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, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received,
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 gentleness, and with patience, bearing with one another in 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].
and being diligent 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 (just as you were called to one hope at 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 over all and through all and in us all.
7 Christ has generously given to each one of us spiritual gifts, just like he decided to give them.
Now each one of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift.
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 it says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.”
9 The words ‘he ascended’ certainly imply/indicate [RHQ] that Christ had also previously descended to the earth.
(Now what does “he ascended” mean except that he first also 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.
He who descended is the very one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.)
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].
It was he who appointed some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be 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.
to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to build up 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 all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ's fullness.
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.
So we must no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men and their craftiness in deceitful scheming.
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.
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, that is, 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 him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting joint, grows and builds itself up in love as each individual part does its work.
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 solemnly declare in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
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].
They are darkened in their understanding, being excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.
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.
They became callous and gave themselves up to lewd behavior, greedy to engage in every kind of impurity.
20 But when you learned [about] Christ, you did not learn [to behave] like that.
But you did not learn Christ in that way!
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].
Surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, just 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].
to put off your old self, which belongs to your former way of life and is being corrupted by its deceitful desires,
23 Others taught you that instead, you must let [God’s Spirit] change the way you think,
to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
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 self, created according to the image of God in true righteousness and holiness.
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 falsehood, each of you must speak the truth with his neighbor, 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;
Do not sin in your anger. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
27 [by doing that], you will not allow the devil to make you do evil.
and do not give any opportunity 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.
He who steals must no longer steal; rather he must labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may have something to contribute to anyone in 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 foul word come out of your mouth, but only what is good for edification, as fits the occasion, that it 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 do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for 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.
Put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts, and slander, together with all malice.
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].
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven us.
