Living the New Life

17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity(A) with a desire for more and more.[a]

20 But that is not how you learned about the Messiah, 21 assuming you heard about Him and were taught by Him, because the truth(B) is in Jesus. 22 You took off[b](C) your former way of life,(D) the old self[c](E) that is corrupted by deceitful desires; 23 you are being renewed[d] in the spirit(F) of your minds; 24 you put on[e](G) the new self, the one created(H) according to God’s likeness(I) in righteousness and purity of the truth.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:19 Lit with greediness
  2. Ephesians 4:22 Or Jesus. This means: take off (as a command)
  3. Ephesians 4:22 Lit man; = a person before conversion
  4. Ephesians 4:23 Or desires; renew (as a command)
  5. Ephesians 4:24 Or minds; and put on (as a command)

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)

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