Ephesians 4

(Psalm 133:1–3; 1 Corinthians 1:10–17)

1As a prisonerG1198 inG1722 the LordG2962, thenG3767, IG1473 urgeG3870 youG4771 to walkG4043 in a manner worthyG516 of theG3588 callingG2821 you have receivedG3739G2564: 2withG3326 allG3956 humilityG5012 andG2532 gentlenessG4240, withG3326 patienceG3115, bearing withG430 one anotherG240 inG1722 loveG26, 3and with diligenceG4704 to preserveG5083 theG3588 unityG1775 of theG3588 SpiritG4151 throughG1722 theG3588 bondG4886 of peaceG1515.

4There is oneG1520 bodyG4983 andG2532 oneG1520 SpiritG4151, just asG2531G2532 you were calledG2564 toG1722 oneG1520 hopeG1680 when youG4771 were calledG2821; 5oneG1520 LordG2962, oneG1520 faithG4102, oneG1520 baptismG908; 6oneG1520 GodG2316 andG2532 FatherG3962 of allG3956, whoG3588 is overG1909 allG3956 andG2532 throughG1223 allG3956 andG2532 inG1722 allG3956.

7NowG1161 to eachG1538 oneG1520 of usG1473 graceG5485 has been givenG1325 according toG2596 theG3588 measureG3358 of theG3588 giftG1431 of ChristG5547. 8This is whyG1352 it saysG3004:1

9

WhatG5101 does “He ascendedG305” mean, exceptG1487G3361 thatG3754 He also descendedG2532G25973 toG1519 theG3588 lowerG2737 partsG3313 of theG3588 earthG1093? 10He whoG3588 descendedG2597 isG1510 the veryG2532G846 One who ascendedG305 aboveG5231 allG3956 theG3588 heavensG3772, in orderG2443 to fillG4137 all thingsG3956.

11AndG2532 it was He whoG846 gaveG1325 someG3588 to be apostlesG652, someG3588 to be prophetsG4396, someG3588 to be evangelistsG2099, andG1161 someG3588 to be pastorsG4166 andG2532 teachersG1320, 12to equipG4314G3588G2677 theG3588 saintsG40 forG1519 worksG2041 of ministryG1248 and to build upG3619 theG3588 bodyG4983 of ChristG5547, 13untilG3360 we all reachG3956G2658G1519 unityG1775 in theG3588 faithG4102 andG2532 in theG3588 knowledgeG1922 of theG3588 SonG5207 of GodG2316, as we matureG1519G435G5046 toG1519 theG3588 fullG4138 measureG3358 of the statureG2244 of ChristG5547.

14ThenG2443 we will no longerG3371 beG1510 infantsG3516, tossed about by the wavesG2831 andG2532 carried aroundG4064 by everyG3956 windG417 of teachingG1319 and byG1722 theG3588 cleverG1722G3834 cunningG2940 of menG444 inG4314 their deceitfulG3588G4106 schemingG3180. 15InsteadG1161, speaking the truthG226 inG1722 loveG26, we will inG3588 all thingsG3956 grow upG837 intoG1519 ChristG5547 HimselfG846, whoG3739 isG1510 theG3588 headG2776. 16FromG1537 Him theG3588 wholeG3956 bodyG4983, fittedG4883 andG2532 held togetherG4822 byG1223 everyG3956 supportingG3588G2024 ligamentG860, growsG838 and builds itself upG3619G1438 inG1722 loveG26 throughG2596 the workG1753 of eachG1722G3358G1538 individualG1520 partG3313.

New Life in Christ

(Colossians 3:1–17)

17SoG3767 I tellG3004 you thisG3778, andG2532 insistG3143 on it inG1722 the LordG2962, that you mustG4771 no longerG3371 walkG4043 asG2531 theG3588 GentilesG1484 doG4043, inG1722 the futilityG3153 ofG3588 theirG846 thinkingG3563. 18They are darkenedG4656 inG3588 their understandingG1271 and alienated fromG526 theG3588 lifeG2222 of GodG2316 because ofG1223 theG3588 ignoranceG52 that isG1510 inG1722 themG846 due toG1223 theG3588 hardnessG4457 ofG3588 theirG846 heartsG2588. 19Having lost all sense of shameG524, they have given themselves overG3860G1438 toG3588 sensualityG766 forG1519 the practiceG2039 of every kindG3956 of impurityG167, withG1722 a craving for moreG4124.

20ButG1161 this is not the wayG3779G3756 youG4771 came to knowG3129 ChristG5547. 21SurelyG1487G1065 you heard ofG191 HimG846 andG2532 were taughtG1321 inG1722 HimG846—in keeping withG2531 the truthG225 that isG1510 inG1722 JesusG2424— 22to put offG659 yourG4771 formerG4386 way of lifeG391, your oldG3820 selfG444, whichG3588 is being corruptedG5351 byG2596 its deceitfulG539 desiresG1939; 23to be renewedG365 in theG3588 spiritG4151 ofG3588 yourG4771 mindsG3563; 24andG2532 to put onG1746 theG3588 newG2537 selfG444, createdG2936 to be likeG2596 GodG2316 inG1722 trueG225 righteousnessG1343 andG2532 holinessG3742.

25ThereforeG1352 eachG1538 of you must put offG659 falsehoodG5579 and speakG2980 truthfullyG225 toG3326 hisG846 neighborG4139, forG3754 we are allG1510 membersG3196 of one anotherG240. 26“Be angryG3710, yetG2532 do notG3361 sinG264.”4 Do not letG3361 theG3588 sunG2246 setG1931 uponG1909 yourG4771 angerG3950, 27and do notG3366 giveG1325 theG3588 devilG1228 a footholdG5117.

28He whoG3588 has been stealingG2813 must stealG2813 no longerG3371, butG1161 must workG2872, doingG2038 goodG18 withG3588 his ownG2398 handsG5495, thatG2443 he may haveG2192 something to share withG3330 theG3588 one in needG5532.

29Let noG3361G3956 unwholesomeG4550 talkG3056 comeG1607 out ofG1537 yourG4771 mouthsG4750, butG235 onlyG1487 what isG5100 helpfulG18 forG4314 building upG3619 theG3588 one in needG5532 and bringingG1325 graceG5485 to thoseG3588 who listenG191.

30AndG2532 do notG3361 grieveG3076 theG3588 HolyG40 SpiritG4151 of GodG2316, inG1722 whomG3739 you were sealedG4972 forG1519 the dayG2250 of redemptionG629.

31Get rid ofG142G575G4771 allG3956 bitternessG4088, rageG2372 andG2532 angerG3709, outcryG2906 andG2532 slanderG988, along withG4862 every formG3956 of maliceG2549. 32BeG1096 kindG5543 and tenderheartedG2155 toG1519 one anotherG240, forgivingG5483 each otherG1438 justG2532 asG2531 inG1722 ChristG5547 GodG2316 forgaveG5483 youG4771.