Colossians 3:9-10
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Paul isn't just saying "don't lie"; he's connecting it directly to the radical transformation of conversion. The phrase "put off the old self with its practices" isn't just a past event, but the very reason why lying—and other sins—should now be completely out of character for believers. It implies that lying is an intrinsic part of that old, discarded way of life, and clinging to it after this profound change is illogical and inconsistent.
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is urging believers to actively shed sinful behaviors like lying and malice, which are remnants of their former selves. He's drawing a sharp contrast between the "old self" driven by deceit and corruption and the "new self" reborn in Christ. This instruction to stop lying is directly linked to their new identity and practices as followers of Jesus, emphasizing that these actions are incompatible with their transformed spiritual lives.
Have you ever felt like you're trying to be someone you're not? The Bible talks about shedding an 'old self' and putting on a 'new one.' What does that really mean for your daily life?
The New Testament often uses the imagery of 'putting off' and 'putting on' to describe the transformation that happens when someone becomes a follower of Christ.
The Old Self
This refers to your pre-conversion identity, shaped by sin and rebellion against God. It's not just about outward actions but an inward disposition, a whole way of being that's characterized by selfishness and deceit. Think of it like a wardrobe filled with clothes that no longer fit or represent who you are meant to be. You've taken them off.
The New Self
When you embrace Christ, you are declared righteous and given a new identity in Him. This 'new self' is being renewed and transformed by the Holy Spirit. It's about embracing a way of life that reflects God's character – truthfulness, love, and integrity. This isn't a superficial change; it's a deep internal renewal that affects your thinking, desires, and actions.
Practical Application
The call to stop lying isn't just a rule; it's a natural outflow of this fundamental identity shift. If you've truly 'put off' the old self, the habits and deceits associated with it should no longer define you.
Ask a follow-up
We're told to be truthful, but why is it so important, especially within the community of believers?
The command 'Do not lie to one another' carries significant weight because believers are called to live in deep fellowship.
Members of One Another
Paul's instruction emphasizes honesty within the Christian community. We are all members of the same body in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Lying to one another is like a part of your own body deceiving another part – it's fundamentally unnatural and damaging to the whole.
Trust and Integrity
This mutual honesty builds trust, which is the bedrock of any healthy relationship, and especially vital for the church. When we are truthful with each other, we reflect the character of Christ, who is 'the Truth' (John 14:6). Deception erodes this trust and hinders the church from functioning effectively as God intends.
A New Way of Life
Because followers of Christ have been transformed, their interactions should be marked by sincerity and truth. This isn't just about avoiding outright lies but about living with transparency and genuine care in all our dealings with fellow believers.
Understand the original words
pseudomai · Greek Verb
To depart from the truth or to intentionally deceive. Biblically, it is the opposite of the truth inherent in God's nature and is considered a characteristic of the old life.
palaios anthrōpos · Greek Noun Phrase
The unregenerate human nature inherited from Adam; the totality of the fallen character, desires, and patterns of life that a person possessed before union with Christ.
neos anthrōpos · Greek Noun Phrase
The new nature given to a believer through union with Christ. It is a radical transformation of the inner man, created to reflect the character and holiness of God.
anakainoutai · Greek Verb
An ongoing process of spiritual transformation where the Holy Spirit continually conforms the believer’s mind, will, and character to be more like Christ.
epignōsis · Greek Noun
An experiential, relational, and transformative understanding of God and His truth. It is not mere intellectual assent but a deep, personal knowledge that shapes the life of the believer.
eikōn · Greek Noun
The representation or manifestation of God in human form; as believers are renewed, they are progressively restored to bear the character and moral likeness of God, their Maker.
Written during Paul's imprisonment, Colossians addresses theological and practical issues within the church. The instruction to 'put off the old self' and 'put on the new self' was particularly relevant as believers navigated false teachings and sought to live out their new identity in Christ.
c. 40 BC - 10 BC
Paul's Early Life and Conversion
Saul of Tarsus, later the Apostle Paul, was born and grew up in this period. He lived as a devout Jew and a zealous persecutor of the early Christian church before his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
The central events of Christian faith: Jesus' death and resurrection, which form the foundation for the 'new self' described in Colossians.
c. AD 33-60
Paul's Missionary Journeys
After his conversion, Paul embarked on extensive missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire, establishing churches in cities like Antioch, Corinth, and Philippi. He wrote many letters to these churches during this time.
c. AD 60-62— this verse
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul was imprisoned in Rome, likely for about two years. During this time, he wrote several epistles, including Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, often referred to as the 'Prison Epistles'.
c. AD 62
Writing of Colossians
During his Roman imprisonment, Paul wrote the Epistle to the Colossians, likely in response to specific issues arising in the church there, including false teachings that threatened the believers' understanding of Christ's supremacy.
This passage directly echoes Colossians 3:9, urging believers to 'put away falsehood' and 'speak the truth each one to his neighbor' because 'we are members one of another'.
Romans 6:6It explains the concept of the 'old self' being crucified with Christ, providing the theological foundation for why believers are commanded to 'put off' their former way of life and its practices.
Galatians 5:19-21This passage lists 'works of the flesh' which are analogous to the 'deeds' of the old self, showing the kinds of practices that should be abandoned when one puts on the new self in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17This verse highlights the transformative power of being 'in Christ,' stating that 'the old has passed away; behold, the new has come,' which underpins the radical change required when putting off the old self and its lies.
henryColossians 3:5-11: "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:"
3:5-11 It is our duty to mortify our members which incline to the things of the world. Mortify them, kill them, suppress them, as weeds or vermin which spread and destroy all about them. Continual opposition must be made to all corrupt workings, and no provision made for carnal indulgences. Occasions of sin must be…
vincentColossians 3:9: "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;"
Seeing that ye have put off (ἀπεκδυσάμενοι)See on Colossians 2:15.The old manSee on Romans 6:6.
Paul isn't just saying "don't lie"; he's connecting it directly to the radical transformation of conversion. The phrase "put off the old self with its practices" isn't just a past event, but the very reason why lying—and other sins—should now be completely out of character for believers. It implies that lying is an intrinsic part of that old, discarded way of life, and clinging to it after this profound change is illogical and inconsistent.
Paul is urging believers to actively shed sinful behaviors like lying and malice, which are remnants of their former selves. He's drawing a sharp contrast between the "old self" driven by deceit and corruption and the "new self" reborn in Christ. This instruction to stop lying is directly linked to their new identity and practices as followers of Jesus, emphasizing that these actions are incompatible with their transformed spiritual lives.
Paul is urging believers to actively shed sinful behaviors like lying and malice, which are remnants of their former selves. He's drawing a sharp contrast between the "old self" driven by deceit and corruption and the "new self" reborn in Christ. This instruction to stop lying is directly linked to their new identity and practices as followers of Jesus, emphasizing that these actions are incompatible with their transformed spiritual lives.
"Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator." — Paul isn't just saying "don't lie"; he's connecting it directly to the radical transformation of conversion. The phrase "put off the old self with its practices" isn't just a past event, but the very…
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Last reviewed October 2026
