Ephesians 4:31

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:25-32

The abjured and the enjoined in Christian life. "Wherefore," etc. In the preceding verses, as we have seen, under the head of The true method of studying Christianity , the apostle exhorted the Ephesians "to put off the old man and to put on the new man." He here proceeds to particularize and urge this the great practical work of Christianity. He abjures the elements of the old man and enjoins the elements of the new. Our subject is the abjured and the enjoined in the Christian... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:31

Let all bitterness ; not only in speech, but in mind, disposition, habit. And wrath and anger; nearly synonymous, but perhaps" wrath" is equivalent to the tumultuous excited state of mind, out of which comes anger, the settled feeling of dislike and enmity. And clamor and evil-speaking be put away from you ; "clamor," equivalent to the loud noise of strife, the excited shouting down of opponents; "evil-speaking," the more deliberate habit of running down their character, exciting an evil... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:31

Malicious and revengeful feeling. The apostle commands us to put away five forms of it along with the temper out of which they spring. I. BITTERNESS . This points, not to mordant speech merely, but to a sour, irritable, splenetic temperament, which places a man in an attitude of constant antagonism with his fellow-men. It argues want of love and consideration for others. Its effects are II. WRATH . This suggests the fierce mental excitement that springs out of bitterness. It is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 4:31-32

Charity to the undeserving. I. THE NEGATIVE DUTIES . "Let all bitterness, etc., be put away from you." Various influences tempt us to the indulgence of these dark passions. 1. Natural disposition . Some men appear to be born with an acrid and mordant temper, as some plants secrete irritant poisons. 2. Provocation . Anger rouses anger as fire kindles fire. The reference to forgiveness shows that St. Paul is especially condemning outbursts of wrath against people who... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 4:31

Let all bitterness - see the notes on Ephesians 4:2.And wrath - The word here does not differ essentially from anger.Anger - see the note on Ephesians 4:26. All cherished, unreasonable anger.And clamour - Noise, disorder, high words; such as men use in a brawl, or when they are excited. Christians are to be calm and serious. Harsh contentions and strifes; hoarse brawls and tumults, are to be unknown among them.And evil-speaking - Slander, backbiting, angry expressions, tale-bearing, reproaches,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ephesians 4:31-32

Ephesians 4:31-32. Let all bitterness Of disposition or expression, or, as some render the word, all peevishness; and wrath Or indignation, as θυμος seems here to signify; that is, anger mingled with contempt or disgust; the next expression in the original, οργη , rather signifying wrath, or lasting displeasure; and clamour Loud threatenings, brawlings, or other intemperate speeches, whereby inward anger vents itself. And evil speaking Mentioning the faults of absent persons, be it in... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ephesians 4:17-32

The old and the new standards (4:17-32)Although believers have entered a new life through Christ, they still live in a society that does not know God and whose moral outlook is darkened by its ungodliness. The less Christian influence there is in the society, the lower the moral standards are. Christians, however, should not behave according to the commonly accepted practices of society. People without God, through repeatedly ignoring the warnings of conscience, can easily lose those feelings... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ephesians 4:31

bitterness . Greek. pikria. See Romans 3:14 and Figure of speech Polysyndeton. App-6 . wrath . Luke 4:28 . anger . Greek. orge . clamour = uproar. See Acts 23:9 . evil speaking = railing. Greek. blasphemia. See 1 Timothy 6:4 . from . App-104 . with . App-104 . malice . As Romans 1:29 . App-128 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Ephesians 4:31

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you with all malice.Such conditions of the inward life as that indicated by the prohibitions listed here are the bane of earthly existence. What incredible waste and loss of all that is precious flow out of the undisciplined lives of unregenerated people; and, tragic as that is, it must be held even more deplorable that many Christians have never learned to live above the behavior Paul proscribed in this... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ephesians 4:31

Ephesians 4:31. Let all bitterness, &c. be put away— "Do not passionately resent every trifle, nor bitterly inveigh, with all the licentiousness and keenness of satire, against those who have greatly injured you;—for these things are most contrary to the nature of God, the genius of Christianity, and the character of its great Founder." Such is the meaning of this verse, if we suppose each word to have a different idea annexed to it; but if they are only synonimous terms, the Apostle's... read more

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