This verse in Greek is a participial clause, related to the sentence that begins in verse 8. Try to learn translates a Greek verb which means primarily “to put to the test, try, prove,” and (as a result of such a test) “to approve, commend, accept as good.” Here the first meaning is indicated; Christians are called upon to find out by testing, experimenting, trying, what is well-pleasing to the Lord (see similar use of the verb in Rom 12.2). Barth translates “Find out by experience.”

What pleases the Lord may be rendered in some instances as “what causes the Lord to be happy.” But it may be more appropriate in some languages to render the clause as “what the Lord wants you to do.”

Probably the Lord here is God; as Beare points out, the Greek adjective “pleasing” (see its use in Col 3.20) is often used in the context of a sacrifice that “is pleasing” to God (see Rom 12.1; Phil 4.18).

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1982. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .