1931. epiduó
Lexical Summary
epiduó: To set, to go down

Original Word: ἐπιδύω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: epiduó
Pronunciation: eh-pee-DOO-oh
Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ee-doo'-o)
KJV: go down
NASB: go down
Word Origin: [from G1909 (ἐπί - over) and G1416 (δύνω - set)]

1. to set fully (as the sun)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
go down.

From epi and duno; to set fully (as the sun) -- go down.

see GREEK epi

see GREEK duno

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from epi and dunó
Definition
to set (of the sun)
NASB Translation
go down (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1931: ἐπιδύω

ἐπιδύω; to go down, set (of the sun): Ephesians 4:26, on which see ἐπί, B. 2 e. (Deuteronomy 24:17 (15); Jeremiah 15:9; (Philo de spec. legg. 28); and with tmesis, Homer, Iliad 2, 413.)

Topical Lexicon
Overview

The verb translated “set” in Ephesians 4:26 conveys the natural descent of the sun below the horizon. Scripture employs the imagery of sunset to mark the end of a day, to establish time limits for certain actions, and to draw moral boundaries. Its single appearance in the New Testament occurs in a pastoral context that joins vivid creation language with ethical exhortation.

Biblical Usage

Ephesians 4:26 sets the word in a pair of imperatives: “Be angry, yet do not sin. Do not let the sun set upon your anger” (Berean Standard Bible). The apostle Paul draws on a familiar daily milestone—sunset—to urge believers to resolve relational tensions quickly. Anger is not intrinsically sinful, but if it lingers past the day’s end it easily hardens into bitterness that “gives the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27).

Old Testament Background

Sunset served as a divinely appointed marker by which Israel measured obedience and mercy:
Deuteronomy 24:13 commands the return of a poor man’s cloak “so that he may sleep in his garment.” Compassion must not be postponed beyond sundown.
Leviticus 22:7 notes that a ceremonially unclean person becomes clean “when the sun has set,” illustrating the closure of impurity.
Psalm 104:19–23 praises the Creator who “made the moon to mark the seasons” and drives the rhythm of day and night.

These passages establish sunset as a God-given boundary for duty, restoration, and worship.

Rabbinic and First-Century Context

In Jewish reckoning the new day began at sunset (Genesis 1:5, “And there was evening and there was morning—the first day”). Paul’s audiences in Asia Minor would have understood “do not let the sun set” as a literal deadline that arrived before the calendar turned. Allowing anger to carry over into another day violated both cultural practice and biblical precedent.

Symbolic and Theological Significance

1. Time-Limited Wrath. By binding anger to daylight hours, the Spirit teaches that human wrath is at best temporary, whereas God’s righteous judgment belongs to Him alone (Romans 12:19).
2. Moral Urgency. The metaphor intensifies the call to immediate reconciliation (Matthew 5:23-24). Delay is dangerous; the heart is deceitful and sin crouches at the door.
3. Creation Order. Sunset signals God’s unchanging governance of time (Jeremiah 33:20-21). Submission to that order nurtures humility and daily dependence.

Practical Application for Believers

• Marital harmony: Couples are counseled to settle disputes before bedtime, turning the verse into a household rule that preserves unity.
• Church discipline: Leaders address offenses promptly to prevent festering divisions (Hebrews 12:15).
• Personal devotion: Evening prayer offers a natural moment to examine one’s spirit, confess sin, and extend forgiveness.

Pastoral and Missional Implications

Swift reconciliation strengthens gospel witness. Unresolved anger obscures the transforming power of Christ, whereas timely forgiveness displays the cross. Ministries that cultivate a rhythm of daily confession and pardon reflect the grace they preach.

Historical Illustrations

• Tertullian cited Ephesians 4:26 to argue that Christians should settle quarrels before participating in the Lord’s Supper.
• John Chrysostom viewed the verse as evidence that anger is permissible only when it mirrors divine zeal and never when it seeks personal revenge.

Eschatological Hints

While sunset ends the day, Scripture foresees an age when “night will be no more” (Revelation 22:5). The present command to guard the heart until sundown anticipates a future without sin, when reconciliation is complete and the need for deadlines vanishes.

Summary

The lone New Testament occurrence of this verb anchors a timeless principle: anger must be restrained, dealt with, and discharged before the day expires. From Israel’s fields to the church’s fellowship, sunset has marked the point at which mercy triumphs over resentment. Obeying the command safeguards personal holiness, protects communal harmony, and proclaims the character of the God who daily causes the sun to rise and set.

Forms and Transliterations
επέδυ επιδυετω επιδυέτω ἐπιδυέτω επιδύνοντος επιδύσεται epidueto epiduetō epidyeto epidyetō epidyéto epidyétō
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Ephesians 4:26 V-PMA-3S
GRK: ἥλιος μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ἐπὶ τῷ
NAS: do not let the sun go down on your anger,
KJV: not the sun go down upon your
INT: sun not let set upon the

Strong's Greek 1931
1 Occurrence


ἐπιδυέτω — 1 Occ.

1930
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