Ephesians 4

1 I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called,

So then, as the prisoner in the Lord I urge you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,

2 With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity.

with all humility and courtesy, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

3 Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

taking pains to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of the peace.

4 One body and one Spirit; as you are called in one hope of your calling.

There is one body and one Spirit (just as you also were called in one hope of your calling),

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all.

7 But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ.

Now to each one of us the grace according to the measure of Christ's gift was given.

8 Wherefore he saith: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men.

That is why He says, “When He ascended into the heights He captured the concentration camp, and distributed gifts to men.”

9 Now that he ascended, what is it, but because he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

(What does ‘He ascended’ imply if not that He also first descended into the interior regions of the earth?

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

He who descended is the very one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

Yes, He Himself gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

for the equipping of the saints into the work of the ministry, so as to build up the body of Christ,

13 Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ;

until we all attain into the unity of the faith and of the real knowledge of the Son of God, into a complete man, into the resulting full stature of Christ;

14 That henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive.

so that we no longer be ‘infants’, tossed about as by waves and carried off by every doctrinal fad, through the underhanded dealings of the people who collect the fee for the error;

15 But doing the truth in charity, we may in all things grow up in him who is the head, even Christ:

rather, speaking the truth in love, let us in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, the Christ;

16 From whom the whole body, being compacted and fitly joined together, by what every joint supplieth, according to the operation in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in charity.

from whom the whole body, being fitted and knit together by what every joint supplies, as each individual part does its work, promotes its own growth, its own edification, in love.

17 This then I say and testify in the Lord: That henceforward you walk not as also the Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind,

So then, I affirm and insist on this in the Lord: you must no longer carry on as the rest of the Gentiles do, in the futility of their mind,

18 Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts.

having been darkened in their understanding, being alienated [as a continuing condition] from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts,

19 Who despairing, have given themselves up to lasciviousness, unto the working of all uncleanness, unto the working of all uncleanness, unto covetousness.

who, having become dead to hope, have abandoned themselves to depravity, greedily indulging in every kind of vileness.

20 But you have not so learned Christ;

Now that is not how you ‘learned Christ’—

21 If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus:

if indeed you have heard Him and been taught by Him (as the truth is in Jesus):

22 To put off, according to former conversation, the old man, who is corrupted according to the desire of error.

that you put away, concerning your former way of life, the old man (that keeps on being corrupted by the deceitful desires),

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind:

and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

24 And put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth.

and put on the new man, created in the likeness of God, in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak; ye the truth every man with his neighbour; for we are members one of another.

Therefore, having put away falsehood, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.

26 Be angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your anger.

‘Be angry but do not sin’; do not let the sun set on your angry mood,

27 Give not place to the devil.

nor give an opportunity to the devil.

28 He that stole, let him now steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him that suffereth need.

The one who steals must steal no longer, but rather let him work, doing something good with his hands, that he may have something to share with someone in need.

29 Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth; but that which is good, to the edification of faith, that it may administer grace to the hearers.

Let no evil word proceed from your mouth, but only what is good for edification, as needed, that it may impart grace to those who hear.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God: whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and anger, and indignation, and clamour, and blasphemy, be put away from you, with all malice.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and slander be removed from you, with all malice.

32 And be ye kind one to another; merciful, forgiving one another, even as God hath forgiven you in Christ.

Rather, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as in Christ God forgave you.