Ephesians 4
1 So I—this prisoner in the Lord—am encouraging you to make sure you live according to the principles to which you were called.
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, plead to you that all of you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith all of you are called,
2 Don't think proudly of yourselves; be gentle and patient, showing tolerance to each other in love.
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; (agape)
3 Make every effort to remain one in the Spirit through the peace that binds you together.
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit (pneuma) in the bond of peace.
4 For there's one body, and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope.
There is one body, and one Spirit, (pneuma) even as all of you are called in one hope of your calling;
5 The Lord is one, our trust in him is one, and there's one baptism;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 there's one God and Father of everyone. He is over all and through all and in all.
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 To each of us grace was given in proportion to Christ's generous gift.
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 As Scripture says, “When he ascended to the heights he took captives with him, and gave gifts to humanity.”
Wherefore he says, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Regarding this: it says he ascended, but that means he also had previously descended to our lowly world.
(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 The one that descended is the same one who also ascended to the highest heaven in order that he could make the whole universe complete.)
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 The gifts he gave were so that some could be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers,
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 with the purpose of preparing God's people for the work of helping others, to help the body of Christ to grow.
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 We grow together until we all reach the state of being one in our trust in and knowledge of the Son of God, completely grown up, measuring up to full maturity in Christ.
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
14 We shouldn't be little children any more, tossed about and blown along by every passing breeze of doctrine, confused by human trickery, led into error by crafty people who deceitfully scheme;
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed back and forth, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 instead by speaking the truth in love we ought to grow up in everything into Christ, who is our head.
But speaking the truth in love, (agape) may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 It's because of him that the whole body operates, every joint holding it together as each individual part does what it's supposed to, and the whole body grows, building itself up in love.
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (agape)
17 So let me say this to you—in fact I insist on it in the Lord—that you should no longer live like the foreigners do, in their empty-headed way.
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that all of you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 In the darkness of their minds they don't understand, and they have been cut off from the life of God because they don't know anything and in their stubbornness they don't want to know.
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Because they are past caring they abandon themselves to sensuality, and greedily do all kinds of disgusting things.
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But that's not what you learned about Christ!
But all of you have not so learned Christ;
21 Didn't you hear about him? Weren't you taught concerning him? Didn't you learn the truth as it is in Jesus?
If so be that all of you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 So get rid of your former lifestyle, that old nature that ruins you through deceptive desires!
That all of you put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 Let yourselves be re-made spiritually and mentally,
And be renewed in the spirit (pneuma) of your mind;
24 and put on your new nature that God created so you will be like him, right and holy in the truth.
And that all of you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 So reject lies, and tell the truth to each other—for we belong to each other.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Don't sin by getting angry; don't let evening come and find you still mad—
Be all of you angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 and don't give the devil any opportunity.
Neither give place to the devil.
28 Thieves, stop your stealing, and do honest, productive work with your hands, so you'll have something to give to those who need it.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs.
29 Don't use bad language. Speak words that will encourage people as necessary, so that those who listen will be helped.
Let no corrupt communication (logos) proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 Don't disappoint the Holy Spirit of God that marked you as belonging to him until the day of redemption.
And grieve not the holy Spirit (pneuma) of God, whereby all of you are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of every kind of bitterness, rage, anger, verbal abuse, and insults, along with all forms of evil.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 Be kind and compassionate to each other, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
And be all of you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.
