Ephesians 4 · Verse 27

Ephesians 4:27

Neither give place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:27, King James Version

Ephesians 4:27 in other translations

BSBand do not give the devil a foothold.
WEBand don’t give place to the devil.
ASVneither give place to the devil.
YLTneither give place to the devil;
DARBYneither give room for the devil.
BBEAnd do not give way to the Evil One.
WebsterNeither give place to the devil.

What does Ephesians 4:27 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
27. Neither give place--that is, occasion, or scope, to the devil, by continuing in "wrath." The keeping of anger through the darkness of night, is giving place to the devil, the prince of darkness (Ep 6:12).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 27. Neither give place to the devil. This has respect probably to the exhortation in the former verse. "Do not yield to the suggestions and temptations of Satan, who would take every opportunity to persuade you to cherish unkind and angry feelings, and to keep up a spirit of resentment among brethren." Many of our feelings, when we suppose we are merely defending our rights, and securing what is our own, are produced by the temptations of the devil. The heart is deceitful; and seldom more deceitful in any case than when a man is attempting to vindicate himself from injuries done to his person and reputation. The devil is always busy when we are angry, and in some way, if possible, will lead us into sin; and the best way to avoid his wiles is to curb the temper, and restrain even sudden anger. No man sins by restraining his anger; no man is certain that he will not who indulges it for a moment.

(a) "place" Jas 4:7 (*) "place" "advantage"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 27 Neither give place to the devil - Your adversary will strive to influence your mind, and irritate your spirit; watch and pray that he may not get any place in you, or ascendancy over you. As the word διαβολος is sometimes used to signify a calumniator, tale-bearer, whisperer, or backbiter; (see in the original, 1Tim 3:11; 2Tim 3:3, and Tit 2:3); here it may have the same signification. Do not open your ear to the tale-bearer, to the slanderer, who comes to you with accusations against your brethren, or with surmisings and evil speakings. These are human devils; they may be the means of making you angry, even without any solid pretense; therefore give them no place, that you may not be angry at any time; but if, unhappily, you should be overtaken in this fault, let not the sun go down upon your wrath; go to your brother, against whom you have found your spirit irritated; tell him what you have heard, and what you fear; let your ears be open to receive his own account; carefully listen to his own explanation; and, if possible, let the matter be finally settled, that Satan may not gain advantage over either.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ephesians 4:25-28

Notice the particulars wherewith we should adorn our Christian profession. Take heed of every thing contrary to truth. No longer flatter or deceive others. God's people are children who will not lie, who dare not lie, who hate and abhor lying. Take heed of anger and ungoverned passions. If there is just occasion to express displeasure at what is wrong, and to reprove, see that it be without sin. We give place to the…

Read the full comment on Ephesians 4:25-28 →

Ephesians 4:27 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

μηδὲmēdeneitherG3366
δίδοτεdidotedo giveG1325
τόπονtoponopportunityG5117
τῷtōto theG3588
διαβόλῳ.diabolōdevil.G1228

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ephesians 4:27

  • James 4:7

    Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

  • 1 Peter 5:8

    Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

  • Ephesians 6:16

    Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

  • Ephesians 6:11

    Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

  • 2 Corinthians 2:10-11

    To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

  • Acts 5:3

    But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6:11,16; Ac 5:3; 2Co 2:10,11; Jas 4:7; 1Pe 5:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ephesians 4:26

    Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

  • Ephesians 4:27

    Neither give place to the devil.

  • Ephesians 4:28

    Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Read all of Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:27 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ni deis lugar al diablo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et ne donnez pas occasion au diable.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und gebet nicht Raum dem Teufel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Nolite locum dare diabolo: