Ephesians 4
1 I, then, the prisoner for the Master's sake, entreat you to live and act as becomes those who have received the call that you have received--
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.
2 with all lowliness of mind and unselfishness, and with patience, bearing with one another lovingly, and earnestly striving to maintain,
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).
3 in the uniting bond of peace, the unity given by the Spirit.
[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].
4 There is but one body and but one Spirit, as also when you were called you had one and the same hope held out to you.
[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].
5 There is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
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.
6 and one God and Father of all, who rules over all, acts through all, and dwells in all.
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.
7 Yet to each of us individually grace was given, measured out with the munificence of Christ.
Christ has generously given to each one of us spiritual gifts, just like he decided to give them.
8 For this reason Scripture says: "He re-ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and gave gifts to men."
[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:
9 (Now this "re-ascended" --what does it mean but that He had first descended into the lower regions of the earth?
The words ‘he ascended’ certainly imply/indicate [RHQ] that Christ had also previously descended to the earth.
10 He who descended is the same as He who ascended again far above all the Heavens in order to fill the universe.)
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.
11 And He Himself appointed some to be Apostles, some to be Prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers,
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].
12 in order fully to equip His people for the work of serving--for the building up of Christ's body--
[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.
13 till we all of us arrive at oneness in faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, and at mature manhood and the stature of full-grown men in Christ.
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]).
14 So we shall no longer be babes nor shall we resemble mariners tossed on the waves and carried about with every changing wind of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous cunning, making use of every shifting device to mislead.
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.
15 But we shall lovingly hold to the truth, and shall in all respects grow up into union with Him who is our Head, even Christ.
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.
16 Dependent on Him, the whole body--its various parts closely fitting and firmly adhering to one another-- grows by the aid of every contributory link, with power proportioned to the need of each individual part, so as to build itself up in a spirit of love.
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].
17 Therefore I warn you, and I implore you in the name of the Master, no longer to live as the Gentiles in their perverseness live,
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].
18 with darkened understandings, having by reason of the ignorance which is deep-seated in them and the insensibility of their moral nature, no share in the Life which God gives.
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].
19 Such men being past feeling have abandoned themselves to impurity, greedily indulging in every kind of profligacy.
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.
20 But these are not the lessons which you have learned from Christ;
But when you learned [about] Christ, you did not learn [to behave] like that.
21 if at least you have heard His voice and in Him have been taught--and this is true Christian teaching--
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].
22 to put away, in regard to your former mode of life, your original evil nature which is doomed to perish as befits its misleading impulses,
[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].
23 and to get yourselves renewed in the temper of your minds and clothe yourselves
Others taught you that instead, you must let [God’s Spirit] change the way you think,
24 with that new and better self which has been created to resemble God in the righteousness and holiness which come from the truth.
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.
25 For this reason, laying aside falsehood, every one of you should speak the truth to his fellow man; for we are, as it were, parts of one another.
Therefore, quit lying to one another. Instead, because we all belong to just one group [of believers], speak truthfully to each other.
26 If angry, beware of sinning. Let not your irritation last until the sun goes down;
If you get angry, do not sin [as a result of] getting angry. Before the end of the day [MTY], stop being angry;
27 and do not leave room for the Devil.
[by doing that], you will not allow the devil to make you do evil.
28 He who has been a thief must steal no more, but, instead of that, should work with his own hands in honest industry, so that he may have something of which he can give the needy a share.
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.
29 Let no unwholesome words ever pass your lips, but let all your words be good for benefiting others according to the need of the moment, so that they may be a means of blessing to the hearers.
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.
30 And beware of grieving the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you have been sealed in preparation for the day of Redemption.
[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]).
31 Let all bitterness and all passionate feeling, all anger and loud insulting language, be unknown among you--and also every kind of malice.
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.
32 On the contrary learn to be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.
Be kind to one another. Act mercifully toward each other. Forgive each other, just like God forgave you because of [what] Christ [has done].
