4:22–24

In these verses, Paul listed some of the things that the Ephesians were taught. Some English versions repeat the verb “You were taught…” (from 4:21a) at the beginning of 4:22. The Berean Standard Bible does not do this, but continues the sentence on from 4:21b. If, in your translation, you follow the example of those English versions that begin a new sentence here (like the New International Version), you may also want to repeat “You were taught…” at the beginning of 4:23.

Here is another way to translate 4:22–24 is as a direct command:

(4:22a) Stop behaving like you used to…
-or-
(4:24a) Let God make you a new person

4:22a–b

to put off your former way of life, your old self: The phrase your former way of life means “the way you used to live” or “the way you previously behaved ⌊when you did not yet know Christ⌋.” The clause your old self is a figure of speech. It means “your former character” or “the behavior you used to do.” This is contrasted with “your new self” in 4:24.

The words put off in 4:22a and “put on” in 4:24 are words usually used to mean take off and put on clothes. A person can take off old, dirty clothes and put on new, clean clothes. In the same way, the Ephesian Christians should “take off” (stop doing) the dirty behavior they used to do, and “put on” (start doing) clean, Christian behavior.

your old self: The phrase your old self refers to “your former/previous character” or “the way you used to behave.” Paul was telling the Ephesians to no longer live the way they did before they became Christians. When a person becomes a Christian, it is as if he becomes a new person (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).

In translating this clause, it may be necessary to translate this figure of speech directly. For example:

change the way you were living (God’s Word)
-or-
give up your old way of life (Contemporary English Version)

4:22c

which is being corrupted: The word which refers back to “old self” in 4:22b.

is being corrupted: The word corrupted can mean to “rot away,” “decay,” “ruin” or “destroy.” To say that a person is being corrupted means he is becoming controlled by evil, until finally he is destroyed. He is like a tree that gets more and more rotten on the inside until it dies and is destroyed.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

being destroyed (Good News Translation)
-or-
being ruined

by its deceitful desires: The phrase deceitful desires refers to evil things the Ephesians wanted to do that led them away from the truth/Christ. In many languages it will probably be clearer to translate deceitful and desires as verbs, for example:

You desired to do evil things, and these things deceived you.

Paul meant that the evil desires in people’s hearts caused them to believe the wrong things and follow their own way instead of following God’s way. 4:22c can be translated:

The things you wanted to do were wrong and deceived you, and so they ruined/spoiled your hearts.

General Comment on 4:22a–c

You may want to translate 4:22c as a new sentence. For example:

The way you used to live at that time was ruining your life…

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