Ephesians 4:17-5:2 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

Living the New Life

¹⁷ Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their thoughts. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because^[a] of the hardness of their hearts. ¹⁹ They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.^[b]

²⁰ But that is not how you came to know Christ, ²¹ assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²² to take off^[c] your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, ²³ to be renewed^[d] in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on^[e] the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,^[f] because we are members of one another. ²⁶ Be angry and do not sin.^[g] Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and don’t give the devil an opportunity. ²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. ²⁹ No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need,^[h] so that it gives grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him^[i] for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. ³² And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you^[j] in Christ.

5 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, ² and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.