Ephesians 4

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

Therefore I, who am in prison because [I serve] the Lord [Jesus], urge you, whom God has chosen [to be his people, to do these things]: Conduct your lives as [God’s people] should.

2 with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

Always be humble, and do not demand your own rights. Be patient [with each other], and, because you love each other, endure each other’s ([irritating] behavior/behavior that you do not like).

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

[God’s] Spirit has caused you to be united [with one another], so do all that you can to remain united [with one another] by acting peacefully [toward each other].

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

[All we believers form just one group] [MET], and we have only one [Holy] Spirit. Similarly, you were chosen {[God] chose you} in order that you all might confidently keep expecting one [set of good] things [from God].

5 one Lord, one faith, one immersion,

There is only one Lord, [Jesus Christ]. We all believe the same [teaching about him. It was to show that we belong to him] alone that [we had someone] baptize us.

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

There is one God, who is the [spiritual] Father of all [us believers]. He [rules] over all his people; he enables all his people [to do powerful things] (OR, he sustains all his people); and his [Spirit lives] in all his people.

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

Christ has generously given to each one of us spiritual gifts, just like he decided to give them.

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

[When Christ gave] gifts to his people, [it was similar to what the Psalmist said about God receiving tribute money] from those whom he had conquered, When he ascended to heaven, he gave as gifts to people the things [that he had taken] from the people whom he captured:

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

The words ‘he ascended’ certainly imply/indicate [RHQ] that Christ had also previously descended to the earth.

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

Christ, who descended [to earth], is also the one who ascended to the most exalted position in heaven, in order that he might show his power [MTY] throughout the universe.

11 He gave some to be emissaries; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;

He appointed some people to be apostles. He appointed some people to be (prophets/ones who reveal messages that come directly from God). He appointed some people to be (evangelists/ones whose work is to tell others the message about Christ). He appointed some people to lead and teach [the congregations].

12 for the perfecting of the holy ones, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Messiah,

[He appointed all of these] in order that they would prepare God’s people to do [God’s] work, so that all the people who belong to Christ [MET] might become [spiritually] mature.

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 Messiah,

He wants all of us [believers] to be united [because] we all believe in the Son of God (OR, the man who was also God) and [because] we all know [him]. He wants us to become spiritually mature; that is, he wants us to be (perfect/all that God wants us to be), [just like] Christ was ([perfect/all that God wanted him to be]).

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;

Then we will no longer be [spiritually immature], like [MET] little children [are immature]. We will no longer be constantly [changing what we believe, like] [MET] waves of the sea are [constantly changing as the wind blows and] tosses them back and forth. We will not allow people who teach [what is false] and who scheme to deceive/influence us.

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

Instead, by loving [others] as we behave as [God’s] truth requires (OR, speak in a loving manner what is true), we will become more and more like Christ in every way. He is the one [who controls/guides all his people] [MET], [just like a person’s] head [controls/guides his] body.

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.

He [enables all those who belong to him to mature spiritually. A person’s body grows stronger, as] each part of the body is joined to the others by the ligaments and as each part (functions properly/works as it should). Similarly, believers will become mature [spiritually] by loving each other and by each of them doing the work [that God wants them to do] [MET].

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,

The Lord [Jesus] has authorized me to strongly tell you that you must no longer conduct your lives like unbelievers do. The futile/worthless way in which they think [MET] [controls how they conduct their lives].

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.

They are unable to think clearly [MET] [about what is right and what is wrong]. Because they have decided that they do not want to know about God and because they stubbornly [IDM] refuse to [listen to his message], they do not have the [eternal] life that God [gives us].

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

The result is that because they have ceased (to care/to be concerned) [about what is right and what is wrong], they have (deliberately committed themselves to doing/wholeheartedly decided to do) the shameful things that their bodies want, and they commit all kinds of immoral acts, and continually are eager to do more of those things.

20 But you didn’t learn Messiah that way,

But when you learned [about] Christ, you did not learn [to behave] like that.

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

I am sure that you heard the message about [Christ], and because you are people who have a close relationship with him, you were taught {[others] taught you} the true [way to live] that Jesus [showed us].

22 that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit,

[You were taught] {[They taught you]} that you must put aside [MET] your evil nature; [that is, that you must not behave like you formerly did]. Your evil desires deceived you, making you want to do evil things and causing you to think that [doing that was good for you]; and your thinking like that was destroying you [spiritually].

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

Others taught you that instead, you must let [God’s Spirit] change the way you think,

24 and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

and that you must start being [MET] the new persons that God made you to become. That is, your [behavior] must be righteous and truly/genuinely devout.

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

Therefore, quit lying to one another. Instead, because we all belong to just one group [of believers], speak truthfully to each other.

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

If you get angry, do not sin [as a result of] getting angry. Before the end of the day [MTY], stop being angry;

27 and don’t give place to the devil.

[by doing that], you will not allow the devil to make you do evil.

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

Those who have been stealing must not steal any longer. Instead, they should work hard to earn (their living/what they need) ([by] their own efforts/[by] what they do themselves) [MTY], in order that they may have [something] to give to those who are needy.

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.

Do not use [MTY] foul language. Instead, say only things that are useful for helping people when they need help, things that will help [spiritually] the people that you talk to.

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

[God has given you his] Spirit (to confirm/to assure you) that some day [God will claim all] you people [whom Christ has] redeemed [MET], [just like people confirm that something belongs to them by] putting their seal on it. So do not cause God’s Holy Spirit to be sad ([by the way you talk/by the things that you say]).

31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice.

Do not be resentful at all towards others. Do not become angry in any way. Never shout abusively at others. Never (slander/say bad things about) others. Never act maliciously/be mean in any way.

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

Be kind to one another. Act mercifully toward each other. Forgive each other, just like God forgave you because of [what] Christ [has done].