Ephesians 4
4
Unity in the Body
1Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
5There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all.
7However, he has given each one of us a special gift#4:7 Greek a grace. through the generosity of Christ. 8That is why the Scriptures say,
“When he ascended to the heights,
he led a crowd of captives
and gave gifts to his people.”#4:8 Ps 68:18.
9Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world.#4:9 Some manuscripts read to the lower parts of the earth. 10And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.
11Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
14Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
Living as Children of Light
17With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
20But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
25So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”#4:26 Ps 4:4. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
28If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
30And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own,#4:30 Or has put his seal on you. guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
31Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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Ephesians 4
4
Walk in Unity
1I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to #Eph. 2:10; (Col. 1:10; 2:6); 1 Thess. 2:12walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit #Col. 3:14in the bond of peace. 4#Rom. 12:5There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5#1 Cor. 1:13one Lord, #(1 Cor. 15:1–8); Jude 3one faith, #1 Cor. 12:12, 13; (Heb. 6:6)one baptism; 6#Mal. 2:10; 1 Cor. 8:6; 12:6one God and Father of all, who is above all, and #Rom. 11:36through all, and in you all.
Spiritual Gifts
7But #(1 Cor. 12:7, 11)to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore He says:
#Ps. 68:18; (Col. 2:15)“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”
9#Luke 23:43; John 3:13; 20:17; (1 Pet. 3:19, 20)(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He who descended is also the One #Acts 1:9who ascended far above all the heavens, #(Acts 2:33; Eph. 1:23)that He might fill all things.)
11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, #1 Cor. 14:26for the edifying of #Col. 1:24the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith #Col. 2:2and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to #1 Cor. 14:20; Col. 1:28; Heb. 5:14a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be #1 Cor. 14:20children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of #Rom. 16:18deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the #Eph. 1:22head—Christ— 16#(Rom. 12:4); Col. 2:19from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
The New Man
17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should #Eph. 2:2; 4:22no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the #Rom. 1:21blindness of their heart; 19#1 Tim. 4:2who, being past feeling, #1 Pet. 4:3have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20But you have not so learned Christ, 21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22that you #Col. 3:8put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23and #(Rom. 12:2; Col. 3:10)be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and that you #(Rom. 6:4; 7:6; 12:2; 2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 3:10)put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Do Not Grieve the Spirit
25Therefore, putting away lying, #Zech. 8:16; Eph. 4:15; Col. 3:9“Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for #Rom. 12:5we are members of one another. 26#Ps. 4:4; 37:8“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27#(Rom. 12:19; James 4:7); 1 Pet. 5:9nor give place to the devil. 28Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather #Acts 20:35; 1 Cor. 4:12; Gal. 6:10let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something #Luke 3:11; 1 Thess. 4:12to give him who has need. 29#Matt. 12:34; Eph. 5:4; Col. 3:8Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but #1 Thess. 5:11what is good for necessary edification, #Col. 3:16that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30And #Is. 7:13do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31#Rom. 3:14; Col. 3:8, 19Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and #James 4:11evil speaking be put away from you, #Titus 3:3with all malice. 32And #(Matt. 6:14); 2 Cor. 6:10be kind to one another, tenderhearted, #(Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37)forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.