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, the
grace was 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 people.”
9 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, shepherds
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 They, having
become callous, gave themselves
up to lust, to
work all uncleanness
with greediness.
20 But
you didn’t 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.”
Don’t let the
sun go down
on your wrath,
27 and don’t
give place
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.
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.
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, tender hearted,
forgiving each
other, just as
God also in
Christ forgave you.