Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "vain words" refers not just to empty talk, but to plausible-sounding arguments that try to excuse sinful behavior. These aren't just casual conversations; they are deliberate attempts to downplay serious sin and make it seem acceptable, all while ignoring the genuine wrath of God that such actions invite.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is urging believers to live holy lives, directly contrasting the darkness of their past with the light of Christ they now walk in. He has just listed specific immoral behaviors, like sexual impurity and greedy talk, that are not fitting for God's people. This verse warns that false arguments can make these sins seem acceptable, but they ultimately incur God's righteous judgment.
Ever heard a slick argument that just felt off? Paul warns against words that sound good but lead us astray.
Paul calls these deceptive phrases 'empty words' (or 'vain words' in some translations). Think of them as spiritual snake oil – promises of freedom, pleasure, or acceptance that are completely hollow.
These aren't just casual lies; they are deliberate attempts to excuse sin and downplay its consequences. They might sound plausible, perhaps by appealing to popular opinion, philosophical arguments, or even by distorting religious truth. But their core is a lie: that certain actions are harmless or acceptable to God.
When we listen to these empty words, especially concerning actions like sexual immorality, impurity, or greed (mentioned in the preceding verses), we’re being lulled into a false sense of security. The danger isn't just being fooled; it's that these words disconnect us from the reality of God's justice.
The Bible doesn't shy away from God's anger. What does it mean that His wrath 'comes'?
Paul links these 'empty words' directly to a profound consequence: the 'wrath of God'. This isn't about a temper tantrum; it's God's righteous and holy opposition to sin.
The verse states that this wrath 'comes' – it's not a distant possibility, but an active and certain consequence for specific behaviors. It targets the 'sons of disobedience,' a powerful phrase describing those who actively reject God's commands and truth.
This wrath isn't just about some future punishment, though that is certainly included. It also speaks to the natural, inescapable consequences of living in rebellion against God, which results in a broken relationship with Him, spiritual darkness, and eventual judgment. The point is clear: empty words can’t shield you from divine justice.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
apataō · Greek Verb
The act of leading someone away from truth through false teaching, persuasion, or trickery. In a biblical context, it often refers to being enticed away from the faith by unsound doctrine.
kenois logois · Greek Adjective/Noun Phrase
Words lacking spiritual substance, truth, or divine authority. It refers to hollow philosophies or arguments that fail to honor God.
orgē · Greek Noun
The settled, righteous indignation and judicial judgment of God against sin. It is the manifestation of God’s holiness in reaction to rebellion and wickedness.
huious tēs apeitheias · Greek Noun Phrase
A Hebraism referring to people characterized by, living in, and defined by their habitual rebellion and disobedience against God’s revealed will.
Paul's warning in Ephesians 5:6 is particularly relevant against the backdrop of both common Greco-Roman immorality and emerging speculative philosophies like Gnosticism, both of which offered 'empty words' to justify sinful behavior.
c. 1st century AD
Flourishing of Gnostic Thought
Various early Gnostic schools emerged, some promoting ideas that the material world was inherently evil and detached from the divine, potentially leading to beliefs that actions in the physical body did not affect the spirit.
c. 1st century AD
Widespread Gentile Immorality
The broader cultural context of the Roman Empire included common acceptance and practice of various forms of sexual immorality, idolatry, and other vices that Paul addresses.
c. AD 60-62— this verse
Paul's Letter to the Ephesians
The Apostle Paul writes this letter from Rome, likely to the church in Ephesus, offering profound theological insights and practical instruction on living as the body of Christ in the world.
c. AD 90s
John's First Epistle
Writing later, the Apostle John echoes Paul's warning against deception, emphasizing that true righteousness stems from God and that attempts to justify sin are dangerous illusions.
This passage warns against being taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit, drawing on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ, echoing Ephesians 5:6's caution against deceptive 'empty words'.
Romans 1:18It describes the wrath of God being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people, directly paralleling the idea in Ephesians 5:6 that wrath comes upon the 'sons of disobedience'.
1 John 3:7This verse emphasizes that practicing righteousness is the mark of a righteous person, directly countering any deception that suggests unrighteous actions are acceptable or harmless, much like Paul's warning against 'vain words'.
Ephesians 2:2-3It describes the past life of believers as walking according to the prince of the power of the air, following the desires of body and mind, and being by nature children of wrath, which sets the context for why 'the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience'.
barnesEphesians 5:6: "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience."
Let no man deceive you - Let no one by artful pleas persuade you that; there will be no danger from practicing these vices, We may suppose that they would be under strong temptations to mingle in the "happy" and festive scenes where these vices were not frowned on, or where they were practiced; or that they might be tempted to commit them by some of the…
vincentEphesians 5:6: "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience."
VainPlausible, but devoid of truth, and employed to palliate heathen vices.
The phrase "vain words" refers not just to empty talk, but to plausible-sounding arguments that try to excuse sinful behavior. These aren't just casual conversations; they are deliberate attempts to downplay serious sin and make it seem acceptable, all while ignoring the genuine wrath of God that such actions invite.
Paul is urging believers to live holy lives, directly contrasting the darkness of their past with the light of Christ they now walk in. He has just listed specific immoral behaviors, like sexual impurity and greedy talk, that are not fitting for God's people. This verse warns that false arguments can make these sins seem acceptable, but they ultimately incur God's righteous judgment.
Paul is urging believers to live holy lives, directly contrasting the darkness of their past with the light of Christ they now walk in. He has just listed specific immoral behaviors, like sexual impurity and greedy talk, that are not fitting for God's people. This verse warns that false arguments can make these sins seem acceptable, but they ultimately incur God's righteous judgment.
"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." — The phrase "vain words" refers not just to empty talk, but to plausible-sounding arguments that try to excuse sinful behavior. These aren't just casual conversations; they are deliberate attempts to…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026