil,

not with passion and lust like the gentiles who do not know God.

You adulterers! Don't you know that friendship with the world means hostility with God? So whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God.

Because

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him. Instead, their thoughts turned to worthless things, and their senseless hearts were darkened.

and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness,

But the person who hates his brother is in the darkness and lives in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

General references

ostrich, nighthawk, seagull, hawks of every kind,

Yet to this day, the LORD hasn't given you a heart that understands, eyes that perceive, and ears that discern.