Ephesians
4
- As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge
you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
- Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love.
- Make every effort to keep the unity of the
Spirit through the bond of peace.
- There is one body and one Spirit -- just
as you were called to one hope when you were called --
- one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
- one God and Father of all, who is over all
and through all and in all.
- But to each one of us grace has been given
as Christ apportioned it.
- This is why it says: "When he ascended
on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."
- (What does "he ascended" mean except
that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions ?
- He who descended is the very one who ascended
higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
- It was he who gave some to be apostles, some
to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
- to prepare God's people for works of service,
so that the body of Christ may be built up
- until we all reach unity in the faith and
in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ.
- Then we will no longer be infants, tossed
back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching
and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
- Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will
in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
- From him the whole body, joined and held
together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love,
as each part does its work.
- So I tell you this, and insist on it in the
Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of
their thinking.
- They are darkened in their understanding
and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them
due to the hardening of their hearts.
- Having lost all sensitivity, they have given
themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity,
with a continual lust for more.
- You, however, did not come to know Christ
that way.
- Surely you heard of him and were taught in
him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.
- You were taught, with regard to your former
way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful
desires;
- to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
- and to put on the new self, created to be
like God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Therefore each of you must put off falsehood
and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
- "In your anger do not sin": Do
not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
- and do not give the devil a foothold.
- He who has been stealing must steal no longer,
but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have
something to share with those in need.
- Do not let any unwholesome talk come out
of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according
to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
- And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
- Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,
brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
- Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
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