Ephesians 4:25
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Paul doesn't just tell us to stop lying; he highlights that lying is inherently destructive to the "body" of Christ. When we lie, we're acting against the very fabric of unity that binds us together as fellow members, causing damage to ourselves as well as others.
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is encouraging believers to live out their new identity in Christ, moving from the "old self" of sin to the "new self" of righteousness. After detailing the unity Christ has created in the church, he now gives practical instructions for daily living, starting with honesty. This verse serves as the foundation for subsequent commands about anger, stealing, and corrupt speech, all stemming from the core principle of truthfulness within the community.
Why does Paul start this section by telling believers to 'put away falsehood'? It seems so basic, doesn't it? Yet, this ancient instruction still hits close to home today.
Paul uses the phrase 'putting away falsehood' (or 'having put away lying') to signify a decisive break from the past. It's not just about stopping one bad habit; it's about shedding the old way of living that was characterized by deception.
A Universal Problem
Lying was rampant in the pagan world from which many Ephesians had come. It was often seen as a tool for personal gain or social maneuvering. Even after conversion, the ingrained habits of falsehood could linger.
Beyond a Simple Rule
This isn't just a minor rule. For new believers, developing a conscience sensitive to the deep wrongness of deception takes time. The call to 'put away falsehood' is a call to embrace the new identity in Christ, an identity that inherently values truth.
Paul connects speaking truth directly to our relationship with others. What does this 'we are members one of another' really mean for how we communicate?
The profound reason Paul gives for speaking truth is: 'for we are members one of another.' This is a powerful reminder of our unity in Christ.
The Body Metaphor
Think of the human body. Each part – an eye, a hand, a foot – functions in relation to the others. The eye doesn't deceive the foot, and the hand doesn't mislead the eye. There's an inherent trust and interdependence. If one part is harmed, the whole body suffers.
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Intimate Connection
In the same way, believers are intimately connected as part of Christ's body, the Church. Deception among believers damages this spiritual body. When we lie to a fellow Christian, we're essentially harming ourselves and weakening the very fabric of the community God has designed.
Understand the original words
pseudos · Greek Noun
Anything that deviates from the truth, including lying, hypocrisy, and deception. It is considered an attribute of the devil and contrary to the new nature in Christ.
melos · Greek Noun
The interconnected, organic relationship between believers within the Body of Christ. Because all Christians are united to Christ, they are inherently joined to one another in mutual dependence and shared life.
The letter to the Ephesians was written during a period of significant growth and integration for the early church. This verse directly addresses the challenge of building authentic community among believers from diverse backgrounds, who were accustomed to different moral standards in the wider world.
c. 60-62 AD— this verse
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul writes the Epistle to the Ephesians while under house arrest in Rome, likely during his first imprisonment. This context means he's addressing a church he knows well, but from a distance, emphasizing core Christian ethics.
1st Century AD
Growth of the Early Church
The early church is rapidly expanding, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds, including many former pagans. This necessitates clear instruction on Christian conduct and community life.
1st Century AD
Pagan Morality vs. Christian Ethics
The surrounding Greco-Roman culture often had a fluid approach to truth, sometimes valuing expediency or 'a good lie' over absolute honesty. This created a stark contrast with the high ethical standard of Christianity.
This passage is directly alluded to in Ephesians, showing that speaking truth is a foundational command for God's people throughout different eras of His covenant.
Romans 12:5Both passages highlight the concept of believers being interconnected parts of a single body, making dishonesty inherently damaging to the whole community.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27This extended metaphor of the body of Christ emphasizes the interdependence of believers, underscoring how sin, like lying, harms other members and the body as a whole.
Colossians 3:9This verse provides a parallel command to 'put off' the old self and 'put on' the new, framing the rejection of falsehood as a fundamental aspect of Christian identity.
vincentEphesians 4:25: "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another."
Falsehood (τὸ ψεῦδος)Lit., the lie; used abstractly. See on John 8:44.Members one of anotherCompare Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. Chrysostom says: "Let not the eye lie to the foot, nor the foot to the eye. If there be a deep pit, and its mouth covered with reeds shall present to the eye the appearance of solid ground, will not the eye use the foot to ascertain wh…
barnesEphesians 4:25: "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another."
Wherefore putting away lying - It may seem strange that the apostle should seriously exhort Christians to put away "lying," implying that they were in the habit of indulging in falsehood. But we are to remember: (1) that lying is the universal vice of the pagan world. Among the ancient pagans, as among the moderns, it was almost universally practiced. It has been remarked…
Paul doesn't just tell us to stop lying; he highlights that lying is inherently destructive to the "body" of Christ. When we lie, we're acting against the very fabric of unity that binds us together as fellow members, causing damage to ourselves as well as others.
Paul is encouraging believers to live out their new identity in Christ, moving from the "old self" of sin to the "new self" of righteousness. After detailing the unity Christ has created in the church, he now gives practical instructions for daily living, starting with honesty. This verse serves as the foundation for subsequent commands about anger, stealing, and corrupt speech, all stemming from the core principle of truthfulness within the community.
Paul is encouraging believers to live out their new identity in Christ, moving from the "old self" of sin to the "new self" of righteousness. After detailing the unity Christ has created in the church, he now gives practical instructions for daily living, starting with honesty. This verse serves as the foundation for subsequent commands about anger, stealing, and corrupt speech, all stemming from the core principle of truthfulness within the community.
"Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another." — Paul doesn't just tell us to stop lying; he highlights that lying is inherently destructive to the "body" of Christ. When we lie, we're acting against the very fabric of unity that binds us together…
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Last reviewed October 2026
