Ephesians 4-6 (Contemporary English Version)

Ephesians 4

Unity with Christ

 ¹As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own. ²Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. ³Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. ⁴All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people. ⁵We have only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. ⁶There is one God who is the Father of all people. Not only is God above all others, but he works by using all of us, and he lives in all of us.

    ⁷Christ has generously divided out his gifts to us. ⁸As the Scriptures say,

   "When he went up

   to the highest place,

   he led away many prisoners

   and gave gifts to people."

    ⁹When it says, "he went up," it means that Christ had been deep in the earth. ¹⁰This also means that the one who went deep into the earth is the same one who went into the highest heaven, so that he would fill the whole universe.

    ¹¹Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, ¹²so that his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. ¹³This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him. ^{[a] 14}We must stop acting like children. We must not let deceitful people trick us by their false teachings, which are like winds that toss us around from place to place. ¹⁵Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head ¹⁶of the body. Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.

   

The Old Life and the New Life

 ¹⁷As a follower of the Lord, I order you to stop living like stupid, godless people. ¹⁸Their minds are in the dark, and they are stubborn and ignorant and have missed out on the life that comes from God. They no longer have any feelings about what is right, ¹⁹and they are so greedy that they do all kinds of indecent things.

    ^20-21But that isn't what you were taught about Jesus Christ. He is the truth, and you heard about him and learned about him. ²²You were told that your foolish desires will destroy you and that you must give up your old way of life with all its bad habits. ²³Let the Spirit change your way of thinking ²⁴and make you into a new person. You were created to be like God, and so you must please him and be truly holy.

   

Rules for the New Life

 ²⁵We are part of the same body. Stop lying and start telling each other the truth. ²⁶Don't get so angry that you sin. Don't go to bed angry ²⁷and don't give the devil a chance.

    ²⁸If you are a thief, quit stealing. Be honest and work hard, so you will have something to give to people in need.

    ²⁹Stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say.

    ³⁰Don't make God's Spirit sad. The Spirit makes you sure that someday you will be free from your sins.

    ³¹Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don't yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude. ³²Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ.

   

Ephesians 5

 ¹Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children. ²Let love be your guide. Christ loved us ^[b] and offered his life for us as a sacrifice that pleases God. ³You are God's people, so don't let it be said that any of you are immoral or indecent or greedy. ⁴Don't use dirty or foolish or filthy words. Instead, say how thankful you are. ⁵Being greedy, indecent, or immoral is just another way of worshiping idols. You can be sure that people who behave in this way will never be part of the kingdom that belongs to Christ and to God.

   

Living as People of Light

 ⁶Don't let anyone trick you with foolish talk. God punishes everyone who disobeys him and says ^[c] foolish things. ⁷So don't have anything to do with anyone like that. ⁸You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light ⁹and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, ¹⁰as you try to please the Lord. ¹¹Don't take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Instead, show how wrong they are. ¹²It is disgusting even to talk about what is done in the dark. ¹³But the light will show what these things are really like. ¹⁴Light shows up everything, ^[d] just as the Scriptures say, "Wake up from your sleep

   and rise from death.

   Then Christ will shine on you."

    ¹⁵Act like people with good sense and not like fools. ¹⁶These are evil times, so make every minute count. ¹⁷Don't be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do. ¹⁸Don't destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life. ¹⁹When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart. ²⁰Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything.

   

Wives and Husbands

 ²¹Honor Christ and put others first. ²²A wife should put her husband first, as she does the Lord. ²³A husband is the head of his wife, as Christ is the head and the Savior of the church, which is his own body. ²⁴Wives should always put their husbands first, as the church puts Christ first.

    ²⁵A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. ²⁶He made the church holy by the power of his word, and he made it pure by washing it with water. ²⁷Christ did this, so that he would have a glorious and holy church, without faults or spots or wrinkles or any other flaws.

    ²⁸In the same way, a husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself. A husband who loves his wife shows that he loves himself. ²⁹None of us hate our own bodies. We provide for them and take good care of them, just as Christ does for the church, ³⁰because we are each part of his body. ³¹As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother to get married, and he becomes like one person with his wife." ³²This is a great mystery, but I understand it to mean Christ and his church. ³³So each husband should love his wife as much as he loves himself, and each wife should respect her husband.

   

Ephesians 6

Children and Parents

 ¹Children, you belong to the Lord, and you do the right thing when you obey your parents. The first commandment with a promise says, ²"Obey your father and your mother, ³and you will have a long and happy life."

    ⁴Parents, don't be hard on your children. Raise them properly. Teach them and instruct them about the Lord.

   

Slaves and Masters

 ⁵Slaves, you must obey your earthly masters. Show them great respect and be as loyal to them as you are to Christ. ⁶Try to please them at all times, and not just when you think they are watching. You are slaves of Christ, so with your whole heart you must do what God wants you to do. ⁷Gladly serve your masters, as though they were the Lord himself, and not simply people. ⁸You know that you will be rewarded for any good things you do, whether you are slaves or free.

    ⁹Slave owners, you must treat your slaves with this same respect. Don't threaten them. They have the same Master in heaven that you do, and he doesn't have any favorites.

   

The Fight against Evil

 ¹⁰Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. ¹¹Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil's tricks. ¹²We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. ¹³So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day ^[e] comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. ¹⁵Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. ¹⁶Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit.

    ¹⁸Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. ¹⁹Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may fearlessly explain the mystery about the good news. ²⁰I was sent to do this work, and that's the reason I am in jail. So pray that I will be brave and will speak as I should.

   

Final Greetings

 ^21-22I want you to know how I am getting along and what I am doing. That's why I am sending Tychicus to you. He is a dear friend, as well as a faithful servant of the Lord. He will tell you how I am doing, and he will cheer you up.

    ²³I pray that God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will give peace, love, and faith to every follower! ²⁴May God be kind to everyone who keeps on loving our Lord Jesus Christ.