Ê-phê-sô

Unity in the Body

1As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:

2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

3and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;

5one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8This is why it says: “When He ascended on high,He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.”

9What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descendedto the lower parts of the earth?

10He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.

11And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

12to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,

13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.

15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.

16From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.

New Life in Christ

17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

18They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts.

19Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.

20But this is not the way you came to know Christ.

21Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus—

22to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

23to be renewed in the spirit of your minds;

24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another.

26“Be angry, yet do not sin.”Do not let the sun set upon your anger,

27and do not give the devil a foothold.

28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.

29Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.

30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.

32Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

1I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called,

2With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity.

3Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4One body and one Spirit; as you are called in one hope of your calling.

5One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.

7But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ.

8Wherefore he saith: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men.

9Now that he ascended, what is it, but because he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10He that descended is the same also that ascended above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

11And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ;

14That henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive.

15But doing the truth in charity, we may in all things grow up in him who is the head, even Christ:

16From whom the whole body, being compacted and fitly joined together, by what every joint supplieth, according to the operation in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in charity.

17This then I say and testify in the Lord: That henceforward you walk not as also the Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind,

18Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts.

19Who despairing, have given themselves up to lasciviousness, unto the working of all uncleanness, unto the working of all uncleanness, unto covetousness.

20But you have not so learned Christ;

21If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus:

22To put off, according to former conversation, the old man, who is corrupted according to the desire of error.

23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind:

24And put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth.

25Wherefore putting away lying, speak; ye the truth every man with his neighbour; for we are members one of another.

26Be angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your anger.

27Give not place to the devil.

28He that stole, let him now steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him that suffereth need.

29Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth; but that which is good, to the edification of faith, that it may administer grace to the hearers.

30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God: whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31Let all bitterness, and anger, and indignation, and clamour, and blasphemy, be put away from you, with all malice.

32And be ye kind one to another; merciful, forgiving one another, even as God hath forgiven you in Christ.