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Umodzi Mʼthupi la Khristu

Ine monga wamʼndende chifukwa chotumikira Ambuye, ndikukulimbikitsani kuti mukhale moyo woyenera mayitanidwe amene munalandira. Mukhale odzichepetsa kwathunthu ndi ofatsa; mukhale oleza mtima, ololerana wina ndi mnzake mwachikondi. Muyesetse kusunga umodzi wa Mzimu; umodzi umene umatimangirira pamodzi mu mtendere. Pali thupi limodzi ndiponso Mzimu mmodzi, monganso pali chiyembekezo chimodzi chimene anakuyitanirani. Pali Ambuye mmodzi, chikhulupiriro chimodzi, ubatizo umodzi; Mulungu mmodzi ndi Atate a onse, ndipo ali mwa onse.

Koma aliyense wa ife wapatsidwa chisomo molingana ndi muyeso wa mphatso ya Khristu. Nʼchifukwa chake akunena kuti,

“Iye atakwera kumwamba,
    anatenga chigulu cha a mʼndende
    ndipo anapereka mphatso kwa anthu.”

Kodi mawu akuti, “Iye anakwera” akutanthauza chiyani, ngati Iyeyo sanatsikire kunsi kwa dziko lapansi? 10 Iye amene anatsika ndi yemweyo anakwera koposa mʼmayiko a kumwamba onse, ndi cholinga choti zinthu zonse zikhale zodzaza ndi Iye. 11 Iye ndiye amene anapereka mphatso kwa ena kuti akhale atumwi ndi ena aneneri, ena alaliki, ndi ena abusa ndi aphunzitsi. 12 Ntchito yawo ndi kukonza oyera mtima kuti agwire ntchito ya utumiki kuti thupi la Khristu lilimbikitsidwe. 13 Izi zidzatifikitsa tonse ku umodzi wachikhulupiriro, kumudziwa Mwana wa Mulungu, kukhwima msinkhu ndi kufika pa muyeso wangwiro weniweni wopezeka mwa Khristu.

14 Motero sitidzakhalanso makanda, ogwedezekagwedezeka ndi mafunde, otengekatengeka ndi mphepo iliyonse ya chiphunzitso ndi kuchenjera kwa anthu achinyengo amene amasocheretsa anthu ndi kuchenjera kwawo. 15 Mʼmalo mwake, poyankhula choonadi mwachikondi, tidzakula mu zinthu zonse ndi kukhala thupi la Khristu, amene ndi Mutu, omwe ndi mpingo. 16 Mwa Iye thupi lonse lalumikizidwa ndi kugwirana pamodzi ndi mitsempha yothandizira. Likukula ndi kudzilimbitsa lokha mwachikondi, pomwe chiwalo chilichonse chikugwira ntchito yake.

Malangizo pa Makhalidwe a Chikhristu

17 Tsono ine ndikukuwuzani izi, ndipo ndikunenetsa mwa Ambuye, kuti musayendenso monga amachitira anthu a mitundu ina potsata maganizo awo opanda pake. 18 Maganizo awo ndi odetsedwa, ndi osiyanitsidwa ndi moyo wa Mulungu chifukwa cha umbuli umene uli mwa iwo chifukwa cha kuwuma mtima kwawo. 19 Popeza sazindikiranso kanthu kalikonse, adzipereka okha kuti akhumbe zonyansa, kuti achite mtundu uliwonse wa zoyipa ndi zilakolako zosatha.

20 Koma inu simunadziwe Khristu mʼnjira yotere. 21 Zoonadi munamva za Iye ndipo munaphunzitsidwa mwa Iye molingana ndi choonadi chimene chili mwa Yesu. 22 Inu munaphunzitsidwa molingana ndi moyo wanu wakale, kuchotsa umunthu wakale, umene ukupitirira kuwonongeka ndi zilakolako zachinyengo; 23 kuti mukonzedwe mwatsopano mʼmitima mwanu; 24 ndi kuti muvale umunthu watsopano, wolengedwa kuti ufanane ndi Mulungu mu chilungamo chenicheni ndi chiyero.

25 Chifukwa chake, aliyense wa inu aleke kunama ndipo ayankhule zoona kwa mʼbale wake, pakuti ife tonse ndife ziwalo za thupi limodzi. 26 Kwiyani koma musachimwe. Dzuwa lisalowe mukanali chikwiyire. 27 Musamupatse mpata Satana. 28 Iye amene wakhala akuba asabenso, koma agwire ntchito ndi kuchita kenakake kaphindu ndi manja ake, kuti akhale ndi kenakake kogawana ndi amene akusowa.

29 Mʼkamwa mwanu musatuluke mawu aliwonse onyansa, koma okhawo amene ndi othandiza kulimbikitsa ena molingana ndi zosowa zawo, kuti athandize amene akawamve. 30 Ndipo musamvetse chisoni Mzimu Woyera wa Mulungu amene mwasindikizidwa naye chizindikiro cha tsiku la kuwomboledwa. 31 Chotsani kuzondana, ukali ndi kupsa mtima, chiwawa ndi kuyankhula zachipongwe, pamodzi ndi choyipa chilichonse. 32 Mukomerane mtima ndi kuchitirana chifundo wina ndi mnzake. Khululukiranani wina ndi mnzake, monga momwe Mulungu anakukhululukirani mwa Khristu.

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)