Ephesians 4 · Verse 22

Ephesians 4:22

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Ephesians 4:22, King James Version

Ephesians 4:22 in other translations

BSBto put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
WEBthat you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit,
ASVthat ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit;
YLTye are to put off concerning the former behaviour the old man, that is corrupt according to the desires of the deceit,
DARBYnamely your having put off according to the former conversation the old man which corrupts itself according to the deceitful lusts;
BBEThat you are to put away, in relation to your earlier way of life, the old man, which has become evil by love of deceit;
WebsterThat ye put off concerning the former manner of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts:

What does Ephesians 4:22 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
22. That ye--following "Ye have been taught" (Ep 4:21). concerning the former conversation--"in respect to your former way of life." the old man--your old unconverted nature (Ro 6:6). is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts--rather, "which is being corrupted ('perisheth,' compare Ga 6:8, 'corruption,' that is, destruction) according to (that is, as might be expected from) the lusts of deceit." Deceit is personified; lusts are its servants and tools. In contrast to "the holiness of the truth," Ep 4:24, and "truth in Jesus," Ep 4:21; and answering to Gentile "vanity," Ep 4:17. Corruption and destruction are inseparably associated together. The man's old-nature-lusts are his own executioners, fitting him more and more for eternal corruption and death.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 22. That ye put off. That you lay aside, or renounce. The manner in which the apostle states these duties renders it not improbable that there had been some instruction among them of a contrary character, and that it is possible there had been some teachers there who had not enforced, as they should have done, the duties of practical religion.

Concerning the former conversation. The word conversation here means conduct--as it commonly does in the Bible. 2Cor 1:12. The meaning here is, "With respect to your former conduct or habits of life, lay aside all that pertained to a corrupt and fallen nature. You are not to lay everything aside that formerly pertained to you. Your dress, and manners, and modes of speech and intercourse, might have been in many respects correct. But everything that proceeded from sin; every habit, and custom, and mode of speech and of conduct that, was the result of depravity, is to be laid aside. The peculiar characteristics of an unconverted man you are to put off, and are to assume those which are the proper fruits of a renewed heart."

The old man. Rom 6:6.

Which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. The meaning is,

(1.) that the unrenewed man is not under the direction of reason and sound sense, but is controlled by his passions and desires. The word lusts has a more limited signification with us than the original word. That word we now confine to one class of sensual appetites; but the original word denotes any passion or propermiry of the heart. It may include avarice, ambition, the love of pleasure or of gratification in any way; and the meaning here is, that the heart is by nature under the control of such desires.

(2.) Those passions are deceitful. They lead us astray. They plunge us into ruin. All the passions and pleasures of the world are illusive. They promise more than they perform; and they leave their deluded votaries to disappointment, and to tears. Nothing is more "deceitful" than the promised pleasures of this world; and all who yield to them find at last that they "flatter but to betray."

(c) "concerning" Col 3:8,9 (a) "which is corrupt" Rom 6:6

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 That ye put off - And this has been one especial part of our teaching, that ye should abandon all these, and live a life totally opposite to what it was before. The old man - See the note on Rom 6:6, and especially see the notes on Rom 13:13, Rom 13:14 (note). Which is corrupt - The whole of your former life was corrupt and abominable; ye lived in the pursuit of pleasure and happiness; ye sought this in the gratification of the lusts of the flesh; and were ever deceived by these lusts, and disappointed in your expectations.

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 4:22 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.

ἀποθέσθαιapothesthaiAre to have put offG659
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
κατὰkataconcerningG2596
τὴνtēntheG3588
προτέρανproteranformerG4387
ἀναστροφὴνanastrophēnway of lifeG391
τὸνtontheG3588
παλαιὸνpalaionoldG3820
ἄνθρωπονanthrōponmanG444
τὸνtonwhichG3588
φθειρόμενονphtheiromenonis being corruptedG5351
κατὰkataaccording toG2596
τὰςtas[its]G3588
ἐπιθυμίαςepithumiasdesiresG1939
τῆςtēs<the>G3588
ἀπάτης,apatēsof deceit,G539

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

Cross references for Ephesians 4:22

  • Romans 6:6

    Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

  • Hebrews 12:1

    Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

  • James 1:21

    Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

  • 1 Peter 2:1-2

    Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

  • Hebrews 3:13

    But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

  • Colossians 3:7-9

    In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

  • Titus 3:3

    For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

  • Ephesians 4:25

    Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

  • Ephesians 4:17

    This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

  • 1 Peter 4:3

    For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

  • 2 Peter 2:13

    And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

  • 1 Peter 1:18

    Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ye.
25; 1Sa 1:14; Job 22:23; Eze 18:30-32; Col 2:11; 3:8,9; Heb 12:1
Jas 1:21; 1Pe 2:1,2
former.
17; 2:3; Ga 1:13; Col 3:7; 1Pe 1:18; 4:3; 2Pe 2:7
the old.
Ro 6:6; Col 3:9
deceitful.
Pr 11:18; Jer 49:16; Ob 1:3; Ro 7:11; Tit 3:3; Heb 3:13; Jas 1:26
2Pe 2:13

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

Context

  • Ephesians 4:21

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

  • Ephesians 4:22

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

  • Ephesians 4:23

    And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Read all of Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		A que dejéis, cuanto á la pasada manera de vivir, el viejo hombre que está viciado conforme á los deseos de error;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		c’est-à-dire, en ce qui concerne votre première manière de vivre, d’avoir dépouillé le vieil homme qui se corrompt selon les convoitises trompeuses,
German
Elberfelder 1871		daß ihr, was den früheren Lebenswandel betrifft, abgelegt habt den alten Menschen, der nach den betrügerischen Lüsten verdorben wird,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		deponere vos secundum pristinam conversationem veterem hominem, qui corrumpitur secundum desideria erroris.