Ephesians 4 · Verse 20

Ephesians 4:20

But ye have not so learned Christ;
Ephesians 4:20, King James Version

Ephesians 4:20 in other translations

BSBBut this is not the way you came to know Christ.
WEBBut you didn’t learn Christ that way,
ASVBut ye did not so learn Christ;
YLTand ye did not so learn the Christ,
DARBYBut ye have not thus learnt the Christ,
BBEFor this was not the teaching of Christ which was given to you;
WebsterBut ye have not so learned Christ;

What does Ephesians 4:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. learned Christ--(Php 3:10). To know Christ Himself, is the great lesson of the Christian life: this the Ephesians began to learn at their conversion. "Christ," in reference to His office, is here specified as the object of learning. "Jesus," in Ep 4:21, as the person.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. But ye have not so learned Christ. You have been taught a different thing by Christ; you have been taught that his religion requires you to abandon such a coarse of life.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 But ye have not so learned Christ - Ye have received the doctrines of Christianity, and therefore are taught differently; ye have received the Spirit of Christ, and therefore are saved from such dispositions. Some would point and translate the original thus: Ὑμεις δε ουχ οὑτως· εμαθετε τον Χριστον· But ye are not thus; ye have learned Christ.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ephesians 4:17-24

The apostle charged the Ephesians in the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus, that having professed the gospel, they should not be as the unconverted Gentiles, who walked in vain fancies and carnal affections. Do not men, on every side, walk in the vanity of their minds? Must not we then urge the distinction between real and nominal Christians? They were void of all saving knowledge; they sat in darkness…

Read the full comment on Ephesians 4:17-24 →

Ephesians 4:20 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771
δὲdehoweverG1161
οὐχouchnotG3756
οὕτωςhoutōsthis wayG3779
ἐμάθετεemathetelearnedG3129
τὸνton<the>G3588
Χριστόν,ChristonChrist,G5547

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ephesians 4:20

  • Titus 2:11-14

    For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

  • John 6:45

    It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

  • Matthew 11:29

    Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

  • 1 John 2:27

    But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

  • Luke 24:47

    And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

    For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

  • Romans 6:1-2

    What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lu 24:47; Joh 6:45; Ro 6:1,2; 2Co 5:14,15; Tit 2:11-14; 1Jo 2:27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ephesians 4:19

    Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

  • Ephesians 4:20

    But ye have not so learned Christ;

  • Ephesians 4:21

    If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

Read all of Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas vosotros no habéis aprendido así á Cristo:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais vous n’avez pas ainsi appris le Christ,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ihr aber habt den Christus nicht also gelernt,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Vos autem non ita didicistis Christum,