信徒同属一体

所以,我这为主被囚禁的劝你们,既然蒙了上帝的呼召,就要过与所蒙的呼召相称的生活。 凡事要谦虚、温柔、忍耐,用爱心互相宽容, 以和平彼此联结,竭力持守圣灵所赐的合一。 正如你们蒙召后有同一个盼望,你们同属一个身体,有同一位圣灵、 同一位主、同一个信仰、同一种洗礼、 同一位上帝,就是万物之父。祂超越万物,贯穿万物,且在万物之中。

然而,我们各人都是按照基督所赐的分量领受恩典。 因此圣经上说:

“祂升上高天时,
带着许多俘虏,
将恩赐赏给众人。”

既然说“升上”,岂不表示祂曾经降到地上吗? 10 降下的是祂,升到诸天之上的也是祂,祂充满万物。 11 祂赐恩让一些人做使徒,一些人做先知,一些人做传福音的,一些人做牧师和教师, 12 为要装备信徒,使他们各尽其职,建立基督的身体, 13 直到我们对上帝的儿子有一致的信仰和认识,逐渐成熟,达到基督那样完美的生命。 14 这样,我们就不再像小孩子,被各种异端邪说之风吹得飘来飘去,被人的阴谋诡计欺骗,随波逐流。 15 相反,我们说话要凭爱心坚持真理,在各方面都要追求长进,更像元首基督。 16 整个身体靠祂巧妙地结合在一起,筋骨相连,彼此供应,使各部位各尽其职,身体便渐渐长大,在爱中建立起来。

新人新生命

17 因此,我奉主的名郑重地劝告各位,不要再像不信的外族人一样过着心灵空虚的日子。 18 他们因为愚昧无知,顽固不化,理智受到蒙蔽,与上帝所赐的生命隔绝了。 19 他们丧尽天良,放纵情欲,沉溺于各种污秽的事。 20 但基督绝不是这样教导你们的。

21 如果你们听过祂的事,领受了祂的教诲,就是在祂里面的真理, 22 就应该与从前的生活方式一刀两断,脱去因私欲的迷惑而渐渐败坏的旧人, 23 洗心革面, 24 穿上照着上帝形象所造的新人。这新人有从真理而来的公义和圣洁。

25 所以不要再说谎,大家都要彼此说真话,因为我们都是一个身体的肢体。 26 不要因生气而犯罪,不要到日落时还怒气未消, 27 不要让魔鬼有机可乘。 28 从前偷窃的要改过自新,自食其力,做正当事,以便能够分给有需要的人。 29 污言秽语一句都不可出口,要随时随地说造就人的好话,使听的人得益处。 30 不要让上帝的圣灵担忧,你们已经盖上了圣灵的印记,将来必蒙救赎。 31 要从你们当中除掉一切的苦毒、恼恨、怒气、争吵、毁谤和邪恶。 32 总要以恩慈、怜悯的心彼此相待,要互相饶恕,正如上帝在基督里饶恕了你们一样。

Hunxa je yu Comam Espíritu Santo

Yuton Comam Jesucristo yuxinto preso wehan. Caw chiwaltojan teyet: cˈul cheyute heba inkˈanaˈan hacaˈ caw yehi, yuto caw awtebilexxa yu Comam Dios. Chewojab cheyute heba, cˈulchˈanojab cheyute hecˈul. Xahanojab cheyil heba, niman cheyute hecˈul teyin̈ hununex, ayojab henimancˈulal. Hunxan̈ehojab cheyute heba yu yip Comam Espíritu Santo, yuto haˈ Comam quexhunbancanoj, yanicanico akˈancˈulal texol. Hunxan̈e nimanile je tinan̈, yeb xin hunn̈epaxo Espíritu akˈbil jet cosunil. Huneˈn̈e tzet ayco yipo janma huneˈ bay awtebilon̈ yu Comam. Huneˈn̈e Comam Dios Jahawil, huneˈn̈e mac bay ayco janma; huneˈn̈epaxo mac yin̈ bay ah haˈ cowiˈ. Caw huneˈn̈echˈan Comam Dios, haˈ Mame yeco jin̈ cosunil. Haˈ caw yahawil yeco jin̈, haˈ chimunlaco jin̈, haˈ ayco jin̈ cosunil.

