Ephesians 4
Worldwide English (New Testament)
4 I am a prisoner who belongs to the Lord. I beg you, live the way people should live who have been called by God.
2 Do not be proud at all. Be very humble. Love one another and be patient with each other.
3 The Spirit has made you all one. Try to stay like that. May you be at peace with one another.
4 There is one body of Christ and one Spirit. When God called you, there was one hope before you in your calling.
5 There is one Lord, one way to believe, and one baptism.
6 There is one God and Father of us all. He is over all. He works through all. And he is living in us all.
7 But each one of us has received a blessing, whatever amount Christ has given to each one.
8 So then, the holy writings say, `When Christ went up to heaven he took those he had won with him. And he gave gifts to men.'
9 Now, what does `he went up' mean? Does it not mean that he also came down to the earth below?
10 The one who came down is the same one who went up higher than all the heavens. He did this so that he would be everywhere.
11 The gifts he gave are these: some are to be apostles; some prophets; some evangelists; some pastors and teachers.
12 These gifts are to make God's people better able to do their work for him and to make the body of Christ become stronger.
13 The gifts are given so that we will all believe the one way and all know the Son of God. They are given so that we will be really grown-up Christians, like Christ himself.
14 The body of Christ must grow so that we will no longer be like children. We are like children when we are pushed this way and that way. We change our minds every time people bring a different teaching. Some teachers teach the lies of men and fool people so that they believe wrong things.
15 We must say what is true and say it with love. In that way we will grow up in all things to be like Christ, who is the head of this body.
16 The whole body is joined and held together by every joint that it has. It is from Christ that the whole body grows as each different part does its work. It grows so that it becomes stronger in love.
17 Here then is what the Lord has told me to say. You must not live like the people who do not believe in God. They do not think clearly.
18 Their minds are dark. They are far away from God's life because they do not know the truth. They have no love in their hearts.
19 Nothing makes them ashamed anymore. They live a very bad life. They do every kind of wrong thing. And they always want to do it more.
20 That is not what you have learned from Christ!
21 You were taught by him, and Jesus has the truth!
22 Stop being the person you used to be in your old life. That person was bad because he wanted to do wrong things.
23 Have a new mind and heart.
24 Be a new person. That new person has been made like God. He does what is right and holy because he knows the truth.
25 So stop telling lies. Tell the truth to each other. We all are parts of the same body.
26 When you are angry, do not do anything wrong. And do not stay angry after the sun goes down.
27 Do not let the devil control you.
28 The person who used to steal must not steal now. But he must do some good work with his own hands. Then he will have something to give to the poor people.
29 Do not let any bad words come out of your mouth. But say good things that will help people. Then those who hear you will also be blessed by what you say.
30 Do nothing that makes the Holy Spirit feel sad. He is the mark God has put on you until the day you will belong to God altogether.
31 You must stop all hate, big and small anger, loud talk, saying wrong things about people, and all wanting to do wrong things to people.
32 Be kind to one another. Have a loving and understanding heart. Forgive one another because God has forgiven you for Christ's sake.
Ephesians 4
King James Version
4 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
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