Ephesians 4:17-24 - Appeal For New Behavior

¹⁷ So, I tell you this, and insist [on it] by [the authority of] the Lord: Do not continue to live with worthless thoughts as [unconverted] Gentiles do. ¹⁸ Their understanding [of spiritual things] is darkened and excluded from the [spiritual] life that God gives, because of the ignorance in their minds and the stubbornness in their hearts. ¹⁹ They have stopped caring [i.e., about morality], so God has abandoned them to lives of unrestrained indecency and to engage in all kinds of [moral] impurity, with a constant desire for more.

²⁰ But you people did not learn Christ that way [i.e., the above described life is not compatible with a commitment to Christ]. ²¹ [I am] assuming that you have heard Him [i.e., through the Gospel message] and were taught the truth that is in [harmony with] Jesus. ²² You were [taught] to put away [the conduct of] your former lifestyle, your old person who is being corrupted by deceitful desires, ²³ and to be renewed in your inner person. ²⁴ And you should put on the new person who has been [re-] created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

¹² So, as God's elect [i.e., His people], holy and dearly loved [by Him], clothe yourselves with a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Tolerate one another's [weaknesses] and forgive each other if anyone [of you] has a complaint against someone else. You should forgive people just as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And beyond all these things, clothe yourselves with love, which binds these things together in complete [unity]. ¹⁵ You should let the peace given by Christ rule in your hearts, since you people were called [to be at peace] in one body [i.e., the church]; and you should be thankful. ¹⁶ You should let the message of Christ live in you abundantly [i.e., as individuals and collectively]. Use [much] wisdom in teaching and warning one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with favor [i.e., with thankfulness] in your hearts toward God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in [your] words or actions, do everything in the name [i.e., by the authority] of Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.