Wal xin, caw nananta comunil cochah yu Comam Jesucristo, hacaˈticˈa tzet yoche iscˈul Comam yakˈ jet. Yuxin chal yul Yum Comam Dios:

Yet isto Comam yul satcan̈, txˈiˈal ebnaj presowom yito Comam yintaj. Yakˈnipaxcano Comam iscˈulal tet anma, ẍiayoj.

¿Tzet chalilo huneˈ yet isto Comam tuˈ? Chaliloj tato babel beyayto Comam yul txˈotxˈ. 10 Haˈ Comam beyayto yul txˈotxˈ, haˈ Comam topaxo yul satcan̈ bay caw nahat yecanocan̈ yun̈e isnohilo sunil bayejtuˈwal yu yip.

11 Haˈ xin Comam anico ismunil hunun mac yul iskˈab, yuxin ay ebnaj ayco ischejabo Comam Jesucristo, ay ebnaj xin chihalni tzotiˈ chitit tet Comam Dios. Aypaxo ebnaj chihalnicˈo cuybanile yet colbanile, ay ebnaj xin chiijbali yin̈ macta ayxaco yul iskˈab Comam Dios, aypaxo xin ebnaj cuywawom yin̈ tzet choche iscˈul Comam.

12 Hac ton tiˈ xin yu con̈iswatxˈencanico yin̈ ismunil yun̈e ischˈib isnimanil Comam Jesucristo. Huneˈ isnimanil Comam tuˈ han̈on̈toni. 13 Yuxinto hunlahanxan̈e iscawxi cocˈul yin̈ Comam, yeb xin caw johtan̈elo Iscˈahol Comam Dios, hac tuˈ xin chiyu yikˈni yip conabal, cat istzujcha apno cotxumni hacaˈ isnabal Comam Jesucristo.

14 Hac tuˈ xin matxa lahanojon̈ yeb niẍte unin, caw yin̈ an̈e chishel isnabal. Matxa comono chíjato conabal yin̈ hunuxa nan cuybanile, yuto ay anma tiˈ caw helan yakˈni subchaho anma yin̈ hunuxa nan cuybanile, hacaˈ chiyu yinito jakˈekˈ hunu tzet ye tuˈ bayejtuˈwalil. 15 Walxinto haˈ isyelal wal jalni, yajaˈ yin̈ iscˈulchˈanil cocˈul. Hac tuˈ xin chu cochˈib yin̈ yet Comam Jesucristo, haxinwal lahanxan̈e chon̈elico yin̈ Comam, yuto haˈ Comam caw iswiˈehal yeco jin̈, yuto han̈on̈ tiˈ isnimanil Comam jehi. 16 Han̈on̈ con̈ isnimanil Comam tiˈ xin, caw hunxa je yu Comam. Kˈinalo hacaˈ conimanil tiˈ, caw yetbin̈e isba sunil yu cotxˈan̈al, caw xin cˈul yecano iswatxˈebanil hunun majan. Hac ton tuˈ xin je yu Comam Jesucristo, haˈ Comam chon̈akˈni chˈibo yin̈ sunil, cat colahnico coxahann̈en coba.

Huneˈ acˈ beybale yin̈ Comam Jesucristo

17 Caw xin chiwalan yeb chinkˈanan teyet yin̈ isbi Comam Jesús: caw matxa chexecˈ hacaˈ anma mach ohtan̈eho Comam Dios. Huntekˈan anma tuˈ, han̈cˈan̈e istxˈojal chiecˈ yin̈ isnabal, haˈ chiswatxˈe. 18 Caw xin kˈejholo yecanilo isnabal huntekˈan anma tuˈ. Caw mach chu ischahni huneˈ acˈ beybale chakˈ Comam Dios yuto mach yohtajo tzettaj iscˈulal chiswatxˈe Comam, yuto cawcano yanma. 19 Yuto lutˈbicanilo yanma ebnaj, yuxin yacanico isba yul iskˈab istxˈojal, matxaticˈa xin yanma ebnaj iswatxˈen sunil ismachiswalilal.

