Ephesians 4:22
to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The "old self" isn't just a past behavior, but a corrupt inner state that is actively "being corrupted" (or decaying) by deceitful desires. This means it's not static; it's on a downward spiral, constantly being eaten away from the inside by these deceptive impulses that promise satisfaction but only lead to ruin.
Paul is urging believers to live out the new identity they received in Christ, contrasting it with the ungodly lifestyle common among non-believers. He’s building on the idea that their transformation in Christ should naturally lead to distinct changes in their behavior and character. This verse specifically calls them to shed the old ways and desires that characterized their past lives before they knew God.
Imagine a wardrobe filled with clothes that no longer fit, or worse, clothes that are stained and rotten. The apostle Paul uses a powerful image here: we are to 'put off' our old self like shedding an old, worn-out garment. What does this deep, transformative change really look like?
Paul uses the vivid metaphor of shedding clothes to describe the radical change required of believers. This isn't just about changing your outfit; it's about changing your entire identity and way of life.
Beyond Surface-Level Change
The 'old self' represents everything about your former life that was characterized by sin and rebellion against God. It's your pre-conversion identity, shaped by deceitful desires and a corrupt nature.
The Process of Renewal
This shedding is the essential first step before you can 'put on' the new self in Christ.
What are these 'deceitful desires' that Paul mentions? They're not just simple wants; they're powerful, misleading forces that promise fulfillment but deliver ruin. Understanding their deceptive nature is key to overcoming them.
The core of the 'old self's' corruption lies in its 'deceitful desires.' These desires are dangerous because they mask their true destructive nature with attractive promises.
Understand the original words
apotithēmi · Greek Verb
A metaphor for radical conversion and sanctification, signifying the permanent abandonment of the sinful identity, habits, and nature inherited from Adam and lived out before salvation. It represents the shedding of the 'old man' that is alienated from God.
phtheirō · Greek Verb (Participle)
The inherent state of moral depravity and spiritual rot resulting from sin, leading inevitably to death and separation from the life of God. It characterizes the fallen condition of humanity.
epithumia · Greek Noun
Impulses, cravings, or passions that deceive, promising fulfillment but leading away from God into sin. They are fundamentally deceptive because they mask the destructive nature of sin.
This passage directly explains the concept of the 'old self' or 'old man' being crucified with Christ, which is the foundational idea behind 'putting off' the old self described in Ephesians 4:22.
Colossians 3:9-10This passage parallels Ephesians 4:22 by instructing believers to 'put off' their old self and to be 'renewed in knowledge,' highlighting the ongoing transformation and the corrupting nature of past desires.
Galatians 5:19-21This passage lists the 'works of the flesh' which are the outward manifestations of the 'old self' and its 'deceitful desires,' showing the practical outworking of the corruption Paul speaks of in Ephesians 4:22.
Romans 13:14This verse provides a direct contrast and complementary action to 'putting off' the old self, by urging believers to 'put on the Lord Jesus Christ,' indicating the positive new identity that replaces the old one.
2 Corinthians 5:17This verse speaks of being a 'new creation' in Christ, which is the ultimate outcome and purpose of 'putting off' the old self and leaving behind its corrupt manner of life.
barnesEphesians 4:22: "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;"
That ye put off - That you lay aside, or renounce. The manner in which the apostle states those duties, renders it not improbable that there had been some instruction among them of a contrary character, and that it is possible there had been some teachers there who had not enforced, as they should bare done, the duties of practical religion. Concerning the former…
vincentEphesians 4:22: "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;"
That ye put awayDependent upon ye were taught, and specifying the purport of the teaching.The old manSee on Romans 6:6. Compare Colossians 3:9.Which is corrupt (τὸν φθειρόμενον)The A.V. misses the force of the participle. The verb is passive, which is being corrupted, and marks the progressive condition of corruption which characterizes "the old man." Rev., corr…
The "old self" isn't just a past behavior, but a corrupt inner state that is actively "being corrupted" (or decaying) by deceitful desires. This means it's not static; it's on a downward spiral, constantly being eaten away from the inside by these deceptive impulses that promise satisfaction but only lead to ruin.
Paul is urging believers to live out the new identity they received in Christ, contrasting it with the ungodly lifestyle common among non-believers. He’s building on the idea that their transformation in Christ should naturally lead to distinct changes in their behavior and character. This verse specifically calls them to shed the old ways and desires that characterized their past lives before they knew God.
Paul is urging believers to live out the new identity they received in Christ, contrasting it with the ungodly lifestyle common among non-believers. He’s building on the idea that their transformation in Christ should naturally lead to distinct changes in their behavior and character. This verse specifically calls them to shed the old ways and desires that characterized their past lives before they knew God.
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How Desires Deceive:
The Cycle of Corruption:
When we yield to these deceitful desires, they fuel the corruption of our old self. This isn't just about external actions; it's an internal decay that affects our entire being, pulling us further away from God and true life.
"to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires," — The "old self" isn't just a past behavior, but a corrupt inner state that is actively "being corrupted" (or decaying) by deceitful desires. This means it's not static; it's on a downward spiral, cons…
