Ephesians 4 22

Ephesians 4:22 kjv

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

Ephesians 4:22 nkjv

that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

Ephesians 4:22 niv

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

Ephesians 4:22 esv

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

Ephesians 4:22 nlt

throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.

Ephesians 4 verses

Ephesians 4 22 Meaning

Ephesians 4:22 instructs believers to definitively shed their former manner of life and the sinful self that was characteristic of their existence before Christ. This "old man" is portrayed as decaying and actively being destroyed, driven by desires that are inherently deceptive, promising fulfillment but leading to moral degradation and spiritual ruin. It is a command to abandon completely the unregenerate identity and its accompanying conduct.

Ephesians 4 22 Context

Ephesians chapter 4 shifts from the doctrinal exposition of the first three chapters, focusing on God's redemptive plan in Christ, to practical application concerning the believer's new life. The chapter begins with a call to unity within the body of Christ, built upon foundational spiritual gifts and a common faith (Eph 4:1-16). Verse 17 then marks a sharp transition, admonishing believers no longer to "walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind." Ephesians 4:22 is the direct imperative within this command, emphasizing the radical break from their previous, pre-conversion Gentile lifestyle. This previous way of life, characterized by intellectual darkness, moral insensitivity, and abandonment to impurity (Eph 4:18-19), stands in stark contrast to the new life "in Christ" where they have "learned Christ" (Eph 4:20-21). Thus, this verse directly addresses Gentile converts in Ephesus, who were surrounded by pagan practices, idolatry, and pervasive immorality, calling them to put away their former corrupt habits and identity which belonged to their life before Christ.

Ephesians 4 22 Word analysis

• that you put off (ἀποθέσθαι - apothesthai):

  • Significance: This is an aorist middle infinitive, carrying the force of an imperative. It implies a definite, decisive act that the believers themselves initiate, likened to stripping off dirty or worn-out clothing. It denotes a conscious and volitional separation from something. It's not a gradual process of diminishing, but a deliberate act of rejection.
  • Greek term: ἀποτίθημι (apotithēmi), often means "to lay aside" or "to cast off."

• concerning your former conduct (τὴν ἀναστροφὴν τὴν παλαιάν - tēn anastrophēn tēn palaian):

  • Meaning: "Anastrēphō" means to turn oneself about, live, conduct oneself, behave. "Palaian" means old, from an earlier time, antiquated.
  • Significance: This phrase specifies what is to be put off. It's not just isolated acts, but the entire pattern, habit, and manner of life characteristic of their existence before their conversion to Christ. It refers to a deep-seated lifestyle rooted in paganism and sin.

• the old man (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον - ton palaion anthrōpon):

  • Meaning: "Palaion" (old, previous) and "anthrōpon" (man, human being).
  • Significance: This refers to the entire unregenerate self, the identity and nature of a person before being reconciled to God through Christ. It's the pre-Christian self, the person ruled by sin and fleshly desires. It encapsulates the entirety of one's former life, character, and disposition apart from God. This concept is closely tied to our death with Christ in Rom 6:6.

• which grows corrupt (τὸν φθειρόμενον - ton phtheiromenon):

  • Meaning: "Phthieirō" means to destroy, decay, ruin, morally corrupt, defile. The participle is present and passive, meaning "being corrupted" or "in the process of corruption/decay."
  • Significance: This indicates an ongoing, active process of decay and moral decomposition. The old man is not static; it is perpetually degenerating, being ruined, and leading towards ultimate destruction. Sin is inherently destructive, actively eroding moral integrity and leading to spiritual death.

• according to the deceitful lusts (κατὰ τὰς ἀπατηλὰς ἐπιθυμίας - kata tas apatēlas epithymias):

  • Meaning: "Kata" means according to, in conformity with. "Apatēlas" means deceiving, alluring, seductive. "Epithymias" means strong desires, cravings, lusts, longings.
  • Significance: This describes the mechanism and nature of the old man's corruption. The lusts (desires, cravings) are not just strong but deceitful. They promise satisfaction, freedom, or fulfillment, but they ultimately lead to emptiness, bondage, and moral ruin. Sin is often attractive and deceptive, hiding its true, destructive nature. It exposes the internal spring of sin: corrupted desires that lure one away from truth and godliness.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "put off...the old man": This phrase represents a decisive, break from one's past sinful identity. It's an act of disassociation with the very nature that defines the unregenerate life. It is not just about abandoning bad habits but shedding the source of those habits—the sinful self. This "putting off" implies a prior "taking on" or being "clothed" with the old self.
  • "concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt": This powerfully links behavior to identity. The "former conduct" is merely the outward expression of the inward reality of "the old man," which is inherently flawed and undergoing active decay. It emphasizes that a changed life requires addressing the root of sin, not just its symptoms.
  • "grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts": This exposes the trajectory and motive force of the sinful nature. The decay is driven by alluring but treacherous internal desires. These lusts operate as a controlling principle, steering the old self toward degradation. It highlights the internal enemy—corrupted desires that misguide and deceive, demonstrating the self-destructive nature of living according to the flesh.

Ephesians 4 22 Bonus section

The concept of "the old man" in Ephesians 4:22 is a theological anthropological term representing humanity in its unredeemed, fallen state. It is the person prior to receiving Christ's life-transforming work, enslaved to sin (Rom 6:17) and estranged from God (Eph 2:12). While Christ's crucifixion "with" the old man (Rom 6:6) marks a definitive judicial break, Ephesians 4:22 commands the believer's active, conscious participation in reckoning themselves dead to that former life. This is not about achieving perfect sinlessness in an instant but engaging in a lifelong process of mortification of sin (Col 3:5). The continuous decay implied by "grows corrupt" highlights sin's active work within the unregenerate and its persistent lure even for believers, making the ongoing act of "putting off" essential. The "deceitful lusts" are particularly insidious as they appeal to perceived needs or desires for satisfaction, effectively tricking the person into pursuing what leads to destruction rather than true life.

Ephesians 4 22 Commentary

Ephesians 4:22 issues a crucial command for believers, foundational to their new life in Christ: to discard completely their former way of life, embodied in the "old man." This "old man" is the entire unregenerate identity, rooted in humanity's fall, governed by a sinful nature, and characterized by active moral deterioration. The verse powerfully identifies the driving force behind this decay: "deceitful lusts." These are internal desires that lure and promise gratification but ultimately lead to spiritual emptiness and moral ruin. The metaphor of "putting off" signifies a definitive and deliberate renunciation, like shedding dirty clothes. It underscores that salvation in Christ involves not only forgiveness of past sins but also a radical break from a life dominated by sin, emphasizing an ongoing transformation into likeness with Christ. It sets the stage for "putting on the new man" described in the following verses (Eph 4:24), underscoring that a passive faith is insufficient; active participation in forsaking sin is essential for Christian living. For example, ceasing gossip is not just about holding one's tongue, but recognizing the desire for negative speech driven by pride or envy, and actively laying it aside in favor of truth and grace.