SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:16
redimiendo el tiempo, porque los días son malos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Ephesians 5:16
Verse 16. Redeeming the time] exagorazomenoi ton kairon? Buying up those moments which others seem to throw away; steadily improving every present moment, that ye may, in some measure, regain the time ye have lost. Let time be your chief commodity; deal in that alone; buy it all up, and use every portion of it yourselves. Time is that on which eternity depends; in time ye are to get a preparation for the kingdom of God; if you get not this in time, your ruin is inevitable; therefore, buy up the time. Some think there is an allusion here to the case of debtors, who, by giving some valuable consideration to their creditors, obtain farther time for paying their debts. And this appears to be the sense in which it is used by the Septuagint, Dan. ii. 8: ep alhqeiav oida egw, oti kairon umeiv exagorazete? I know certainly that ye would gain or buy time - ye wish to have the time prolonged, that ye may seek out for some plausible explanation of the dream. Perhaps the apostle means in general, embrace every opportunity to glorify God, save your own souls, and do good to men.
Because the days are evil.] The present times are dangerous, they are full of trouble and temptations, and only the watchful and diligent have any reason to expect that they shall keep their garments unspotted.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 16. Redeeming the time , &c.] Or buying time; a like expression is used in ( Daniel 2:8), which we render, gain time: but in the Chaldee text it is, buy time: and so Jacchiades, a Jewish commentator on the place, renders it, yrkmn ta tazh t[h , ye buy this opportunity; and the Septuagint version uses the same phrase the apostle does here; but there it seems to signify a study to prolong time, to put off the business to another season; but here taking time for a space of time, it denotes a careful and diligent use of it, an improvement of it to the best advantage; and shows that it is valuable and precious, and is not to be trifled with, and squandered away, and be lost, as it may be; for it can neither be recalled nor prolonged: and taking it for an opportunity of doing good to ourselves or others, it signifies that no opportunity of discharging our duty to God and man, of attending on the word and ordinances of the Gospel, and to the private and public exercises of religion, of gaining advantage to our own souls, or of gaining the souls of others, and of doing good either to the bodies or souls of men, should be neglected; but even all risks should be run, and means used to enjoy it: in the Syriac and Chaldee languages, anmz , time, comes from bz , to redeem: the reason the apostle gives for the redemption of time is, because the days are evil ; as such are, in which iniquity abounds, and many wicked men live, and errors and heresies prevail, and are days of affliction or persecution; (see Genesis 47:9).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-21 - Another remedy against sin, is care, or caution, it being impossibl else to maintain purity of heart and life. Time is a talent given us by God, and it is misspent and lost when not employed according to his design. If we have lost our time heretofore, we must double ou diligence for the future. Of that time which thousands on a dying be would gladly redeem at the price of the whole world, how little do me think, and to what trifles they daily sacrifice it! People are very ap to complain of bad times; it were well if that stirred them more to redeem time. Be not unwise. Ignorance of our duty, and neglect of ou souls, show the greatest folly. Drunkenness is a sin that never goe alone, but carries men into other evils; it is a sin very provoking to God. The drunkard holds out to his family and to the world they saw spectacle of a sinner hardened beyond what is common, and hastening to perdition. When afflicted or weary, let us not seek to raise ou spirits by strong drink, which is hateful and hurtful, and only ends i making sorrows more felt. But by fervent prayer let us seek to be filled with the Spirit, and to avoid whatever may grieve our graciou Comforter. All God's people have reason to sing for joy. Though we ar not always singing, we should be always giving thanks; we should neve want disposition for this duty, as we never want matter for it, throug the whole course of our lives. Always, even in trials and afflictions and for all things; being satisfied of their loving intent, and goo tendency. God keeps believers from sinning against him, and engage them to submit one to another in all he has commanded, to promote his glory, and to fulfil their duties to each other.
Greek Textus Receptus
εξαγοραζομενοι 1805 5734 τον 3588 καιρον 2540 οτι 3754 αι 3588 ημεραι 2250 πονηραι 4190 εισιν 1526 5748
Vincent's NT Word Studies
16. Redeeming the time (exagorazomenoi ton kaipon). See on Col. iv. 5.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:16 {Redeeming the time} (exagorazomenoi ton kairon). As in #Col 4:5 which see.
