Ephesians 4 · Verse 23

Ephesians 4:23

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Ephesians 4:23, King James Version

Ephesians 4:23 in other translations

BSBto be renewed in the spirit of your minds;
WEBand that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
ASVand that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
YLTand to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
DARBYand being renewed in the spirit of your mind;
BBEAnd be made new in the spirit of your mind,
WebsterAnd be renewed in the Spirit of your mind;

What does Ephesians 4:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
23. be renewed--The Greek (ananeousthai) implies "the continued renewal in the youth of the new man." A different Greek word (anakainousthai) implies "renewal from the old state." in the spirit of your mind--As there is no Greek for "in," which there is at Ep 4:17, "in the vanity of their mind," it is better to translate, "By the Spirit of your mind," that is, by your new spiritual nature; the restored and divinely informed leading principle of the mind. The "spirit" of man in New Testament is only then used in its proper sense, as worthy of its place and governing functions, when it is one spirit with the Lord. The natural, or animal man, is described as "not having the Spirit" (Jude 19) [Alford]. Spirit is not in this sense attributed to the unregenerate (1Th 5:23).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. And be renewed. That is, it is necessary that a man who has been following these should become a new man. Jn 3:3, seq. Comp. 2Cor 4:16. The word here used--ανανεοω--does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament; but it has the same meaning as the word used in 2Cor 4:16, and Col 3:10. It means to make new, and is descriptive of the work of regeneration. This was addressed to the church, and to those whom Paul regarded as Christians; and we may learn from this,

(1.) That it is necessary that man should be renewed in order to be saved.

(2.) That it is proper to exhort Christians to be renewed. They need renovated strength every day.

(3.) That it is a matter of obligation to be renewed. Men are bound thus to be renovated. And

(4.) that they have sufficient natural ability to change from the condition of the old to that of the new man, or they could not be exhorted to it.

In the spirit of your mind. In your temper; your heart; your nature.

(b) "in the spirit" Rom 12:2

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind - Their old mode of living was to be abandoned; a new one to be assumed. The mind is to be renovated; and not only its general complexion, but the very spirit of it; all its faculties and powers must be thoroughly, completely, and universally renewed. Plautus uses a similar expression describing deep distress, and answerable to our phrase innermost soul: - Paupertas, pavor territat mentem animi. Poverty and dread alarm my innermost soul. Epid., l. 519.

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 4:23 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.

ἀνανεοῦσθαιananeousthaito be renewedG365
δὲdethenG1161
τῷtōin theG3588
πνεύματιpneumatispiritG4151
τοῦtouof theG3588
νοὸςnoosmindG3563
ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771

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

Cross references for Ephesians 4:23

  • Romans 12:2

    And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

  • Romans 8:6

    For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

  • Psalms 51:10

    Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

  • Colossians 3:10

    And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

  • 1 Peter 1:13

    Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

  • Ezekiel 36:26

    A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

  • Titus 3:5

    Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

  • Ezekiel 11:19

    And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

  • Ephesians 2:10

    For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

  • Ezekiel 18:31

    Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
be.
2:10; Ps 51:10; Eze 11:19; 18:31; 36:26; Ro 12:2; Col 3:10; Tit 3:5
spirit.
Ro 8:6; 1Pe 1:13

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

Context

  • 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;

  • Ephesians 4:24

    And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Read all of Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y á renovaros en el espíritu de vuestra mente,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et d’être renouvelés dans l’esprit de votre entendement,
German
Elberfelder 1871		aber erneuert werdet in dem Geiste eurer Gesinnung
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Renovamini autem spiritu mentis vestræ,