Ephesians 4 · Verse 24

Ephesians 4:24

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

Ephesians 4:24, King James Version

Ephesians 4:24 in other translations

BSB	and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
WEB	and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
ASV	and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
YLT	and to put on the new man, which, according to God, was created in righteousness and kindness of the truth.
DARBY	and your having put on the new man, which according to God is created in truthful righteousness and holiness.
BBE	And put on the new man, to which God has given life, in righteousness and a true and holy way of living.
Webster	And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

What does Ephesians 4:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

24. put on the new man--Opposed to "the old man," which is to be "put off" (Ep 4:22). The Greek here (kainon) is different from that for "re-new-ed" (Ep 4:23). Put on not merely a renovated nature, but a new, that is, altogether different nature, a changed nature (compare Note,, see on Col 3:10). after God, &c.--Translate, "Which hath been created (once for all: so the Greek aorist means: in Christ, Ep 2:10; so that in each believer it has not to be created again, but to be put on) after (the image of) God" (Ge 1:27; Col 3:10; 1Pe 1:15), &c. God's image in which the first Adam was originally created, is restored, to us far more gloriously in the second Adam, the image of the invisible God (2Co 4:4; Col 1:15; He 1:3). in righteousness--"IN" it as the element of the renewed man. true holiness--rather, as the Greek, "holiness of the truth"; holiness flowing from sincere following of "the truth of God" (Ro 1:25; 3:7; 15:8): opposed to "the lusts of deceit" (Greek, Ep 4:22); compare also Ep 4:21, "truth is in Jesus." "Righteousness" is in relation to our fellow men, the second table of the law; "Holiness," in relation to God, the first table; the religious observance of offices of piety (compare Lu 1:75). In the parallel (Col 3:10) it is, "renewed in knowledge after the image," &c. As at Colosse the danger was from false pretenders to knowledge, the true "knowledge" which flows from renewal of the heart is dwelt on; so at Ephesus, the danger being from the corrupt morals prevalent around, the renewal in "holiness," contrasted with the Gentile "uncleanness" (Ep 4:19), and "righteousness," in contrast to "greediness," is made prominent.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 24. And that ye put on the new man. The new man refers to the renovated nature. This is called, in other places, the "new creature, or the new creation," 2Cor 5:17, and refers to the condition after the heart is changed. The change is so great, that there is no impropriety in speaking of one who has experienced it as "a new man." He has new feelings, principles, and desires. He has laid aside his old principles and practices, and, in everything that pertains to moral character, he is new. His body is indeed the same; the intellectual structure of his mind the same; but there has been a change in his principles and feelings which make him, in all the great purposes of life, a new being. Learn, that regeneration is not a trifling change. It is not a mere change of relations, or of the outward condition. It is not merely being brought from the world into the church, and being baptized, though by the most holy hands; it is much more. None of these things would make proper the declaration, "he is a new man." Regeneration by the Spirit of God does.

After God. καταθεον. In respect to God. The idea is, evidently, that man is so renewed as to become like God, or the Divine image is restored to the soul. In the parallel passage in Colossians Col 3:10 the idea is expressed more fully--"renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Man, by regeneration, is restored to the lost image of God. Comp. Gen 1:26.

Is created. A word that is often used to denote the new birth, from its strong resemblance to the first act of creation. See it explained 2Cor 5:17.

In righteousness. That is, the renewed man is made to resemble God in righteousness. This proves that man, when he was made, was righteous; or that righteousness constituted a part of the image of God in which he was created. The object of the work of redemption is to restore to man the lost image of God, or to bring him back to the condition in which he was before he fell.

And true holiness. Marg., as in Greek, holiness of truth-- standing in contrast with "lusts of deceit" (Greek) in Eph 4:22. Holiness properly refers to purity towards God, and righteousness to integrity towards men; but it is not certain that this distinction is observed here. The general idea is, that the renovated man is made an upright and a pious man; and that therefore he should avoid the vices which are practised by the heathen, and which the apostle proceeds to specify. This phrase also proves that, when man was created, he was a holy being.

(c) "in righteousness" Gall 6:15, Eph 2:10 (1) "true holiness" "holiness of truth"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 24 Put on the new man - Get a new nature; for in Christ Jesus - under the Christian dispensation, neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision, hut a new creation. Therefore ye must be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Which after God is created in righteousness - Here is certainly an allusion to the creation of man. Moses tells us, Gen 1:27, that God created man in his own image; that is, God was the model according to which he was formed in the spirit of his mind. St. Paul says here that they should put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, or, ὁσιοτητι της αληθειας, in the holiness of truth. Both certainly refer to the same thing, and the one illustrates the other. From the apostle we learn what Moses meant by the image of God; it was righteousness and the truth of holiness. See the note on Gen 1:26. It is not this or the other degree of moral good which the soul is to receive by Jesus Christ, it is the whole image of God; it is to be formed κατα Θεον, according to God; the likeness of the Divine Being is to be traced upon his soul, and he is to bear that as fully as his first father Adam bore it in the beginning.

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 4:24 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.

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐνδύσασθαιendusasthaito have put onG1746

τὸνtontheG3588

καινὸνkainonnewG2537

ἄνθρωπονanthrōponmanG444

τὸνton<the>G3588

κατὰkataaccording toG2596

θεὸνtheonGodG2316

κτισθένταktisthentahaving been createdG2936

ἐνeninG1722

δικαιοσύνῃdikaiosunērighteousnessG1343

καὶkaiandG2532

ὁσιότητιhosiotētiholinessG3742

τῆςtēs<the>G3588

ἀληθείας.¶alētheiasof truth.G225

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

Cross references for Ephesians 4:24

Colossians 3:10-14
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. …
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Romans 13:14
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
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.
Ephesians 6:11
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Romans 6:4
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
2 Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 4:16
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Romans 13:12
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
1 John 3:2-3
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Titus 2:14
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
1 Peter 2:2
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

put.
6:11; Job 29:14; Isa 52:1; 59:17; Ro 13:12,14; 1Co 15:53; Ga 3:27
Col 3:10-14
new.
2:15; Ro 6:4; 2Co 4:16; 5:17; 1Pe 2:2
after.
Ge 1:26,27; 2Co 3:18; Col 3:10; 1Jo 3:2
created.
2:10; Ga 6:15
righteousness.
Ps 45:6,7; Ro 8:29; Tit 2:14; Heb 1:8; 12:14; 1Jo 3:3
true holiness. or, holiness of truth.
Joh 17:17

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

Context

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.
Ephesians 4:25
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Read all of Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:24 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y vestir el nuevo hombre que es criado conforme á Dios en justicia y en santidad de verdad.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	et d’avoir revêtu le nouvel homme, créé selon Dieu, en justice et sainteté de la vérité.
German Elberfelder 1871	und angezogen habt den neuen Menschen, der nach Gott geschaffen ist in wahrhaftiger Gerechtigkeit und Heiligkeit.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	et induite novum hominem, qui secundum Deum creatus est in justitia, et sanctitate veritatis.