Ephesians 4

1 And so, as a prisoner in the Lord, I beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the vocation to which you have been called:2 with all humility and meekness, with patience, supporting one another in charity.3 Be anxious to preserve the unity of the Spirit within the bonds of peace.4 One body and one Spirit: to this you have been called by the 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 Yet to each one of us there has been given grace according to the measure allotted by Christ.8 Because of this, he says: “Ascending on high, he took captivity itself captive; he gave gifts to men.”9 Now that he has ascended, what is left except for him also to descended, first to the lower parts of the earth?10 He who descended is the same one who also ascended above all the heavens, so that he might fulfill everything.11 And the same one granted that some would be Apostles, and some Prophets, yet truly others evangelists, and others pastors and teachers,12 for the sake of the perfection of the saints, by the work of the ministry, in the edification of the body of Christ,13 until we all meet in the unity of faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as a perfect man, in the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ.14 So may we then no longer be little children, disturbed and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the wickedness of men, and by the craftiness which deceives unto error.15 Instead, acting according to truth in charity, we should increase in everything, in him who is the head, Christ himself.16 For in him, the whole body is joined closely together, by every underlying joint, through the function allotted to each part, bringing improvement to the body, toward its edification in charity.17 And so, I say this, and I testify in the Lord: that from now on you should walk, not as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind,18 having their intellect obscured, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is within them, because of the blindness of their hearts.19 Such as these, despairing, have given themselves over to sexual immorality, carrying out every impurity with rapacity.20 But this is not what you have learned in Christ.21 For certainly, you have listened to him, and you have been instructed in him, according to the truth that is in Jesus:22 to set aside your earlier behavior, the former man, who was corrupted, by means of desire, unto error,23 and so be renewed in the spirit of your mind,24 and so put on the new man, who, in accord with God, is created in justice and in the holiness of truth.25 Because of this, setting aside lying, speak the truth, each one with his neighbor. For we are all part of one another.26 “Be angry, but do not be willing to sin.” Do not let the sun set over your anger.27 Provide no place for the devil.28 Whoever was stealing, let him now not steal, but rather let him labor, working with his hands, doing what is good, so that he may have something to distribute to those who suffer need.29 Let no evil words proceed from your mouth, but only what is good, toward the edification of faith, so as to bestow grace upon those who listen.30 And do not be willing to grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you have been sealed, unto the day of redemption.31 Let all bitterness and anger and indignation and outcry and blasphemy be taken away from you, along with all malice.32 And be kind and merciful to one another, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Ephesians 4

Live in Unity

1 I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord,t urge you to livet worthily of the calling with which you have been called,s2 with all humility and gentleness,t with patience, bearing witht one another in love,3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the 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 all.
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he capturedtcaptives; he gave gifts to men,"s9 Now what is the meaning of “he ascended,” except that he also descendeds to the lower regions,s namely, the earth?t10 He, the very onet who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.11 It was het who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,s12 to equipt the saints for the work of ministry, that is,t 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 – a mature person, attaining tot the measure of Christ’s full stature.t14 Sot we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.t15 But practicing the truth in love,t we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.

16 From him the whole body grows, fitted and held togethert through every supporting ligament.t As each one does its part, the body grows in love.

Live in Holiness

17 So I say this, and insistt in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futilityt of their thinking.t18 They are darkened in their understanding,t being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.19 Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.s20 But you did not learn about Christ like this,21 if indeed you heard about him and were taught in him, just as the truth is in Jesus.22 You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay asidet the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires,23 to be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

24 and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s imaget – in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.t
25 Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor,s for we are members of one another.26 Be angry and do not sin;s do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger.t27 Do not give the devil an opportunity.28 The one who steals must steal no longer; rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need.29 You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need,t that it may give grace to those who hear.30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.31 You must put away every kind of bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and evil, slanderous talk.

32 Instead,s be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.t