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Ephesians 4
Disciples’ Literal New Testament

Therefore I Exhort You To Walk Worthily of Your Calling, Keeping The Unity of The Spirit

4 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all humblemindedness and gentleness, with patience bearing-with one another in love, 3 being diligent to keep[a] the unity of [b] the Spirit in the bond of [c] peace—

God Made Us One, And Gave Gifts And Grace To Each One of Us

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just 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, the One over all and through all and in all; 7 and to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

For Scripture Says Jesus Ascended On High And Gave Gifts To His People

8 For this reason it says, “having ascended to on-high, He led captivity captive[d], He gave gifts to people” [Ps 68:18].

9 Now what does the “He ascended” mean except that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth[e]? 10 The One having descended is Himself also the One having ascended far above all the heavens, in order that He might fill all things.

He Gave Gifted People To Equip The Saints To Build Up The Body of Christ To Maturity

11 And He Himself gave some as apostles, and others as prophets, and others as evangelists, and others as shepherds and teachers, 12 for[f] the equipping[g] of the saints for the work of ministry[h], for 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 mature[i] man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, being tossed-about and carried-around by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of people, by craftiness with-regard-to[j] the scheme of [k] error[l], 15 but that while speaking-the-truth in love, we may grow as to all things into Him Who is the head— Christ, 16 from Whom the whole body, being fitted-together[m] and held-together by every joint of supply according to the working in measure of each individual part, is producing the growth of the body for the building-up of itself in love.

So Walk No Longer In The Futile Darkness of The Gentiles, As They Pursue Impurity

17 Therefore this I say and testify in the Lord, that you be walking no longer as indeed the Gentiles are walking, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, having been excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance being in them, because of the hardness of their hearts— 19 who, having become callous, gave themselves over to sensuality for the practice[n] of every impurity with greed.

Lay Aside The Old Person. Be Renewed In Your Mind And Put On The New Person

20 But you did not learn Christ in this manner, 21 if indeed you heard Him and were taught in Him, even as it is the truth in Jesus 22 that in-relation-to your former way-of-life you lay-aside the old person being corrupted[o] in-accordance-with the desires of [p] deception, 23 and that you be being renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put-on the new person having been created in accordance with God, in righteousness and holiness of [q] truth.

Live Out Righteousness And Truth

25 Therefore, having laid-aside the lie[r], each of you be speaking truth with his neighbor, because we are body-parts of one another. 26 Be angry and-yet do not be sinning. Do not let the sun go down upon your angriness[s], 27 nor give a place[t] to the devil. 28 Let the one stealing be stealing no longer. But rather let him be laboring, working the good thing with his own hands in order that he might have something to give to the one having a need. 29 Let every bad[u] word not proceed out of your mouth, but if there is something good for edification of the need, speak in order that it may give grace to the ones hearing. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with[v] Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and clamor and blasphemy[w] be taken-away[x] from you, along-with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:3 Or, preserve, protect, guard.
  2. Ephesians 4:3 That is, produced by.
  3. Ephesians 4:3 That is, consisting of; or, leading to.
  4. Ephesians 4:8 led captivity captive. Or, took-prisoner prisoners of war.
  5. Ephesians 4:9 This may refer to Christ’s incarnation, or to His descent into Hades after His death.
  6. Ephesians 4:12 Or, with a view to. Not the same word as in the next two phrases.
  7. Ephesians 4:12 Or, preparing, furnishing, training.
  8. Ephesians 4:12 Or, service.
  9. Ephesians 4:13 Or, finished, complete.
  10. Ephesians 4:14 Or, with a view to.
  11. Ephesians 4:14 That is, leading to; or, proceeding from; or, characterized by.
  12. Ephesians 4:14 Or, deception.
  13. Ephesians 4:16 See 2:21.
  14. Ephesians 4:19 Or, pursuit, business, working.
  15. Ephesians 4:22 Or, corrupting itself.
  16. Ephesians 4:22 That is, proceeding from; or, belonging to; or, characterized by.
  17. Ephesians 4:24 That is, characterized by truth (true holiness); or, belonging to the truth.
  18. Ephesians 4:25 the lie. Or, falsehood. That is, the lie of the Gentile way of thinking and living, v 17-19 (introducing v 25-32); or, falsehood in general, in direct contrast to speaking truth next (and part of that point only).
  19. Ephesians 4:26 Or, irritation, exasperation, angry mood.
  20. Ephesians 4:27 That is, opportunity, chance.
  21. Ephesians 4:29 Or, corrupt, worthless, unfit.
  22. Ephesians 4:30 Or, by, in.
  23. Ephesians 4:31 Or, harmful speech.
  24. Ephesians 4:31 Or, removed.
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Ephesians 4
New International Version

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoner(A) for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy(B) of the calling(C) you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another(D) in love.(E) 3 Make every effort to keep the unity(F) of the Spirit through the bond of peace.(G) 4 There is one body(H) and one Spirit,(I) just as you were called to one hope when you were called(J); 5 one Lord,(K) one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all,(L) who is over all and through all and in all.(M)

7 But to each one of us(N) grace(O) has been given(P) as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives(Q)
    and gave gifts to his people.”[b](R)

9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended(S) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)(T) 11 So Christ himself gave(U) the apostles,(V) the prophets,(W) the evangelists,(X) the pastors and teachers,(Y) 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ(Z) may be built up(AA) 13 until we all reach unity(AB) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God(AC) and become mature,(AD) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.(AE)

14 Then we will no longer be infants,(AF) tossed back and forth by the waves,(AG) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.(AH) 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love,(AI) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,(AJ) that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows(AK) and builds itself up(AL) in love,(AM) as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer(AN) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.(AO) 18 They are darkened in their understanding(AP) and separated from the life of God(AQ) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.(AR) 19 Having lost all sensitivity,(AS) they have given themselves over(AT) to sensuality(AU) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off(AV) your old self,(AW) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;(AX) 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;(AY) 24 and to put on(AZ) the new self,(BA) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.(BB)

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully(BC) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.(BD) 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]:(BE) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.(BF) 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,(BG) doing something useful with their own hands,(BH) that they may have something to share with those in need.(BI)

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,(BJ) but only what is helpful for building others up(BK) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,(BL) with whom you were sealed(BM) for the day of redemption.(BN) 31 Get rid of(BO) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.(BP) 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,(BQ) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.(BR)

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 Or God
  2. Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
  3. Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth
  4. Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint)
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Ephesians 3
Ephesians 5
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