Ephesians 4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Unity in the Body of Christ
4 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,(A) 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,(B) 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: 4 there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,(C) 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.[a]
7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.(D) 8 Therefore it is said,
9 (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended[c] into the lower parts of the earth?[d] 10 He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11 He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers(F) 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,(G) 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity,[e] to the measure of the full stature of Christ.(H) 14 We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming;(I) 15 but speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,(J) 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
The Old Life and the New
17 Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer walk as the[f] gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds;(K) 18 they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart.(L) 19 They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 That is not the way you learned Christ! 21 For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, 22 to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts,(M) 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.(N)
Rules for the New Life
25 So then, putting away falsehood, let each of you speak the truth with your neighbor, for we are members of one another.(O) 26 Be angry but do not sin;[g] do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not make room for the devil. 28 Those who steal must give up stealing; rather, let them labor, doing good work with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. 29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths but only what is good for building up,[h] as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption.(P) 31 Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice.(Q) 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.[i](R)
Footnotes
- 4.6 Other ancient authorities read in us all
- 4.8 Or he led captive a host of captives
- 4.9 Other ancient authorities add first
- 4.9 Or parts, to the earth
- 4.13 Gk to a mature man
- 4.17 Other ancient authorities add other
- 4.26 Or If you are angry, do not sin
- 4.29 Other ancient authorities read building up faith
- 4.32 Other ancient authorities read us
Ephesians 4
English Standard Version
Unity in the Body of Christ
4 I therefore, (A)a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to (B)walk in a manner worthy of (C)the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all (D)humility and (E)gentleness, with (F)patience, (G)bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in (H)the bond of peace. 4 There is (I)one body and (J)one Spirit—just as you were called to the one (K)hope that belongs to your call— 5 (L)one Lord, (M)one faith, (N)one baptism, 6 (O)one God and Father of all, (P)who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But (Q)grace was given (R)to each one of us (S)according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,
9 ((V)In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into (W)the lower regions, the earth?[b] 10 He who descended is the one who also (X)ascended (Y)far above all the heavens, that he might (Z)fill all things.) 11 And (AA)he gave the (AB)apostles, the prophets, the (AC)evangelists, the (AD)shepherds[c] and teachers,[d] 12 (AE)to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for (AF)building up (AG)the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to (AH)the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, (AI)to mature manhood,[e] to the measure of the stature of (AJ)the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, (AK)tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in (AL)deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, (AM)speaking the truth in love, we are to (AN)grow up in every way into him who is (AO)the head, into Christ, 16 (AP)from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, (AQ)when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
The New Life
17 Now this I say and (AR)testify in the Lord, (AS)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, (AT)in the futility of their minds. 18 They (AU)are darkened in their understanding, (AV)alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to (AW)their hardness of heart. 19 They (AX)have become callous and (AY)have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you (AZ)learned Christ!— 21 assuming that (BA)you have heard about him and (BB)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to (BC)put off (BD)your old self,[f] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through (BE)deceitful desires, 23 and (BF)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on (BG)the new self, (BH)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you (BI)speak the truth with his neighbor, for (BJ)we are members one of another. 26 (BK)Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and (BL)give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather (BM)let him labor, (BN)doing honest work with his own hands, so (BO)that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 (BP)Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give (BQ)grace to those who hear. 30 And (BR)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, (BS)by whom you were sealed for the day of (BT)redemption. 31 (BU)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 (BV)Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, (BW)forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 4:8 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
- Ephesians 4:9 Or the lower parts of the earth?
- Ephesians 4:11 Or pastors
- Ephesians 4:11 Or the shepherd-teachers
- Ephesians 4:13 Greek to a full-grown man
- Ephesians 4:22 Greek man; also verse 24
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
