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Ephesians

About this book
Chapter 4

1 I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit,⁠ just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling, 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he captured captives; he gave gifts to men.”⁠ 9 Now what is the meaning of “he ascended,” except that he also descended to the lower regions, namely, the earth?⁠ 10 He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things. 11 And he himself gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature. 14 So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.⁠ 15 But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head. 16 From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament. As each one does its part, the body builds itself up in love. 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. 25 Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor because we are members of one another.⁠ 26 Be angry and do not sin;⁠ do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger.⁠ 27 Do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 The one who steals must steal no longer; instead he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he will have something to share with the one who has need. 29 You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it would give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,⁠ by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.⁠ 31 You must put away all bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and slanderous talk—indeed all malice. 32 Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Texts in conversation

Compare LXX Zechariah 8:16 and Ephesians 4:25

Septuagint · New Testament

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Summary

Ephesians echoes Zechariah’s call to speak truth to one another and applies it to life in a renewed community. In Zechariah, truth marks Israel’s restoration after exile. Ephesians reuses the idea to define a community shaped by honesty and peace.

Passages

LXX Zechariah 8:16

Septuagint
14 For thus says the Lord Almighty; As I took counsel to afflict you when your fathers provoked me, says the Lord Almighty, and I did not repent: 15 so I have prepared and taken counsel in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: be of good courage. 16 These are the things which you shall do; speak truth every one with his neighbor; judge peaceful judgment in your gates: 17 and let none of you devise evil in his heart against his neighbor; and do not love a false oath: for all these things I hate, says the Lord Almighty. 18 And the word of the Lord Almighty came to me, saying,
100–1 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in LXX Zechariah

Ephesians 4:25

New Testament
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. 25 Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor because we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger. 27 Do not give the devil an opportunity.
90–100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Ephesians

References

"... In Ephesians 4:20-21, 24 we suggested that the truth revealed in Jesus centers on the gospel of (cosmic) reconciliation (in contrast to a life of 'lusts which come from deceit', verse 22), and those whose minds have a proper understanding of the truth will inevitably speak the truth and live in righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:14-15, 24). Thus, it is no accident that the believers are to 'put away falsehood, let everyone speak the truth with his neighbor' (verse 25). This verse seems to allude to Zechariah 8:16. Some discussion has been raised as to whether the allusion is directly from Zechariah or mediated via Jewish traditions. However, little has been said about the contextual significance of this verse either in the book of Zechariah itself and/or in Jewish tradition. We suggest that it is here that this passage becomes crucial. Zechariah 8:16 speaks in the context of the restoration of a remnant in Israel (Zechariah 8:1-15) whereby their behavior towards other members of the covenant should be in accord with the new restored people of God. This notion is also confirmed in texts such as the Testament of Dan 5:2 where the words of Zechariah 8:16 are also used. In this context lying, anger, or falsehood are part of the reason why Israel will desert the Lord and revolt against Levi and Judah as the chosen of God to bring the restoration of Israel. It is through 'speaking the truth clearly to his neighbor' that God's peace is manifested and the restoration takes place ..."
Ester A. G. D. Petrenko, “Created in Christ Jesus for Good Works: The Integration of Soteriology and Ethics in Ephesians” (diss., Durham University, 2005), 175.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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LXX Zechariah 8:16 and Ephesians 4:25

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