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Ephesians 4:17-32
New International Version
Ephesians 4:17-32
New International Version
Instructions for Christian Living
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer(A) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.(B) 18 They are darkened in their understanding(C) and separated from the life of God(D) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.(E) 19 Having lost all sensitivity,(F) they have given themselves over(G) to sensuality(H) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off(I) your old self,(J) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;(K) 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;(L) 24 and to put on(M) the new self,(N) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.(O)
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully(P) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.(Q) 26 “In your anger do not sin”[a]:(R) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.(S) 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,(T) doing something useful with their own hands,(U) that they may have something to share with those in need.(V)
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,(W) but only what is helpful for building others up(X) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,(Y) with whom you were sealed(Z) for the day of redemption.(AA) 31 Get rid of(AB) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.(AC) 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,(AD) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.(AE)
Footnotes
- Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint)
Ephesians 4:17-32
The Message
Ephesians 4:17-32
The Message
The Old Way Has to Go
17-19 And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They’ve refused for so long to deal with God that they’ve lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can’t think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.
20-24 But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
25 What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.
26-27 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
28 Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can’t work.
29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
30 Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.
31-32 Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
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Ephesians 4:17-32
English Standard Version
Ephesians 4:17-32
English Standard Version
The New Life
17 Now this I say and (A)testify in the Lord, (B)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, (C)in the futility of their minds. 18 They (D)are darkened in their understanding, (E)alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to (F)their hardness of heart. 19 They (G)have become callous and (H)have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you (I)learned Christ!— 21 assuming that (J)you have heard about him and (K)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to (L)put off (M)your old self,[a] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through (N)deceitful desires, 23 and (O)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on (P)the new self, (Q)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you (R)speak the truth with his neighbor, for (S)we are members one of another. 26 (T)Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and (U)give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather (V)let him labor, (W)doing honest work with his own hands, so (X)that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 (Y)Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give (Z)grace to those who hear. 30 And (AA)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, (AB)by whom you were sealed for the day of (AC)redemption. 31 (AD)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 (AE)Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, (AF)forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ephesians 4:22 Greek man; also verse 24
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.