Ephesians 4:17-24 - Appeal For New Behavior

¹⁷ So I say this, and insist in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. ¹⁹ Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

²⁰ But you did not learn about Christ like this, ²¹ if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus. ²² You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, ²³ to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and to put on the new man who has been created in God's image -- in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.

¹² Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. ¹⁴ And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond. ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.