4:24a

to put on the new self: The clause put on the new self is a figure of speech. It means to “start behaving like the new person God made you to be (when you became a Christian).” Just like a person puts on new, clean clothes, so we are to start living a new, clean life. This is the same image as “put off your old self” in 4:22a.

You should translate it in a way that is consistent with how you translated 4:22a.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

to become a new person (God’s Word)
-or-
make you into a new person (Contemporary English Version)

created to be like God: This is a passive clause. If it is more natural in your language to use an active verb, you can say:

which God created/made to be like himself
-or-
God created your new self to be like himself

4:24b

in true righteousness and holiness: There are two issues which you must decide before you translate this part of the verse.

The first issue is how this phrase is connected to 4:24a. The SSA considers this phrase to state the ways in which the new man is to be like God. He is to be truly righteous and truly holy. A good model to follow is the New Century Version which says:

24a That new person is made to be like God—24b made to be truly good and holy (New Century Version)

The second issue to decide is how the word true is connected to righteousness and holiness. A literal English translation of the Greek text is “in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Scholars differ about how to connect “truth” to righteousness and holiness. Some of the main alternatives are:

(1) Truth goes with both righteousness and holiness. For example:

truly righteous and holy (God’s Word)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, New Century Version)

(2) Truth goes with only holiness. For example:

in righteousness and true holiness (King James Version)

(Contemporary English Version, King James Version)

(3) Truth is the source of righteousness and holiness. For example:

in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth (NET Bible)

(NET Bible, UBS Handbook)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and the majority of English versions.

In many languages it will not be clear to translate the phrase in true righteousness and holiness literally. It may be best to begin a new sentence instead. For example:

Your behavior should be truly righteous and holy.

righteousness and holiness: The words righteousness and holiness are very similar in meaning. The word righteousness means “morally upright,” “straight,” “pleasing to God.” Another way righteousness has been translated is:

upright (Good News Translation)

See righteous in the Glossary for more information.

holiness: The word holiness means “morally clean and pure.” See how you translated “holy” in 2:21b and 3:5c. See holy, Meaning 5 in the Glossary.

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