EFÉSIËRS 4

Die eenheid van die geloof.

1 EK vermaan julle dan, ek, tdie gevangene in die Here, om te twandel waardig die roeping waarmee julle geroep is,

2  tmet alle nederigheid en tsagmoedigheid, met lankmoedigheid, tterwyl julle mekaar in liefde verdra

3 en ernstig strewe om die eenheid van die Gees te bewaar deur tdie band van die vrede.

4 Dit is teen liggaam en teen Gees, soos julle ook geroep is in een thoop van julle roeping;

5  teen Here, teen geloof, een doop,

6  teen God en Vader van almal, wat oor almal en tdeur almal en in julle almal is.

7 Maar aan elkeen van ons is die genade gegee tvolgens die mate van die gawe van Christus.

8 Daarom sê Hy: tToe Hy opgevaar het in die hoogte, het Hy die gevangenes gevange geneem en gawes aan die mense gegee.

9 Maar dít: Hy het opgevaar — wat beteken dit anders as dat Hy ook eers neergedaal het in die onderste dele van die aarde?

10 Hy wat neergedaal het, is dieselfde as Hy twat opgevaar het tbokant al die hemele, sodat Hy alles tot volheid kan bring.

11 En Hy het gegee sommige as tapostels, ander as profete, ander as tevangeliste, ander as therders en tleraars,

12 om die heiliges toe te rus vir hulle dienswerk, tot opbouing van tdie liggaam van Christus,

13 totdat ons almal kom tot die eenheid van die geloof en van die kennis van die Seun van God, tot ’n volwasse man, tot die mate van tdie volle grootte van Christus;

14 sodat ons nie meer tkinders sou wees nie wat soos golwe geslinger en theen en weer gedryf word deur elke wind van lering, deur die bedrieëry van die mense, deur sluheid om listiglik tot dwaling te bring;

15 maar, terwyl ons in liefde die waarheid betrag, in alles sou topgroei in tHom wat die Hoof is, naamlik Christus,

16  tuit wie die hele liggaam — goed saamgevoeg en saamverbind deur die ondersteuning wat elke lid gee volgens die werking van elke afsonderlike deel in sy mate — die groei van die liggaam bevorder vir sy eie opbouing in liefde.

Die Christelike heiligmaking teenoor die bedorwe sedes van die heidene.

17 DIT sê en betuig ek dan in die Here, dat tjulle nie meer moet wandel soos die ander heidene ook wandel tin die verdwaasdheid van hulle gemoed nie —

18 mense wat verduisterd is in die verstand en tvervreemd van die lewe van God deur tdie onkunde wat in hulle is vanweë die verharding van hulle hart;

19 wat tongevoelig geword het en thulle oorgegee het aan die ongebondenheid om in hebsug allerhande onreinheid te bedrywe.

20 Maar julle het Christus nie so leer ken nie,

21 as julle ten minste tvan Hom gehoor het en in Hom onderrig is soos die waarheid is in Jesus:

22 dat julle, twat die vorige tlewenswandel betref tdie oue mens tmoet aflê wat deur die begeerlikhede van die verleiding te gronde gaan,

23 en tdat julle vernuwe moet word in die gees van julle gemoed

24 en julle met tdie nuwe mens moet beklee wat na God geskape is in ware geregtigheid en heiligheid.

25 Daarom, lê die leuen af en tspreek die waarheid, elkeen met sy naaste, want ons is tmekaar se lede.

26  tWord toornig en moenie sondig nie; laat die son nie ondergaan oor julle toorn nie;

27 en gee aan die duiwel geen plek nie.

28 Laat die een wat steel, nie meer steel nie; maar tlaat hom liewer arbei deur met sy hande te werk wat goed is, sodat hy iets kan hê tom mee te deel aan die een wat gebrek het.

29  tLaat daar geen vuil woord uit julle mond uitgaan nie, maar net ’n woord wat goed is vir die nodige stigting, sodat dit tgenade kan gee aan die wat dit hoor.

30 En tbedroef nie die Heilige Gees van God nie, tdeur wie julle verseël is tot die dag van tverlossing.

31 Alle tbitterheid en woede en toorn en geskreeu en lastering moet van julle verwyder word, saam met alle boosheid.
32 Maar wees tvriendelik en vol ontferming teenoor mekaar; tvergeef mekaar soos God ook in Christus julle vergewe het.

Ephesians 4

1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,2 with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love;3 being eager 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;5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all.7 But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.8 Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”t9 Now this, “He ascended,” what is it but that he also first 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.
11 He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherdst and teachers;12 for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of 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;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;15 but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, 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.
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,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;19 who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.20 But you did not learn Christ that way;21 if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as 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;23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

24 and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
25 Therefore putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another.26 “Be angry, and don’t sin.”t Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath,27 neither give place to the devil.28 Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.29 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, 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.31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice.

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