Ephesians 4:23
in Ephesians 4to be renewed in the spirit of your minds;
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
KJV
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
⋯
This verse in Ephesians 4
Commentary
13 notes on this verseWe are not being renewed in our thinking process apart from the renewal of our spirits. Nor are we renewed in our spirits without thinking. We are being jointly renewed "in the spirit of our mind." Hence as we sing psalms in the spirit, so we also sing them in our thoughts. As we pray in the spirit, so we also pray in our thoughts. The renewal of "the spirit of our mind" means that when the thought is clear and pure … then the spirit is rightly joined to it.
This site's exposition
to put off your former way of life, your old self
on Ephesians 4:22-24
The new self renders the phrase 2:15 uses of Jew and Gentile made one. So personal renewal and corporate reconciliation share one vocabulary.
This site's exposition
to be renewed in the spirit
Be renewed translates ananeoo, which Barnes notes occurs only here in the New Testament, close to the renewal of 2 Corinthians 4:16 and Colossians 3:10. Chrysostom stresses that the same person is renewed. Jerome holds spirit and thought together, each renewed along with the other.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"And that ye be renewed," saith he, "in the spirit of your mind." In order that no one may suppose that, whereas he speaks of old and new, he is introducing a different person, observe his expression, "That ye be renewed." To be renewed is, when the selfsame thing which has grown old is renewed, changed from one thing into the other. So that the subject indeed is the same, but the change is in that which is accidental. Just as the body indeed is the same, and the change in that which is accidental, so is it here. How then is the renewal to take place? "In the spirit of your mind," saith he. Whosoever therefore has the Spirit, will perform no old deed, for the Spirit will not endure old deeds. "In the spirit," saith he, "of your mind," that is, in the spirit which is in your mind.
As there are many spirits, each has its proper abode. There is a spirit proper to your mind. When your mind is detoxified and expels confusions, the spirit of your mind renews you by taking up its dwelling within you.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Next, he indicates the new condition they are to take on. First, through what means we can obtain this newness. Secondly, in whom this newness resides (4:24a). Thirdly, what the newness is (4:24b). Regarding the first he says be renewed in the spirit of your …
Lest anyone think that he introduces another person, he says: "be renewed," that is, renew the very thing that has grown old and make it different. So the subject is one and the same, and the change is only in character and thought. In what …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
); that is, use the proper and prescribed means in order to have the mind, which is a spirit, renewed more and more." And that you put on the new man,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
It is said to be corrupt; for sin in the soul is the corruption of its faculties: and, where it is not mortified, it grows daily worse and worse, and so tends to destruction. According to the deceitful lusts. Sinful inclinations and desires are deceitful lusts: they promise men happiness, but render them more miserable, and if not subdued and mortified betray them into destruction.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And be renewed - That is, it is necessary that a man who has been following these should become a new man; see the notes on Joh 3:3 ff., compare the notes on 2Co 4:16. The word used here - ἀνανεόω ananeoō - does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament; but it has the same meaning as the word used in 2Co 4:16, and Col 3:10. It means to make new, and is descriptive of the work of regeneration.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The "spirit" of man in New Testament is only then used in its proper sense, as worthy of its place and governing functions, when it is one spirit with the Lord. The natural, or animal man, is described as "not having the Spirit" (Jude 19) [ALFORD].
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind - Their old mode of living was to be abandoned; a new one to be assumed. The mind is to be renovated; and not only its general complexion, but the very spirit of it; all its faculties and powers must be thoroughly, completely, and universally renewed. Plautus uses a similar expression describing deep distress, and answerable to our phrase innermost soul: - Paupertas, pavor territat mentem animi. Poverty and dread alarm my innermost soul. Epid., l. 519.
The words behind it
7 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀνανεοῦσθαι | ananeousthai | to be renewed | G365 → | |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τῷ | to | in the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πνεύματι | pneumati | spirit | G4151 → | 378 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νοὸς | noos | mind | G3563 → | |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
ἀνανεοῦσθαιto be renewed
ananeousthaiG365 →
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
τῷin the
toG3588 →19766 times
πνεύματιspirit
pneumatiG4151 →378 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
νοὸςmind
noosG3563 →
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 12:2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of…
it leads to
- Ephesians 4:22–24
to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 1:14
As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.
- Colossians 3:10
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
- 1 John 2:15–17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
- Ephesians 4:22–24
Through
Psalms 51:10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 11:19
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,
- Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Ezekiel 18:31
Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
- Ezekiel 11:19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies26
On this verse
On this chapter
- Afterlife Vocabulary
- Anger and Murder of the Heart
- The Fivefold Ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13)
- Forgiveness and Health
- Grieving & Quenching the Spirit
- Kindness
Show the next 6 titles
About Ephesians
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ephesians 4:23-24; John Chrysostom, Homily on Ephesians 13; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Ephesians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Ephesians.