New Living Translation
Ephesians 4:1
1Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
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 King James Version (NKJV)I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
Context of Ephesians 4:1
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. 2Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with 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 3:1When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . .
- Jeremiah 38:20Jeremiah replied, “You won’t be handed over to them if you choose to obey the Lord. Your life will be spared, and all will go well for you.
- Romans 12:1And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
- 1 Corinthians 4:16So I urge you to imitate me.
- 2 Corinthians 5:20So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
- 2 Corinthians 6:1As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it.
- 2 Corinthians 10:1Now I, Paul, appeal to you with the gentleness and kindness of Christ—though I realize you think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away.
- Galatians 4:12Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws. You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you.
- Philemon 1:9But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.
- 1 Peter 2:11Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
- 2 John 1:5I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning.
- Ephesians 4:17With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.
- Ephesians 5:2Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
- Genesis 5:24walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.
- Genesis 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.
- Acts 9:31The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.
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
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