New King James Version
Ephesians 4:1
1I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
Ephesians 4:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
- New International Version (NIV)As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
- New Living Translation (NLT)Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
Context of Ephesians 4:1
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Read all of Ephesians 4Ephesians 4:1 word by word
Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμιος ἐν κυρίῳ ἀξίως περιπατῆσαι τῆς κλήσεως ἧς ἐκλήθητε,Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- the prisonerὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the prisonerδέσμιοςdesmios · prisonerG1198
- ofἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- beseechπαρακαλέωparakaleō · to plead/comfortG3870
- youσύsu · youG4771
- that ye walkπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
- worthyἀξίωςaxiōs · appropriatelyG516
- of the vocationκλῆσιςklēsis · callingG2821
- wherewithὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- ye are calledκαλέωkaleō · to call: callG2564
Cross-references for Ephesians 4:1
- Ephesians 3:1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—
- Jeremiah 38:20But Jeremiah said, “They shall not deliver you. Please, obey the voice of the Lord which I speak to you. So it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.
- Romans 12:1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
- 1 Corinthians 4:16Therefore I urge you, imitate me.
- 2 Corinthians 5:20Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
- 2 Corinthians 6:1We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
- 2 Corinthians 10:1Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.
- Galatians 4:12Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all.
- Philemon 1:9yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ—
- 1 Peter 2:11Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
- 2 John 1:5And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
- Ephesians 4:17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
- Ephesians 5:2And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
- Genesis 5:24And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
- Genesis 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.
- Acts 9:31Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
Commentaries on Ephesians 4:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1I therefore - Therefore, because God has provided for you such an abundant salvation, and ye have his testimonies among you, and have full liberty to use all the means of grace; The prisoner of the Lord - Who am deprived of my liberty for the Lord's sake. Beseech you that ye walk - Ye have your liberty, and may walk; I am deprived of mine, and cannot. This is a fine stroke, and wrought up into a strong argument. You who are at large can show forth the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1I, therefore - In view of the great and glorious truths which God has revealed, and of the grace which he has manifested toward you who are Gentiles. See the previous chapters. The sense of the word “therefore” - ̓͂ oun- in this place, is, “Such being your exalted privileges; since God has done so much for you; since he has revealed for you such a glorious system; since he has bestowed on you the honor of calling you into his kingdom, and making you…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Exhortations to mutual forbearance and union. (1-6) To a due use of spiritual gifts and graces. (7-16) To purity and holiness. (17-24) And to take heed of the sins practised among the heathen. (25-32) Verses 1-6 Nothing is pressed more earnestly in the Scriptures, than to walk as becomes those called to Christ's kingdom and glory. By lowliness, understand humility, which is opposed to pride. By meekness, that excellent disposition of soul, which makes men…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1then: Ephesians divides into two sections: The first explains the good news about Jesus (the gospel). The second describes how Christians should live. This division reflects Paul's belief about the Christian life. He believed that how Christians live should be a response of gratitude for what God has already done for them through Christ.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-321. Translate, according to the Greek order, "I beseech you, therefore (seeing that such is your calling of grace, the first through third chapters) I the prisoner in the Lord (that is, imprisoned in the Lord's cause)." What the world counted ignominy, he counts the highest honor, and he glories in his bonds for Christ, more than a king in his diadem [Theodoret]. His bonds, too, are an argument which should enforce his exhortation. vocation--Translate…Read the comment
Topics related to Ephesians 4:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ephesians 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries