^5:11Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather¹⁵ expose them.¹⁶^5:12For the things they do¹⁷ in secret are shameful even to mention. ^5:13But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. ^5:14For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:¹⁸

“Awake,¹⁹ O sleeper!²⁰

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you!”²¹

Read in Logos

Footnotes

15 The Greek conjunction καὶ (kai) seems to be functioning here ascensively, (i.e., “even”), but is difficult to render in this context using good English. It may read something like: “but rather even expose them!”
16 Grk “rather even expose.”
17 The participle τὰ … γινόμενα (ta … ginomena) usually refers to “things happening” or “things which are,” but with the following genitive phrase ὑπʼ αὐτῶν (hup’ autōn), which indicates agency, the idea seems to be “things being done.” This passive construction was translated as an active one to simplify the English style.
18 The following passage has been typeset as poetry because many scholars regard this passage as poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [], ). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage, so the decision to typeset it as poetry should be viewed as a tentative decision about its genre.
19 Grk “Rise up.”
20 The articular nominative participle ὁ καθεύδων (ho katheudōn) is probably functioning as a nominative for vocative. Thus, it has been translated as “O sleeper.”
21 A composite quotation, possibly from Isa 26:19, 51:17, 52:1, and 60:1.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,

and arise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,

rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. Everything exposed by the light is made visible, for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said:

Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.

NLTNew Living Translation

Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper,

rise up from the dead,

and Christ will give you light.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even expose them. For it is shameful even to speak about the things being done by them in secret, but all things exposed by the light are made visible, for everything made visible is light. Therefore it says,

Wake up, sleeper,

and rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.

KJV 1900King James Version

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Public Domain