Ephesians 4:25-32

Old Behavior, New Behavior, and Motivation

25 Therefore, putting aside the lie, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are members of one another.
26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger,
27 nor give place to the devil.
28 The one who steals must steal no longer, but instead must labor, working with his own hands [what is] good, so that he may have [something] to share with the one who has need.
29 {No rotten word must proceed} from your mouth, but only something good for the building up of the need, in order that it may give grace to those who hear,
30 and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 All bitterness, and rage, and wrath, and clamor, and abusive speech, must be removed from you, together with all wickedness.
32 Become kind toward one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as also God in Christ has forgiven you.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. An allusion to Zech 8:16
  • [b]. An allusion to Ps 4:4
  • [c]. Literally "Every rotten word must not proceed"
  • [d]. Some manuscripts have "But become"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.