Ephesians 4
1 Therefore I, who am in prison because [I serve] the Lord [Jesus], urge you, whom God has chosen [to be his people, to do these things]: Conduct your lives as [God’s people] should.
Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling with which you are called,
2 Always be humble, and do not demand your own rights. Be patient [with each other], and, because you love each other, endure each other’s ([irritating] behavior/behavior that you do not like).
with all humility and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in divine love;
3 [God’s] Spirit has caused you to be united [with one another], so do all that you can to remain united [with one another] by acting peacefully [toward each other].
endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 [All we believers form just one group] [MET], and we have only one [Holy] Spirit. Similarly, you were chosen {[God] chose you} in order that you all might confidently keep expecting one [set of good] things [from God].
There is one body and one Spirit, as ye indeed are called in one hope of your calling;
5 There is only one Lord, [Jesus Christ]. We all believe the same [teaching about him. It was to show that we belong to him] alone that [we had someone] baptize us.
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 There is one God, who is the [spiritual] Father of all [us believers]. He [rules] over all his people; he enables all his people [to do powerful things] (OR, he sustains all his people); and his [Spirit lives] in all his people.
one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and above you all, and in all.
7 Christ has generously given to each one of us spiritual gifts, just like he decided to give them.
And to each one of you grace is given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 [When Christ gave] gifts to his people, [it was similar to what the Psalmist said about God receiving tribute money] from those whom he had conquered, When he ascended to heaven, he gave as gifts to people the things [that he had taken] from the people whom he captured:
Therefore he says, Having ascended upon high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to the people.
9 The words ‘he ascended’ certainly imply/indicate [RHQ] that Christ had also previously descended to the earth.
But what is that which ascended, except that which descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10 Christ, who descended [to earth], is also the one who ascended to the most exalted position in heaven, in order that he might show his power [MTY] throughout the universe.
But the one having descended and the one having ascended above all the heavens, that he might fill all things, is the same.
11 He appointed some people to be apostles. He appointed some people to be (prophets/ones who reveal messages that come directly from God). He appointed some people to be (evangelists/ones whose work is to tell others the message about Christ). He appointed some people to lead and teach [the congregations].
And he gave some, apostles; some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 [He appointed all of these] in order that they would prepare God’s people to do [God’s] work, so that all the people who belong to Christ [MET] might become [spiritually] mature.
unto the perfection of the saints, in the work of the ministry, in the edification of the body of Christ:
13 He wants all of us [believers] to be united [because] we all believe in the Son of God (OR, the man who was also God) and [because] we all know [him]. He wants us to become spiritually mature; that is, he wants us to be (perfect/all that God wants us to be), [just like] Christ was ([perfect/all that God wanted him to be]).
until we may all come into the unity of the faith, and of the perfect knowledge of the Son of God, into a perfect man, into the measure of the likeness of the fulness of Christ:
14 Then we will no longer be [spiritually immature], like [MET] little children [are immature]. We will no longer be constantly [changing what we believe, like] [MET] waves of the sea are [constantly changing as the wind blows and] tosses them back and forth. We will not allow people who teach [what is false] and who scheme to deceive/influence us.
in order that we may be no longer infants, tossed by the waves and carried about by every wind of teaching, in the caprice of the people, in their craftiness, pursuant to their method of delusion;
15 Instead, by loving [others] as we behave as [God’s] truth requires (OR, speak in a loving manner what is true), we will become more and more like Christ in every way. He is the one [who controls/guides all his people] [MET], [just like a person’s] head [controls/guides his] body.
but speaking the truth in divine love, let its grow up in him in all things, who is the head, Christ;
16 He [enables all those who belong to him to mature spiritually. A person’s body grows stronger, as] each part of the body is joined to the others by the ligaments and as each part (functions properly/works as it should). Similarly, believers will become mature [spiritually] by loving each other and by each of them doing the work [that God wants them to do] [MET].
from whom the whole body, being assimilated and knitted together through every joint of the supply, according to the working in each several part, makes increase of the body in the edification of itself in divine love.
17 The Lord [Jesus] has authorized me to strongly tell you that you must no longer conduct your lives like unbelievers do. The futile/worthless way in which they think [MET] [controls how they conduct their lives].
Therefore I say this, and witness in the Lord, that you no longer walk about as the Gentiles also walk about in the vanity of their mind,
18 They are unable to think clearly [MET] [about what is right and what is wrong]. Because they have decided that they do not want to know about God and because they stubbornly [IDM] refuse to [listen to his message], they do not have the [eternal] life that God [gives us].
being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God through the ignorance being in themselves, on account of the blindness of their heart;
19 The result is that because they have ceased (to care/to be concerned) [about what is right and what is wrong], they have (deliberately committed themselves to doing/wholeheartedly decided to do) the shameful things that their bodies want, and they commit all kinds of immoral acts, and continually are eager to do more of those things.
who being past feeling have given themselves up to debauchery, unto the working of all impurity with greediness.
20 But when you learned [about] Christ, you did not learn [to behave] like that.
But you did not so learn Christ:
21 I am sure that you heard the message about [Christ], and because you are people who have a close relationship with him, you were taught {[others] taught you} the true [way to live] that Jesus [showed us].
if indeed ye have heard him, and been taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 [You were taught] {[They taught you]} that you must put aside [MET] your evil nature; [that is, that you must not behave like you formerly did]. Your evil desires deceived you, making you want to do evil things and causing you to think that [doing that was good for you]; and your thinking like that was destroying you [spiritually].
that with reference to your former life, you are to lay aside the old man, who is corrupt in the lusts of deception;
23 Others taught you that instead, you must let [God’s Spirit] change the way you think,
and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you must start being [MET] the new persons that God made you to become. That is, your [behavior] must be righteous and truly/genuinely devout.
and to put on the new man, who has been created in harmony with God in the righteousness and holiness of the truth.
25 Therefore, quit lying to one another. Instead, because we all belong to just one group [of believers], speak truthfully to each other.
Therefore, having laid aside lying, speak the truth each one with his neighbors: because we are members of one another.
26 If you get angry, do not sin [as a result of] getting angry. Before the end of the day [MTY], stop being angry;
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your provocation:
27 [by doing that], you will not allow the devil to make you do evil.
neither give place to the devil.
28 Those who have been stealing must not steal any longer. Instead, they should work hard to earn (their living/what they need) ([by] their own efforts/[by] what they do themselves) [MTY], in order that they may have [something] to give to those who are needy.
Let the one stealing steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his own hands doing that which is good, that he may have to give to the one having need.
29 Do not use [MTY] foul language. Instead, say only things that are useful for helping people when they need help, things that will help [spiritually] the people that you talk to.
Let no corrupt communication go forth out of your mouth, but if anything is good unto edification of need, in order that he may give grace to those who hear.
30 [God has given you his] Spirit (to confirm/to assure you) that some day [God will claim all] you people [whom Christ has] redeemed [MET], [just like people confirm that something belongs to them by] putting their seal on it. So do not cause God’s Holy Spirit to be sad ([by the way you talk/by the things that you say]).
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Do not be resentful at all towards others. Do not become angry in any way. Never shout abusively at others. Never (slander/say bad things about) others. Never act maliciously/be mean in any way.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and blasphemy, depart from you, with all evil.
32 Be kind to one another. Act mercifully toward each other. Forgive each other, just like God forgave you because of [what] Christ [has done].
But be ye kind toward one another, merciful, forgiving one another, as indeed God in Christ forgave you.
