Ephesians 4:20-30 NIV

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:23

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. ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:24

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, Genesis 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.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:25

Wherefore putting away lying - All falsity, all prevarication, because this is opposite to the truth as it is in Jesus, Ephesians 4:21 , and to the holiness of truth, Ephesians 4:24 . Speak every man truth with his neighbor - Truth was but of small account among many of even the best heathens, for they taught that on many occasions a lie was to be preferred to the truth itself. Dr. Whitby collects some of their maxims on this head. Κρειττον δε ελεσθαι ψευδος, η αληθες κακον· "A... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:26

Be ye angry, and sin not - Οργιζεσθε , here, is the same as ει μεν οργιζεσθε , If Ye be angry, do not sin. We can never suppose that the apostle delivers this as a precept, if we take the words as they stand in our version. Perhaps the sense is, Take heed that ye be not angry, lest ye sin; for it would be very difficult, even for an apostle himself, to be angry and not sin. If we consider anger as implying displeasure simply, then there are a multitude of cases in which a man may be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:27

Neither give place to the devil - Your adversary will strive to influence your mind, and irritate your spirit; watch and pray that he may not get any place in you, or ascendancy over you. As the word διαβολος is sometimes used to signify a calumniator, tale-bearer, whisperer, or backbiter; (see in the original, 1 Timothy 3:11 ; 2 Timothy 3:3 , and Titus 2:3 ;); here it may have the same signification. Do not open your ear to the tale-bearer, to the slanderer, who comes to you with... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:28

Let him that stole steal no more - It is supposed that, among the rabbins, stealing was not entirely discountenanced, provided a portion was given to the poor. The apostle here teaches them a different doctrine: as they should speak truth every man with his neighbor, so they should in every respect act honestly, for nothing contrary to truth and righteousness could be tolerated under the Christian system. Let no man, under pretense of helping the poor, defraud another; but let him labor,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupt communication - Πας λογος σαπρος . Kypke observes that λογος σαπρος signifies a useless, putrid, unsavory, and obscene word or conversation. Useless, particularly that which has been rendered so by old age and corruption. Putrid, impure; so Aristophanes in Lysistrat., p. 859, calls a bad woman σαπρα : εμοι συ λουτρον, ω σαπρα· Tune, Spurca! balneum mihi parabis? Calumnious, or reproachful; whatever has a tendency to injure the name, fame, or interest of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:30

Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God - By giving way to any wrong temper, unholy word, or unrighteous action. Even those who have already a measure of the light and life of God, both of which are not only brought in by the Holy Spirit, but maintained by his constant indwelling, may give way to sin, and so grieve this Holy Spirit that it shall withdraw both its light and presence; and, in proportion as it withdraws, then hardness and darkness take place; and, what is still worse, a state of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:20

Verse 20 20.But ye have not. He now draws a contrast of a Christian life, so as to make it evident how utterly inconsistent it is with the character of a godly man to defile himself regardlessly with the abominations of the Gentiles. Because the Gentiles walk in darkness, therefore they do not distinguish between right and wrong; but those on whom the truth of God shines ought to live in a different manner. That those to whom the vanity of the senses is a rule of life, should yield themselves... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:21

Verse 21 21.If ye have heard him. To excite their attention and earnestness the more, he not only tells them that they had heard Christ, but employs a still stronger expression, ye have been taught in him, as if he had said, that this doctrine had not been slightly pointed out, but faithfully delivered and explained. As the truth is in Jesus. This contains a reproof of that superficial knowledge of the gospel, by which many are elated, who are wholly unacquainted with newness of life. They... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:23

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:24

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:25

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:26

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:27

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:28

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:29

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:30

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:20

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 4:21

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