Προς Εφεσιους 4

1 παρακαλω ουν υμας εγω ο δεσμιος εν κυριω αξιως περιπατησαι της κλησεως ης εκληθητε

I beg you, then – I who am a prisoner in the Master’s cause – to live lives worthy of the call that you have received;

2 μετα πασης ταπεινοφροσυνης και πραοτητος μετα μακροθυμιας ανεχομενοι αλληλων εν αγαπη

always humble and gentle, patient, bearing lovingly with one another,

3 σπουδαζοντες τηρειν την ενοτητα του πνευματος εν τω συνδεσμω της ειρηνης

and striving to maintain in the bond of peace the unity given by the Spirit.

4 εν σωμα και εν πνευμα καθως και εκληθητε εν μια ελπιδι της κλησεως υμων

There is but one body and one Spirit, just as there was but one hope set before you when you received your call.

5 εις κυριος μια πιστις εν βαπτισμα

There is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

6 εις θεος και πατηρ παντων ο επι παντων και δια παντων και εν πασιν ημιν

There is but one God and Father of all – the God who is over all, pervades all, and is in all.

7 ενι δε εκαστω ημων εδοθη η χαρις κατα το μετρον της δωρεας του χριστου

Everyone of us, however, has been entrusted with some charge, each in accordance with the extent of the gift of the Christ.

8 διο λεγει αναβας εις υψος ηχμαλωτευσεν αιχμαλωσιαν και εδωκεν δοματα τοις ανθρωποις

That is why it is said – ‘When he went up on high, he led his captives into captivity. And gave gifts to humanity.’

9 το δε ανεβη τι εστιν ει μη οτι και κατεβη πρωτον εις τα κατωτερα μερη της γης

Now surely this ‘going up’ must imply that he had already gone down into the world beneath.

10 ο καταβας αυτος εστιν και ο αναβας υπερανω παντων των ουρανων ινα πληρωση τα παντα

He who went down is the same as he who went up – up beyond the highest heaven, so that he might fill all things with his presence.

11 και αυτος εδωκεν τους μεν αποστολους τους δε προφητας τους δε ευαγγελιστας τους δε ποιμενας και διδασκαλους

And he it is who gave to the church apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers,

12 προς τον καταρτισμον των αγιων εις εργον διακονιας εις οικοδομην του σωματος του χριστου

to fit his people for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the body of the Christ.

13 μεχρι καταντησωμεν οι παντες εις την ενοτητα της πιστεως και της επιγνωσεως του υιου του θεου εις ανδρα τελειον εις μετρον ηλικιας του πληρωματος του χριστου

And this will continue, until we all attain to that unity which is given by faith and by a fuller knowledge of the Son of God; until we reach maturity – the full standard of the perfection of the Christ.

14 ινα μηκετι ωμεν νηπιοι κλυδωνιζομενοι και περιφερομενοι παντι ανεμω της διδασκαλιας εν τη κυβεια των ανθρωπων εν πανουργια προς την μεθοδειαν της πλανης

Then we will no longer be like infants, tossed backward and forward, blown about by every breath of human teaching and by people’s trickery and craftiness;

15 αληθευοντες δε εν αγαπη αυξησωμεν εις αυτον τα παντα ος εστιν η κεφαλη ο χριστος

but holding the truth in a spirit of love, we will grow into complete union with him who is our head – Christ himself.

16 εξ ου παν το σωμα συναρμολογουμενον και συμβιβαζομενον δια πασης αφης της επιχορηγιας κατ ενεργειαν εν μετρω ενος εκαστου μερους την αυξησιν του σωματος ποιειται εις οικοδομην εαυτου εν αγαπη

For from him the whole body, closely joined and knit together by the contact of every part with the source of its life, derives its power to grow, in proportion to the vigour of each individual part; and so is being built up in a spirit of love.

17 τουτο ουν λεγω και μαρτυρομαι εν κυριω μηκετι υμας περιπατειν καθως και τα λοιπα εθνη περιπατει εν ματαιοτητι του νοος αυτων

This, then, as one in union with the Lord, I implore: Do not continue to live such purposeless lives as the Gentiles live,

18 εσκοτισμενοι τη διανοια οντες απηλλοτριωμενοι της ζωης του θεου δια την αγνοιαν την ουσαν εν αυτοις δια την πωρωσιν της καρδιας αυτων

with their powers of discernment darkened, cut off from the life of God, owing to the ignorance that prevails among them and to the hardness of their hearts.

19 οιτινες απηλγηκοτες εαυτους παρεδωκαν τη ασελγεια εις εργασιαν ακαθαρσιας πασης εν πλεονεξια

Lost to all sense of shame, they have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, in order to practice every kind of impurity without restraint.

20 υμεις δε ουχ ουτως εμαθετε τον χριστον

But far different is the lesson you learned from the Christ – if, that is, you really listened to him,

21 ειγε αυτον ηκουσατε και εν αυτω εδιδαχθητε καθως εστιν αληθεια εν τω ιησου

and through union with him were taught the truth, as it is to be found in Jesus.

22 αποθεσθαι υμας κατα την προτεραν αναστροφην τον παλαιον ανθρωπον τον φθειρομενον κατα τας επιθυμιας της απατης

For you learned with regard to your former way of living that you must cast off your old nature, which, yielding to deluding passions, grows corrupt;

23 ανανεουσθαι δε τω πνευματι του νοος υμων

that the spirit of your minds must be constantly renewed;

24 και ενδυσασθαι τον καινον ανθρωπον τον κατα θεον κτισθεντα εν δικαιοσυνη και οσιοτητι της αληθειας

and that you must clothe yourselves in that new nature which was created to resemble God, with the righteousness and holiness springing from the truth.

25 διο αποθεμενοι το ψευδος λαλειτε αληθειαν εκαστος μετα του πλησιον αυτου οτι εσμεν αλληλων μελη

Since, therefore, you have cast off what is false, you must every one of you speak the truth to your neighbors. For we are united to one another like the parts of a body.

26 οργιζεσθε και μη αμαρτανετε ο ηλιος μη επιδυετω επι τω παροργισμω υμων

Be angry, yet do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger;

27 μηδε διδοτε τοπον τω διαβολω

and give no opportunity to the devil.

28 ο κλεπτων μηκετι κλεπτετω μαλλον δε κοπιατω εργαζομενος το αγαθον ταις χερσιν ινα εχη μεταδιδοναι τω χρειαν εχοντι

Let the person who steals steal no longer, but rather they should toil with their hands at honest work, so that they may have something to share with anyone in need.

29 πας λογος σαπρος εκ του στοματος υμων μη εκπορευεσθω αλλ ει τις αγαθος προς οικοδομην της χρειας ινα δω χαριν τοις ακουουσιν

Never let any foul word pass your lips, but only such good words as the occasion demands, so that they may be a help to those who hear them.

30 και μη λυπειτε το πνευμα το αγιον του θεου εν ω εσφραγισθητε εις ημεραν απολυτρωσεως

And do not grieve God’s Holy Spirit; for it was through that Spirit that God sealed you as his, against the day of redemption.

31 πασα πικρια και θυμος και οργη και κραυγη και βλασφημια αρθητω αφ υμων συν παση κακια

Let all bitterness, passion, anger, brawling, and abusive language be banished from among you, as well as all malice.

32 γινεσθε δε εις αλληλους χρηστοι ευσπλαγχνοι χαριζομενοι εαυτοις καθως και ο θεος εν χριστω εχαρισατο ημιν

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ready to forgive one another, just as God, in Christ, forgave you.