Ephesians 4

1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,

So then, as the prisoner in the Lord I urge 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,

with all humility and courtesy, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

3 being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

taking pains to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of the peace.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling,

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,

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all.

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all.

7 But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Now to each one of us the grace according to the measure of Christ's gift was given.

8 Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.”

That is why He says, “When He ascended into the heights He captured the concentration camp, and distributed gifts to men.”

9 Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

(What does ‘He ascended’ imply if not that He also first descended into the interior regions of the earth?

10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

He who descended is the very 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, shepherds and teachers;

Yes, He Himself gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

12 for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,

for the equipping of the saints into the work of the ministry, so as 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, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

until we all attain into the unity of the faith and of the real knowledge of the Son of God, into a complete man, into the resulting full stature 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;

so that we no longer be ‘infants’, tossed about as by waves and carried off by every doctrinal fad, through the underhanded dealings of the people who collect the fee for the error;

15 but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ,

rather, speaking the truth in love, let us in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, the 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.

from whom the whole body, being fitted and knit together by what every joint supplies, as each individual part does its work, promotes its own growth, its own edification, 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,

So then, I affirm and insist on this in the Lord: you must no longer carry on as the rest of the Gentiles do, 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.

having been darkened in their understanding, being alienated [as a continuing condition] from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts,

19 They, having become callous, gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

who, having become dead to hope, have abandoned themselves to depravity, greedily indulging in every kind of vileness.

20 But you didn’t learn Christ that way,

Now that is not how you ‘learned Christ’—

21 if indeed you heard him and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:

if indeed you have heard Him and been taught by Him (as the 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,

that you put away, concerning your former way of life, the old man (that keeps on being corrupted by the deceitful desires),

23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

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.

and put on the new man, created in the likeness of God, in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

Therefore, having put away falsehood, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.

26 “Be angry, and don’t sin.” Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath,

‘Be angry but do not sin’; do not let the sun set on your angry mood,

27 and don’t give place to the devil.

nor give an opportunity to the devil.

28 Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.

The one who steals must steal no longer, but rather let him work, doing something good with his hands, that he may have something to share with someone in need.

29 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Let no evil word proceed from your mouth, but only what is good for edification, as needed, that it may impart grace to those who hear.

30 Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with 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.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and slander be removed from you, with all malice.

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

Rather, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as in Christ God forgave you.