20 Wal hex tiˈ xin, mach haco tuˈ yu hecuywi yin̈ yet Comam Jesucristo. 21 Wal xin caw heyabe tzet hallax yin̈ Comam Jesucristo, hechahnicano hecuybanil caw yel yin̈ Comam. 22 Caw bejwecano huneˈ hebeybal ikˈbilticˈa heyu yet yalan̈tocanoj, huneˈ kˈaytzen̈exico yin̈ istxˈojal cheyoche.

23 Yilal hehelnicano heyanma yeb henabal, 24 cat heyoc heyikˈno huneˈ acˈ beybale watxˈebil hacaˈ choche Comam Dios, yun̈e heyecˈ yin̈ istoholal yeb yin̈ isyelal.

25 Yuxin tinan̈, caw matxaojab cheyaco lekˈtiˈal, han̈eojab isyelal cheyal teyet hununex, yuto caw huneˈxan̈echˈan nimanile je cosunil.

26 Tato ay bay cheyakˈ chiwaho hecˈul, machojab cheyaco hemul. Machojab xin cheyaco hehowal tuˈ yin̈ hecˈul yin̈ sunilbal tzˈayic. 27 Machojab cheyakˈ yub naj matzwalil.

28 Mac kˈaynaticˈa yelkˈawi, isbejabcano yelkˈawi cat yoc munil. Haˈ xin wal ay ismunil bay chicawxi iscˈul, cat iscolwapaxo yin̈ anma mebaˈ caw machi nichˈano tzet aya.

29 Machojab cheyal yajla abix, to haˈ tzotiˈ caw cˈul yoqui haˈ cheyala haxinwal chiswatxˈeco isnabal mac chiabeni, cat xin yakˈni iscˈulal tet mac chiˈaben tzet cheyal tuˈ. 30 Caw mach cheyaco biscˈulal yin̈ Comam Espíritu Santo ayxaco teyin̈ yu Comam Dios. Haˈ huneˈ tuˈ akˈbil teyet yu Comam yun̈e yoc yecheloj ta yetexxa Comam masanta yet chiapni istzˈayical bay chitzˈajna cocolbanil yu Comam.

31 Bejwecano ischiwa hecˈul, yeb istit hehowal, yeb hecajtzacan̈, yeb hepohli yin̈ heyet anmahil. Bejwepaxo hebahwahi yeb sunil tzettaj istxˈojal chewatxˈe. 32 Wal xin cˈulchˈanojab cheyute hecˈul, tzˈayojab hecˈul teyin̈ hununex. Cheyakˈnipaxo nimancˈulal teyin̈ hununex, hacaˈ yu yakˈni nimancˈulal Comam Dios yin̈ hemul yu Comam Jesucristo.

Walk in Unity

I, therefore, the prisoner [a]of the Lord, [b]beseech you to (A)walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit (B)in the bond of peace. (C)There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; (D)one Lord, (E)one faith, (F)one baptism; (G)one God and Father of all, who is above all, and (H)through all, and in [c]you all.

Spiritual Gifts

But (I)to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says:

(J)“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”

(K)(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also [d]first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One (L)who ascended far above all the heavens, (M)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, (N)for the [e]edifying of (O)the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith (P)and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to (Q)a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be (R)children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of (S)deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the (T)head—Christ— 16 (U)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 (V)no longer walk as [f]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 (W)blindness of their heart; 19 (X)who, being past feeling, (Y)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 (Z)put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and (AA)be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you (AB)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, (AC)Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for (AD)we are members of one another. 26 (AE)“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 (AF)nor give [g]place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather (AG)let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something (AH)to give him who has need. 29 (AI)Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but (AJ)what is good for necessary [h]edification, (AK)that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And (AL)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 (AM)Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, [i]clamor, and (AN)evil speaking be put away from you, (AO)with all malice. 32 And (AP)be kind to one another, tenderhearted, (AQ)forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:1 Lit. in
  2. Ephesians 4:1 exhort, encourage
  3. Ephesians 4:6 NU omits you; M us
  4. Ephesians 4:9 NU omits first
  5. Ephesians 4:12 building up
  6. Ephesians 4:17 NU omits the rest of
  7. Ephesians 4:27 an opportunity
  8. Ephesians 4:29 building up
  9. Ephesians 4:31 loud quarreling

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)