The Greek words that are translated to walk in
(εἰς τὸ περιπατεῖν/eis to peripatein) is translated to live lives
by the NIV. The idea of walking as a metaphor for a person’s way of life is common in Scripture, and has its roots in the Old Testament. Closely associated with the concept of walking is that of the way
in which one walks. One of the foundational passages relating to a believer’s walk is Psalm 1, which exhorts God’s people not to walk
in the way
of the wicked and contrasts the way
of the righteous with the way
of the wicked (see also Proverbs 2:7, Proverbs 2:13, Proverbs 2:20; Proverbs 4:12, Proverbs 4:14, etc.).1,2 Paul adopted the idea of walking as a metaphor for Christian behaviour and used it frequently in his letters (e.g., Romans 6:4; Romans 8:4; Ephesians 2:2, Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 1:10; Colossians 3:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:1). The metaphor is powerful because it communicates simply and clearly that every aspect of life—of one’s daily walk—should be lived in a way that is worthy of God and pleasing to him.
12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.