Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The list of vices Paul piles up – bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander – isn't just a generic list of bad behavior; it shows how an inner disposition of "malice" (or deep-seated ill-will) inevitably spills out into outward actions. Paul wants us to understand that the root issue, the true "malice," must be removed because it's the source from which all these other harmful expressions flow.
Paul is urging believers to shed the old, sinful ways of the world and live as new creations in Christ. He just spoke about putting off the "old self" and putting on the "new self" that is created to be like God. This verse is the practical outworking of that, listing specific toxic behaviors to abandon so they can live in unity and love as the church.
Paul doesn't just tell us what not to do, he lists the specific weapons of our former selves. Ever wondered why he uses so many words for anger?
In Ephesians 4:31, Paul unleashes a barrage of terms to describe the destructive emotional and verbal habits we must shed: 'bitterness,' 'wrath,' 'anger,' 'clamor,' 'slander,' and 'malice.' It's like he's emptying an arsenal!
A Spectrum of Negativity
These words aren't all identical. They describe a progression:
Paul insists that all of these must be 'put away' – not just managed, but decisively removed. This isn't about perfect emotional control; it's about a fundamental rejection of these destructive patterns as followers of Christ.
It's easy to stop the shouting or the harsh words, but Paul goes deeper. What's the ultimate target of his command?
Paul's command to 'put away' these negative emotions is not just about surface-level behavior modification. It's a call to address the behind them.
Understand the original words
pikria · Greek Noun
A state of inner resentment, resentment that has soured, or a long-standing, harsh animosity toward others. It often reflects a heart that has failed to absorb the grace of God.
thymos · Greek Noun
A violent outburst or a boiling up of temper. It refers to a sudden, explosive expression of intense emotion or rage.
orgē · Greek Noun
A deep-seated, settled hostility or smoldering resentment. It is often contrasted with the sudden explosion of 'wrath' as a more enduring state of anger.
kraugē · Greek Noun
An outcry, loud shouting, or public disturbance of noise. It refers to a public, disruptive expression of anger or argumentativeness.
This passage directly parallels Ephesians 4:31, also commanding believers to 'put away' these same negative attitudes and behaviors and replace them with positive ones.
Galatians 5:19-21This passage lists 'works of the flesh' that are similar to the negative emotions mentioned in Ephesians 4:31, warning that those who practice them will not inherit the kingdom of God, highlighting the seriousness of these sins.
Matthew 18:21-22Jesus' teaching on forgiveness, specifically Peter's question about forgiving 'seven times' and Jesus' response of 'seventy times seven,' underscores the importance of letting go of bitterness and anger, which is the heart of Ephesians 4:31.
1 Peter 2:1This verse encourages believers to 'put away all kinds of evil,' which directly echoes the command in Ephesians 4:31 to discard bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice.
Ephesians 4:26This verse, immediately preceding the one in question, permits anger only if it doesn't lead to sin, providing context for why Paul then emphatically calls for the complete removal of various manifestations of sinful anger in verse 31.
barnesEphesians 4:31: "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:"
Let all bitterness - see the notes on Ephesians 4:2 . And wrath - The word here does not differ essentially from anger. Anger - see the note on Ephesians 4:26. All cherished, unreasonable anger. And clamour - Noise, disorder, high words; such as men use in a brawl, or when they are excited. Christians are to be calm and serious. Harsh contentions and strifes; hoarse…
meyerEphesians 4:31: "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:"
Ephesians 4:31-32 . Πικρία ] Bitterness , i.e. fretting spitefulness, Acts 8:23 ; Jam 3:14 . See Wetstein, ad Rom. iii. 14; Loesner, Obss. p. 344 f.; Wyttenbach, ad Plut. Mor. VI. p. 1033. As to the distinction between θυμός ( ebullition of anger ) and ὀργή , see on Romans 2:8 ; Galatians 5:20 . The context shows, we may add, that here loveless and hostile anger is…
The list of vices Paul piles up – bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander – isn't just a generic list of bad behavior; it shows how an inner disposition of "malice" (or deep-seated ill-will) inevitably spills out into outward actions. Paul wants us to understand that the root issue, the true "malice," must be removed because it's the source from which all these other harmful expressions flow.
Paul is urging believers to shed the old, sinful ways of the world and live as new creations in Christ. He just spoke about putting off the "old self" and putting on the "new self" that is created to be like God. This verse is the practical outworking of that, listing specific toxic behaviors to abandon so they can live in unity and love as the church.
Paul is urging believers to shed the old, sinful ways of the world and live as new creations in Christ. He just spoke about putting off the "old self" and putting on the "new self" that is created to be like God. This verse is the practical outworking of that, listing specific toxic behaviors to abandon so they can live in unity and love as the church.
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Malice: The Unseen Enemy
Notice how 'malice' (kakia) is mentioned last, almost as an encompassing term. While bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander are often outward manifestations, malice is the underlying ill-will, the wicked intent, the general depravity that fuels them.
It's the 'badness in general' that poisons relationships and grieves the Holy Spirit. Paul isn't just saying, 'Don't yell.' He's saying, 'Get rid of the cauldron of bitterness and ill-will that causes the yelling!'
This is why the next verse (Ephesians 4:32) pivots so dramatically to 'kindness,' 'tenderheartedness,' and 'forgiveness.' These are not mere suggestions but the antidotes to malice and its accompanying sins. True change starts not just by stopping the bad, but by cultivating the good that eradicates its source.
The verb Paul uses for 'put away' is urgent. It's not a suggestion for slow progress, but a command for immediate, radical action.
The Greek word Paul uses for 'put away' (arthēto) is an imperative in the aorist tense. This grammatical structure signals a command for a decisive, completed action. It's not about slowly weaning yourself off these habits over time, but about a definite, immediate rejection.
Revolution, Not Reform
Think of it like this: You don't gradually 'put away' a poisonous snake from your house; you remove it decisively and completely. Paul is calling for a revolution in temper and practice, a clean break from the destructive patterns of the 'old self' that he described earlier in the chapter.
This doesn't mean the struggle disappears overnight. But the decision and the action to remove these things are to be immediate. This decisive act is made possible by our union 'in Christ,' as the following verses will show. God doesn't just command us to do the impossible; He empowers us to obey.
blasphemia · Greek Noun
Evil speaking, reviling, or blasphemy against someone. It involves defamatory speech aimed at damaging another person’s reputation.
kakia · Greek Noun
The overarching quality of wickedness, ill will, or the desire to see others suffer. It is the active, inner disposition that leads one to plot or wish harm upon another.
"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice." — The list of vices Paul piles up – bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander – isn't just a generic list of bad behavior; it shows how an inner disposition of "malice" (or deep-seated ill-will) inevit…
