Reading for January 31st

 Read Ephesians 4.17-5.2. In 4.17-5.2: Old and new walks. (See 2.1-10.) The new walk, which avoids the walk of the gentiles (4.17a) with its futility, vices, opposition to instruction (4.17b-24), has practical implications (4.25-5.1). In verse 17: Affirm and testify, a pleonasm (deliberate repetition) drawn from legal language. In verse 20: Learned ... heard ... taught, instructions preceding baptism. In verses 22-24: Put away, clothe yourselves with the new self, baptismal terms. In verses 25-26: Speak truth, Zec 8-16; be angry and sin not, Ps 4.4. In 5.1-2: Imitators of God, never used be Paul, though he speaks of imitating Christ (1 Cor 11.1), himself (1 Thess 1.6; Phil 3.17) or others (Phil 3.17). Comments or Questions..