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Unity in the Body of Christ

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”

(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.

The Old Life and the New

17 Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds; 18 they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart; 19 they have become callous and have given themselves up to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness. 20 You did not so learn Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus. 22 Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Rules for the New Life

25 Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need. 29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, 32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

I egō therefore oun, the ho prisoner desmios in en the Lord kyrios, exhort parakaleō you hymeis to lead a life peripateō worthy axiōs of the ho calling klēsis with which hos you were called kaleō, with meta all pas humility tapeinophrosynē and kai gentleness prautēs, with meta patience makrothumia, bearing with anechōmai one allēlōn another in en love agapē, making every effort spoudazō to preserve tēreō the ho unity henotēs of the ho Spirit pneuma by en the ho bond syndesmos of ho peace eirēnē. There is one heis body sōma and kai one heis Spirit pneuma, just as kathōs you also kai were called kaleō to en the one heis hope elpis of ho your hymeis calling klēsis; one heis Lord kyrios, one heis faith pistis, one heis baptism baptisma; one heis God theos and kai Father patēr of all pas, who ho is above epi all pas and kai through dia all pas and kai in en all pas.

But de to each hekastos one heis of us hēmeis grace charis was given didōmi · ho according kata to the ho measure metron of the ho gift dōrea of ho Christ Christos. Therefore dio it says legō, “ When he ascended anabainō on eis high hypsos he led aichmalōteuō a host of prisoners aichmalōsia captive ; he gave didōmi gifts doma to ho men anthrōpos.” Now de the ho expression “ he ascended anabainō,” what tis does eimi it imply except ei mē that hoti he also kai descended katabainō to eis the ho lower katōteros regions meros, to the ho earth ? 10 He ho who descended katabainō is eimi himself autos the ho one who also kai ascended anabainō far above hyperanō all pas the ho heavens ouranos, so that hina he might fill plēroō · ho all pas things . 11 And kai it was he autos who gave didōmi the ho apostles apostolos, the ho · de prophets prophētēs, the ho · de evangelists euangelistēs, the ho · de pastors poimēn and kai teachers didaskalos, 12 to pros · ho equip katartismos the ho saints hagios for eis the work ergon of ministry diakonia, to eis build oikodomē up the ho body sōma of ho Christ Christos, 13 until mechri we all pas attain katantaō · ho to eis the ho unity henotēs of the ho faith pistis and kai of the ho knowledge epignōsis of the ho Son hyios of ho God theos, to eis mature teleios adulthood anēr, to eis the measure metron of the stature hēlikia of the ho fullness plērōma of ho Christ Christos, 14 so that hina we may no longer mēketi be eimi children nēpios, tossed klydōnizomai to and fro and kai blown peripherō about by every pas wind anemos of ho doctrine didaskalia, by en · ho human anthrōpos cunning kybeia, · ho by en craftiness panourgia in pros · ho deceitful planē scheming methodeia; · ho 15 but de, speaking the truth alētheuō in en love agapē, may grow auxanō up in every way pas into eis him autos · ho who hos is eimi the ho head kephalē, Christ Christos, 16 from ek whom hos the ho whole pas body sōma, joined synarmologeō and kai brought symbibazō together by dia every pas supporting epichorēgia ligament haphē, · ho according kata to the working energeia of en each hekastos individual heis part meros, makes poieō the ho body sōma · ho grow auxēsis so eis that it builds oikodomē itself heautou up in en love agapē.

17 Now oun this houtos I say legō and kai testify martyromai in en the Lord kyrios, that you hymeis are no longer mēketi to live peripateō as kathōs · kai the ho Gentiles ethnos live peripateō, in en the futility mataiotēs of ho their autos minds nous, 18 being eimi darkened skotoō in their ho understanding dianoia, separated apallotrioō from the ho life zōē of ho God theos because dia of the ho ignorance agnoia that ho is eimi in en them autos due dia to the ho hardening pōrōsis of ho their autos hearts kardia. 19 Having lost all feeling of shame apalgeō, they hostis have given themselves heautou over paradidōmi to ho debauchery aselgeia for eis the practice ergasia of every kind pas of impurity akatharsia with en covetousness pleonexia. 20 But de that is houtōs not ou the way houtōs you hymeis learned manthanō · ho Christ Christos!— 21 assuming ei ge that you have heard of akouō him autos and kai were taught didaskō in en him autos, as kathōs the truth alētheia is eimi in en · ho Jesus Iēsous. 22 Regarding kata your ho former proteros way of life anastrophē, you hymeis were taught to put away apotithēmi your ho old palaios self anthrōpos, which ho is being corrupted phtheirō and deluded apatē by kata its ho desires epithumia, · ho 23 and de to be renewed ananeoō in the ho spirit pneuma of ho your hymeis minds nous. 24 And kai to put on endyō the ho new kainos self anthrōpos, · ho created ktizō in kata God’ s theos likeness, in en the righteousness dikaiosynē and kai holiness hosiotēs that come from the ho truth alētheia.

25 Therefore dio put off apotithēmi · ho falsehood pseudos and let each one hekastos speak laleō the truth alētheia with meta · ho his autos neighbor plēsion, for hoti we are eimi members melos of one another allēlōn. 26 If you get angry orgizō, · kai do not sin hamartanō; do not allow the ho sun hēlios to go down epidyō on epi · ho your hymeis anger parorgismos 27 and mēde do not give didōmi an opportunity topos to the ho devil diabolos. 28 Let the ho thief kleptō no longer mēketi steal kleptō, but de rather mallon let him work hard kopiaō, doing ergazomai good agathos with ho his own idios hands cheir, · ho so that hina he may have echō something to share metadidōmi with the ho one in echō need chreia. 29 Let ekporeuomai no evil sapros talk pas logos come ekporeuomai out ek of · ho your hymeis mouth stoma, but alla only ei what tis is useful agathos for pros building oikodomē up , as the ho need chreia arises, that hina it may benefit didōmi those ho who hear akouō. 30 And kai do not grieve lypeō the ho Holy hagios Spirit pneuma · ho of ho God theos, in en whom hos you were sealed sphragizō for eis the day hēmera of redemption apolytrōsis. 31 Let all pas bitterness pikria and kai wrath thumos and kai anger orgē and kai clamor kraugē and kai slander blasphēmia be removed airō from apo you hymeis, along with syn all pas malice kakia. 32 Instead de, be ginomai kind chrēstos to eis one another allēlōn, tenderhearted eusplanchnos, forgiving charizomai one another heautou, just as kathōs · kai · ho God theos in en Christ Christos forgave charizomai you hymeis.