Ephesians 4:8-5:14

New King James Version

⁸ Therefore He says:

^9 (B)(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also ^[a]first descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One ^(C)who ascended far above all the heavens, ^(D)that He might fill all things.)

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, ^(E)for the ^[b]edifying of ^(F)the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith ^(G)and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to ^(H)a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be ^(I)children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of ^(J)deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the ^(K)head—Christ— ^16 (L)from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The New Man

¹⁷ This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should ^(M)no longer walk as ^[c]the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, ¹⁸ having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the ^(N)blindness of their heart; ^19 (O)who, being past feeling, ^(P)have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

²⁰ But you have not so learned Christ, ²¹ if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² that you ^(Q)put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and ^(R)be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you ^(S)put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Do Not Grieve the Spirit

²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, ^(T)“Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for ^(U)we are members of one another. ^26 (V)“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ^27 (W)nor give ^[d]place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather ^(X)let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something ^(Y)to give him who has need. ^29 (Z)Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but ^(AA)what is good for necessary ^[e]edification, ^(AB)that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And ^(AC)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ^31 (AD)Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, ^[f]clamor, and ^(AE)evil speaking be put away from you, ^(AF)with all malice. ³² And ^(AG)be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ^(AH)forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Walk in Love

5 Therefore^(AI) be imitators of God as dear ^(AJ)children. ² And ^(AK)walk in love, ^(AL)as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God ^(AM)for a sweet-smelling aroma.

³ But fornication and all ^(AN)uncleanness or ^(AO)covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; ^4 (AP)neither filthiness, nor ^(AQ)foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, ^(AR)which are not fitting, but rather ^(AS)giving of thanks. ⁵ For ^[g]this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any ^(AT)inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be ^(AU)partakers with them.

Walk in Light

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are ^(AV)light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for ^(AW)the fruit of the ^[h]Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), ^10 (AX)finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. ¹¹ And have ^(AY)no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather ^[i]expose them. ^12 (AZ)For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But ^(BA)all things that are ^[j]exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. ¹⁴ Therefore He says: