Ephesians 4:25 Meaning: Truth Speaks from Being Members of One Another

The Greek behind “putting away” (apothemenoi) is the same word used for taking off clothes. It pictures a decisive, once-for-all action, like setting aside something that no longer fits who you have become. The old self, Paul has already said, is corrupted by deceit (verse 22). So falsehood is not just a bad habit; it belongs to the life you have already taken off.

The word for “falsehood” (to pseudos) is the noun form of “the lie.” It points to the whole system of deception, not just an occasional fib but the culture of hiding, pretending, and twisting the truth. By contrast, “truth” (alētheia) is what is real and open, the way things actually are.

And then comes the reason: “for we are members of one another.” The word “members” (melē) means body parts. A hand cannot benefit by deceiving the foot. They belong to each other. Paul is saying that your words to a fellow believer are like a conversation between your own left hand and right hand. Why would you lie to your own body?

Christian readers across traditions have found the heart of this verse in the phrase “members of one another.” Early church writer Chrysostom painted a picture: the eye does not lie to the foot about where the ground is, and the foot does not lie to the eye. The body works by honesty.

Reformed commentators like Calvin see this as a particular example flowing from the general principle that the new self is created in righteousness and truth. The whole life of a believer should be sincere. Others, like Matthew Henry, emphasize that the practice of truthfulness is the natural result of having put on the new man. And the Cambridge Bible notes that the parallel in Colossians 3:9, 10 also ties truthfulness directly to the new creation. All these readings agree: honest speech is not just a rule, it is the way God’s people naturally relate to each other.

Some read this verse as a simple rule: “Don’t lie.” But the Greek points to something deeper. The word for “falsehood” (to pseudos) is abstract, the whole system of deceit, not just individual lies. And the motivation is not just “because God says so,” but because we are connected as parts of one body. In fact, Paul is saying that deception of any kind is a contradiction of who we are together in Christ. It’s not just about avoiding lies; it’s about living out a shared life where truth is the only language that fits.

Here is a concrete test for this week. Think of one relationship where you are tempted to shade the truth, maybe to make yourself look better, or to avoid an awkward conversation, or to keep a conflict quiet. Before you speak, remind yourself: this person is a member of the same body. You would not mislead your own foot about where the next step leads. Try speaking plainly and gently, trusting that the truth does not break the body, it holds it together. You might even say, “I want to be honest with you because we belong together.”