Ephesians 4

1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,

Therefore I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received,

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

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

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

and being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

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

There is one body and one Spirit (just as you were called to one hope at 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 us 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, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Now each one of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift.

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

Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.”

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

(Now what does “he ascended” mean except that he first also descended into 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 very one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.)

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

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 for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,

to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to build up 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 full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

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 that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;

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

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, that is, Christ.

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

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

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 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.

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

They became callous and gave themselves up to lewd behavior, greedy to engage in every kind of impurity.

20 But you didn’t learn Christ that way,

But you did not learn Christ in that way!

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

Surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus,

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

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former way of life and is being corrupted by its deceitful desires,

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

to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

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

and to put on the new self, created according to the image of God in true righteousness and holiness.

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

Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each of you must speak the truth with his neighbor, because we are members of one another.

26 “Be angry, and don’t sin.” Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath,

Do not sin in your anger. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

27 and don’t give place to the devil.

and do not give any opportunity to the devil.

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

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

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 Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

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

Put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, outbursts, and slander, together with all malice.

32 And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven us.