Ephesians 4

1 I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, urge you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

And so, as a prisoner in the Lord, I beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the vocation to which you have been called:

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love;

with all humility and meekness, with patience, supporting one another in charity.

3 being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Be anxious to preserve the unity of the Spirit within the bonds of peace.

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling;

One body and one Spirit: to this you have been called by the 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 over all, and through all, and in all.

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

7 But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Messiah.

Yet to each one of us there has been given grace according to the measure allotted by Christ.

8 Therefore he says, "When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people."

Because of this, he says: “Ascending on high, he took captivity itself captive; he gave gifts to men.”

9 Now this, "He ascended," what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

Now that he has ascended, what is left except for him also to descend, first to the lower parts of the earth?

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

He who descended is the same one who also ascended above all the heavens, so that he might fulfill everything.

11 He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

And the same one granted that some would be Apostles, and some Prophets, yet truly others evangelists, and others pastors and teachers,

12 for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Messiah;

for the sake of the perfection of the saints, by the work of the ministry, in the edification of the body of Christ,

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature person, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah;

until we all meet in the unity of faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as a perfect man, in the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ.

14 that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by cleverness in deceitful schemes;

So may we then no longer be little children, disturbed and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the wickedness of men, and by the craftiness which deceives unto error.

15 but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Messiah;

Instead, acting according to truth in charity, we should increase in everything, in him who is the head, Christ himself.

16 from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.

For in him, the whole body is joined closely together, by every underlying joint, through the function allotted to each part, bringing improvement to the body, toward its edification in charity.

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the nations also walk, in the futility of their mind,

And so, I say this, and I testify in the Lord: that from now on you should walk, not as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18 being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts;

having their intellect obscured, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is within them, because of the blindness of their hearts.

19 who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Such as these, despairing, have given themselves over to sexual immorality, carrying out every impurity with rapacity.

20 But you did not learn Messiah that way;

But this is not what you have learned in Christ.

21 if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:

For certainly, you have listened to him, and you have been instructed in him, according to the truth that is in Jesus:

22 that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old self, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit;

to set aside your earlier behavior, the former man, who was corrupted, by means of desire, unto error,

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

and so be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

24 and put on the new self, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

and so put on the new man, who, in accord with God, is created in justice and in the holiness of truth.

25 Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another.

Because of this, setting aside lying, speak the truth, each one with his neighbor. For we are all part of one another.

26 "Be angry, but do not sin." Do not let the sun go down on your anger,

“Be angry, but do not be willing to sin.” Do not let the sun set over your anger.

27 neither give place to the devil.

Provide no place for the devil.

28 Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.

Whoever was stealing, let him now not steal, but rather let him labor, working with his hands, doing what is good, so that he may have something to distribute to those who suffer need.

29 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Let no evil words proceed from your mouth, but only what is good, toward the edification of faith, so as to bestow grace upon those who listen.

30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

And do not be willing to grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you have been sealed, unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice.

Let all bitterness and anger and indignation and outcry and blasphemy be taken away from you, along with all malice.

32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Messiah forgave you.

And be kind and merciful to one another, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you in Christ.