Ephesians 4
Wycliffe Bible
4 Therefore I bound for the Lord beseech you, that ye walk worthily in the calling, in which ye be called,
2 with all meekness and mildness, with patience supporting each other in charity [with patience supporting, or up-bearing, together in charity],
3 busy to keep unity of Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 One body and one Spirit, as ye be called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all, which is above all men, and by all things, and in us all.
7 But to each of us grace is given by the measure of the giving of Christ [after the measure of the giving of Christ];
8 for which thing he saith, He ascending on high, led captivity captive, he gave gifts to men.
9 But what is it, that he ascended up, no but that also he came down first into the lower parts of the earth? [Forsooth that he ascended, what is it, no but for he descended first into the lower parts of the earth?]
10 He it is that came down, and that ascended [up] on all heavens, that he should fill all things.
11 And he gave some apostles, some prophets, others evangelists, others shepherds and teachers,
12 to the full ending of saints, into the work of ministry, into [the] edification of Christ's body,
13 till we run all, into unity of faith and of knowing of God's Son, into a perfect man, after the measure of the age of the plenty of Christ; [till we run all, in unity of faith and of knowing of God's Son, into a perfect man, into the measure of age of the plenty of Christ;]
14 that we be not now little children, moving as waves, and be not borne about with each wind of teaching [and be borne about with all wind of teaching], in the waywardness of men, in subtle wit, to the deceiving of error.
15 But do we truth in charity, and wax in him by all things, that is Christ our head; [Forsooth we doing truth in charity, wax in him by all things, that is Christ the head;]
16 of whom all the body set together, and bound together by each jointure of under-serving, by working into the measure of each member [after working into the measure of each member], maketh increasing of the body, into [the] edification of itself in charity.
17 Therefore I say and witness this thing in the Lord [Therefore this thing I say, and witness in the Lord], that ye walk not now, as heathen men walk, in the vanity of their wit;
18 that have understanding darkened with darknesses [having their understanding darkened], and be aliened from the life of God, by ignorance that is in them, for the blindness of their heart.
19 Which despairing betook themselves to unchastity, into the working of all uncleanness in covetousness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ,
21 if nevertheless ye heard him, and be taught in him, as is truth in Jesus.
22 Do ye away by the old living the old man, that is corrupt by the desires of error; [Do ye away after the first living the old man, that is corrupt after the desires of error;]
23 and be ye renewed in the spirit of your soul;[a]
24 and clothe ye the new man, which is made after God in rightwiseness and holiness of truth. [and clothe ye the new man, which after God is made of nought in rightwiseness and holiness of truth.]
25 For which thing put ye away lying, and speak ye truth each man with his neighbour, for we be members each to other. [For which thing putting away lying, speak truth each man with his neighbour, for we be members together.]
26 Be ye wroth, and do not do sin; the sun fall not down on your wrath [the sun fall not down upon your wrath].
27 Do not ye give stead to the devil.
28 He that stole, now steal he not; but more rather travail he in working with his hands that that is good, that he have whereof he shall give to the needy. [He that stole, now steal not; but more travail he in working with his hands that that is good thing, that he have whereof he shall give to a man suffering need.]
29 Each evil word go not out of your mouth; but if any is good to the edification of faith, that it give grace to men that hear [that it give grace to men hearing].
30 And do not ye make the Holy Ghost of God sorry [And do not ye make the Holy Ghost of God sorry, or heavy], in which ye be marked in the day of redemption.
31 All bitterness, and wrath, and indignation, and cry, and blasphemy be taken away from you, with all malice;
32 and be ye together benign [forsooth be ye together benign, or of good will], merciful, forgiving together, as also God forgave to you in Christ.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 4:23 forsooth be ye renewed, or made new again, by the spirit of your mind;
Ephesians 4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Unity and Diversity in the Body of Christ
4 Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord,(A) urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility(B) and gentleness, with patience,(C) accepting[a](D) one another in love,(E) 3 diligently keeping the unity(F) of the Spirit(G) with the peace(H) that binds us. 4 There is one body and one Spirit(I)—just as you were called to one hope[b](J) at your calling— 5 one Lord,(K) one faith,(L) one baptism, 6 one God(M) and Father(N) of all, who is above all and through all and in all.(O)
7 Now grace was given to each one of us(P) according to the measure of the Messiah’s gift. 8 For it says:
9 But what does “He ascended” mean except that He[e] descended to the lower parts of the earth?[f](S) 10 The One who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens,(T) that He might fill[g] all things.(U) 11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,(V) 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son,(W) growing into a mature man with a stature(X) measured by Christ’s fullness. 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching,(Y) by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head(Z)—Christ. 16 From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together(AA) by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth(AB) of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.
Living the New Life
17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity(AC) with a desire for more and more.[h]
20 But that is not how you learned about the Messiah, 21 assuming you heard about Him and were taught by Him, because the truth(AD) is in Jesus. 22 You took off[i](AE) your former way of life,(AF) the old self[j](AG) that is corrupted by deceitful desires; 23 you are being renewed[k] in the spirit(AH) of your minds; 24 you put on[l](AI) the new self, the one created(AJ) according to God’s likeness(AK) in righteousness and purity of the truth.
25 Since you put away(AL) lying, Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,(AM)[m] because we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin.(AN)[n] Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don’t give the Devil an opportunity. 28 The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share(AO) with anyone in need. 29 No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need,[o] so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit.(AP) You were sealed by Him[p] for the day of redemption.(AQ) 31 All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind(AR) and compassionate(AS) to one another, forgiving(AT) one another, just as God also forgave you[q] in Christ.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 4:2 Or tolerating
- Ephesians 4:4 Lit called in one hope
- Ephesians 4:8 Or He led the captives
- Ephesians 4:8 Ps 68:18
- Ephesians 4:9 Other mss add first
- Ephesians 4:9 Or the lower parts, namely, the earth
- Ephesians 4:10 Or fulfill; Eph 1:23
- Ephesians 4:19 Lit with greediness
- Ephesians 4:22 Or Jesus. This means: take off (as a command)
- Ephesians 4:22 Lit man; = a person before conversion
- Ephesians 4:23 Or desires; renew (as a command)
- Ephesians 4:24 Or minds; and put on (as a command)
- Ephesians 4:25 Zch 8:16
- Ephesians 4:26 Ps 4:4
- Ephesians 4:29 Lit for the building up of the need
- Ephesians 4:30 Or Spirit, by whom you were sealed
- Ephesians 4:32 Other mss read us
2001 by Terence P. Noble
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