Mga Efeso 4
1 Kaya, bilang bilanggo sa Panginoon, nakikiusap ako sa inyo na lumakad kayo ng karapat-dapat sa pagkatawag sa inyo ng Diyos.
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 Mamuhay kayo nang may buong pagpapakumbaba at pagkamahinahon at katiyagaan. Tanggapin ninyo nang may pagmamahal ang bawat isa.
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 Pagsikapan ninyong manatili ang pagkakaisa sa Espiritu sa bigkis ng kapayapaan.
[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 May iisang katawan at iisang Espiritu, katulad din nang pagtawag sa inyo sa iisang pananalig na inaasahan ng iyong pagkatawag.
[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 At may iisang Panginoon, iisang pananampalataya, iisang bautismo,
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 at iisang Diyos at Ama ng lahat. Siya ay higit sa lahat at kumikilos sa lahat at nananatili sa lahat.
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 Binigyan ang bawat-isa sa atin ng kaloob ayon sa sukat ng kaloob ni Cristo.
Christ has generously given to each one of us spiritual gifts, just like he decided to give them.
8 Katulad ng sinabi sa kasulatan: “Noong umakyat siya sa itaas, dinala niya ang mga bihag sa pagkabihag. Nagbigay siya ng mga kaloob sa mga tao.”
[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 Ano ang kahulugan ng “Umakyat siya,” maliban nalang kung bumaba rin siya sa kailaliman ng mundo?
The words ‘he ascended’ certainly imply/indicate [RHQ] that Christ had also previously descended to the earth.
10 Siya na bumaba ay siya ring umakyat sa ibabaw ng buong kalangitan. Ginawa niya ito upang maaari niyang punuin ang lahat ng mga bagay.
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 Nagbigay si Cristo ng mga kaloob katulad ng mga ito: pagka- apostol, pagka-propeta, pagka-ebanghelista, pagka-pastor at pagka-guro.
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 Ginawa niya ito upang ihanda ang mga mananampalataya sa paglilingkod at sa ikatitibay ng katawan ni Cristo. Ginagawa niya ito hanggang sa maabot natin ang pagkakaisa sa pananampalataya at kaalaman sa Anak ng Diyos.
[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 Ginagawa niya ito hanggang sa maging ganap tayo na katulad ni Cristo.
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 Upang hindi na tayo maging tulad ng mga bata. Upang hindi na tayo maligaw. Upang hindi na tayo madala palayo sa bawat hangin ng katuruan, sa pandaraya ng mga tao sa pamamagitan ng matalas na pag-iisip ng kamalian at panlilinlang.
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 Sa halip, sabihin natin ang katotohanan na may pag-ibig at lumago sa lahat ng paraan sa kaniya na ulo, si Cristo.
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 Pinag-ugnay ni Cristo ang buong katawan ng mananampalataya. Hinahawakan ito sa pamamagitan ng umaalalay na litid upang ang buong katawan ay lumago at tumibay sa pag-ibig.
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 Kaya, sinasabi ko ito, at pinapayuhan ko kayo sa Panginoon: huwag na kayong lumakad na katulad ng mga Gentil na lumalakad sa karumihan ng kanilang mga isipan.
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 Masama ang kanilang pag-iisip. Napalayo sila sa buhay na nasa Diyos dahil sa kamangmangan na nasa kanila dahil sa pagmamatigas ng kanilang mga puso.
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 Hindi sila nakakaramdam ng kahihiyan. Ibinigay nila ang kanilang mga sarili sa kahalayan sa malalaswang mga gawa, sa lahat ng uri ng kalabisan.
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 Ngunit hindi ganito ang natutunan ninyo patungkol kay Cristo.
But when you learned [about] Christ, you did not learn [to behave] like that.
21 Iniisip kong narinig na ninyo ang patungkol sa kaniya. Iniisip kong naturuan na kayo patungkol sa kaniya, dahil na kay Jesus ang katotohanan.
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 Dapat ninyong hubarin ang naaayon sa dati ninyong gawain, ang dating pagkatao. Ito ay ang dating pagkatao na nabubulok dahil sa mapanlinlang na pagnanasa.
[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 Hubarin ninyo ang dating pagkatao upang mabago ang espiritu ng inyong pag-iisip.
Others taught you that instead, you must let [God’s Spirit] change the way you think,
24 Gawin ninyo ito upang maisuot ninyo ang bagong pagkatao, na naaayon sa Diyos. Nilikha ito sa katuwiran at kabanalan ng katotohanan.
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 Kaya nga alisin ninyo ang kasinungalingan. “Magsalita ng katotohanan, ang bawat isa sa kaniyang kapwa,” sapagkat kabahagi tayo ng bawat isa.
Therefore, quit lying to one another. Instead, because we all belong to just one group [of believers], speak truthfully to each other.
26 “Magalit kayo, ngunit huwag kayong magkasala.” Huwag ninyong hayaan na lumubog ang araw sa inyong galit.
If you get angry, do not sin [as a result of] getting angry. Before the end of the day [MTY], stop being angry;
27 Huwag mong bigyan ng pagkakataon ang diyablo.
[by doing that], you will not allow the devil to make you do evil.
28 Sino man ang nagnanakaw ay hindi na dapat magnakaw. Sa halip, kailangan niyang magpagal. Kailangan niyang magtrabaho gamit ang kaniyang mga kamay, upang makatulong sa tao na nangangailangan.
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 Dapat walang lalabas na masamang salita sa inyong bibig. Sa halip, dapat mga salitang may pakinabang ang lalabas sa inyong bibig, upang magbigay ng pakinabang sa mga nakikinig.
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 At huwag ninyong bigyan ng kalungkutan ang Banal na Espiritu ng Diyos. Dahil sa kaniya kayo ay tinatakan para sa araw ng katubusan.
[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 Dapat ninyong alisin ang lahat ng sama ng loob, poot, galit, pagtatalo, at pang-iinsulto, kasama ang lahat ng uri ng kasamaan.
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 Maging mabuti sa isa't-isa. Maging mahabagin. Patawarin ang isa't-isa, katulad ng pagpapatawad sa inyo ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ni Cristo.
Be kind to one another. Act mercifully toward each other. Forgive each other, just like God forgave you because of [what] Christ [has done].
