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Therefore I bound for the Lord beseech you, that ye walk worthily in the calling, in which ye be called,

with all meekness and mildness, with patience supporting each other in charity [with patience supporting, or up-bearing, together in charity],

busy to keep unity of Spirit in the bond of peace.

One body and one Spirit, as ye be called in one hope of your calling;

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God and Father of all, which is above all men, and by all things, and in us all.

But to each of us grace is given by the measure of the giving of Christ [after the measure of the giving of Christ];

for which thing he saith, He ascending on high, led captivity captive, he gave gifts to men.

But what is it, that he ascended up, no but that also he came down first into the lower parts of the earth? [Forsooth that he ascended, what is it, no but for he descended first into the lower parts of the earth?]

10 He it is that came down, and that ascended [up] on all heavens, that he should fill all things.

11 And he gave some apostles, some prophets, others evangelists, others shepherds and teachers,

12 to the full ending of saints, into the work of ministry, into [the] edification of Christ's body,

13 till we run all, into unity of faith and of knowing of God's Son, into a perfect man, after the measure of the age of the plenty of Christ; [till we run all, in unity of faith and of knowing of God's Son, into a perfect man, into the measure of age of the plenty of Christ;]

14 that we be not now little children, moving as waves, and be not borne about with each wind of teaching [and be borne about with all wind of teaching], in the waywardness of men, in subtle wit, to the deceiving of error.

15 But do we truth in charity, and wax in him by all things, that is Christ our head; [Forsooth we doing truth in charity, wax in him by all things, that is Christ the head;]

16 of whom all the body set together, and bound together by each jointure of under-serving, by working into the measure of each member [after working into the measure of each member], maketh increasing of the body, into [the] edification of itself in charity.

17 Therefore I say and witness this thing in the Lord [Therefore this thing I say, and witness in the Lord], that ye walk not now, as heathen men walk, in the vanity of their wit;

18 that have understanding darkened with darknesses [having their understanding darkened], and be aliened from the life of God, by ignorance that is in them, for the blindness of their heart.

19 Which despairing betook themselves to unchastity, into the working of all uncleanness in covetousness.

20 But ye have not so learned Christ,

21 if nevertheless ye heard him, and be taught in him, as is truth in Jesus.

22 Do ye away by the old living the old man, that is corrupt by the desires of error; [Do ye away after the first living the old man, that is corrupt after the desires of error;]

23 and be ye renewed in the spirit of your soul;[a]

24 and clothe ye the new man, which is made after God in rightwiseness and holiness of truth. [and clothe ye the new man, which after God is made of nought in rightwiseness and holiness of truth.]

25 For which thing put ye away lying, and speak ye truth each man with his neighbour, for we be members each to other. [For which thing putting away lying, speak truth each man with his neighbour, for we be members together.]

26 Be ye wroth, and do not do sin; the sun fall not down on your wrath [the sun fall not down upon your wrath].

27 Do not ye give stead to the devil.

28 He that stole, now steal he not; but more rather travail he in working with his hands that that is good, that he have whereof he shall give to the needy. [He that stole, now steal not; but more travail he in working with his hands that that is good thing, that he have whereof he shall give to a man suffering need.]

29 Each evil word go not out of your mouth; but if any is good to the edification of faith, that it give grace to men that hear [that it give grace to men hearing].

30 And do not ye make the Holy Ghost of God sorry [And do not ye make the Holy Ghost of God sorry, or heavy], in which ye be marked in the day of redemption.

31 All bitterness, and wrath, and indignation, and cry, and blasphemy be taken away from you, with all malice;

32 and be ye together benign [forsooth be ye together benign, or of good will], merciful, forgiving together, as also God forgave to you in Christ.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:23 forsooth be ye renewed, or made new again, by the spirit of your mind;

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

As a prisoner(A) for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy(B) of the calling(C) you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another(D) in love.(E) Make every effort to keep the unity(F) of the Spirit through the bond of peace.(G) There is one body(H) and one Spirit,(I) just as you were called to one hope when you were called(J); one Lord,(K) one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all,(L) who is over all and through all and in all.(M)

But to each one of us(N) grace(O) has been given(P) as Christ apportioned it. This is why it[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives(Q)
    and gave gifts to his people.”[b](R)

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended(S) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)(T) 11 So Christ himself gave(U) the apostles,(V) the prophets,(W) the evangelists,(X) the pastors and teachers,(Y) 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ(Z) may be built up(AA) 13 until we all reach unity(AB) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God(AC) and become mature,(AD) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.(AE)

14 Then we will no longer be infants,(AF) tossed back and forth by the waves,(AG) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.(AH) 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love,(AI) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,(AJ) that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows(AK) and builds itself up(AL) in love,(AM) as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer(AN) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.(AO) 18 They are darkened in their understanding(AP) and separated from the life of God(AQ) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.(AR) 19 Having lost all sensitivity,(AS) they have given themselves over(AT) to sensuality(AU) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off(AV) your old self,(AW) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;(AX) 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;(AY) 24 and to put on(AZ) the new self,(BA) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.(BB)

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully(BC) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.(BD) 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]:(BE) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.(BF) 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,(BG) doing something useful with their own hands,(BH) that they may have something to share with those in need.(BI)

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,(BJ) but only what is helpful for building others up(BK) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,(BL) with whom you were sealed(BM) for the day of redemption.(BN) 31 Get rid of(BO) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.(BP) 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,(BQ) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.(BR)

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 Or God
  2. Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
  3. Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth
  4. Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint)