Ephesians 4:21 kjv
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Ephesians 4:21 nkjv
if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Ephesians 4:21 niv
when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.
Ephesians 4:21 esv
assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
Ephesians 4:21 nlt
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,
Ephesians 4 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Eph 4:20 | But you did not learn Christ in this way, | Direct antecedent |
| Col 1:21 | You, who formerly were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, | Parallel teaching on alienation |
| Rom 6:17 | but thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart... | Heart's obedience |
| John 8:32 | So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples," | Truth leads to discipleship |
| Acts 2:42 | And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, | Devotion to teaching |
| 2 Cor 11:3 | But I am afraid that somehow your minds will be corrupted from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. | Corruption of mind/devotion |
| Gal 3:27 | as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. | Putting on Christ |
| Col 2:11 | in him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made by hands, by the |
| putting off of the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rom 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, | Renewal of mind |
| 1 Pet 1:13 | Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, | Preparing minds for action |
| Heb 12:1 | Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight... | Laying aside hindrance |
| 1 Thess 4:13 | But we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. | Understanding spiritual truth |
| 1 Tim 2:4 | who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. | Knowledge of truth |
| 2 Tim 3:7 | always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. | Ever learning |
| Phil 3:9 | and be found in him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ... | Righteousness through Christ |
| Col 3:10 | and have been renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him. | Renewal in knowledge |
| 1 Cor 2:14 | The natural person does not accept what belongs to the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. | Spiritual discernment |
| Gal 5:22 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, | Manifestation of Christlikeness |
| Eph 4:22 | to put off your old man with his practices, | Putting off the old self |
| Eph 4:24 | and to put on the new man, created after God in true righteousness and holiness. | Putting on the new self |
| 1 John 2:27 | But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you, but as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true and not a lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. | Inner teaching of Christ |
| John 13:34 | A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. | Love as a defining characteristic |
| 2 Thes 3:5 | May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. | Hearts directed to love |
Ephesians 4 verses
Ephesians 4 21 Meaning
The core meaning of Ephesians 4:21 is that believers have been taught and are now called to live out the truth of the Gospel in their daily lives, aligning their inner being with their outward actions as disciples of Christ. It signifies a transformation in understanding and a corresponding shift in behavior, moving from an unregenerated state to one of genuine spiritual perception and obedience.
Ephesians 4 21 Context
Ephesians chapter 4 addresses the unity of the body of Christ and how believers are to live out their new life in Christ. Paul, after describing various spiritual gifts given for the building up of the church, exhorts believers to no longer live like the Gentiles around them, who are futile in their thinking and alienated from God. He calls them to "put off" their old way of life, characterized by deceit and sin, and to "put on" the new self, which is created in the likeness of God and renewed in knowledge. Verse 21 directly follows this exhortation to a renewed walk in Christ. The broader context of Ephesians 4 is a practical outworking of the spiritual realities established in chapters 1-3, focusing on holiness, unity, and distinguishing the Christian life from the unregenerated world.
Ephesians 4 21 Word Analysis
But (Greek: ἀλλά, alla): This conjunction signifies a strong contrast to what was just said in the preceding verse (verse 20). It marks a pivot in Paul's argument.
You (Greek: ὑμεῖς, hymeis): The plural "you" refers to the collective body of believers in Ephesus, emphasizing shared experience and responsibility.
did not (Greek: οὐ, ou): A strong negation, affirming that their learning of Christ was fundamentally different from worldly instruction.
learn (Greek: ἐδιδάχθητε, edidachthēte): A perfect passive indicative verb from didasko. It implies a past action (learning) with a continuing result. The perfect tense highlights the abiding effect of Christ's teaching on their lives. It's not just a one-time event, but a foundational lesson that has shaped their present reality. This learning is divinely imparted, not solely from human teaching.
Christ (Greek: Χριστῷ, Christō): Refers to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, in whom believers are united.
in (Greek: ἐν, en): Indicates the sphere or manner of their learning. They learned Christ in Him.
this manner (Greek: οὕτως, houtos): Refers to the way of life or understanding that Paul has been contrasting with the transformed life of a believer, implying the false or unregenerated way. It is connected to the preceding descriptions of Gentile conduct.
Group Analysis: "But you did not learn Christ in this manner" establishes a direct refutation of any perceived continuation of the old life in Christ. The learning of Christ is a paradigm shift, a transformation that severs ties with the former way of living. This verse functions as a hinge, bridging the command to "put off the old self" with the instruction to "put on the new self." The emphasis is on the internal apprehension and assimilation of Christ's truth as the basis for outward conduct.
Ephesians 4 21 Bonus Section
The Greek verb "edidachthēte" (learned) is in the perfect tense, signifying a past completed action with a continuous present result. This grammatical choice emphasizes that the learning of Christ is not a transient lesson but a foundational and abiding truth that has fundamentally transformed the believer. It implies a deep, internalized understanding that continues to shape their character and actions. This internal change is what sets genuine discipleship apart from mere outward conformity or superficial knowledge. It reflects a fundamental reshaping of the mind and heart, aligning with God's truth.
Ephesians 4 21 Commentary
Paul contrasts the superficial imitation of Christ with a genuine, internal transformation acquired through divine teaching. Believers have not learned Christ in the manner of merely following an external example or adopting a philosophical system. Instead, their understanding and assimilation of Christ, meaning His teachings and life, have been deeply ingrained through the work of the Holy Spirit. This genuine learning is directly tied to the truth as it is in Jesus, a truth that reshapes one's entire being, not just outward actions. This implies that true Christian discipleship involves a thorough, transformative understanding that impacts one's inner person, leading to an alignment of thought, will, and behavior with Christ's nature and will.
- Practical Example: A Christian struggling with honesty in business dealings learns Christ not by trying harder to "act" honest, but by grasping the truth of God's pervasive presence and the inner renewal that Christ offers, which changes the desire to be dishonest at its root.