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Ephesians 4:17-5:20
New International Version
Ephesians 4:17-5:20
New International Version
Instructions for Christian Living
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer(A) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.(B) 18 They are darkened in their understanding(C) and separated from the life of God(D) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.(E) 19 Having lost all sensitivity,(F) they have given themselves over(G) to sensuality(H) 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(I) your old self,(J) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;(K) 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;(L) 24 and to put on(M) the new self,(N) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.(O)
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully(P) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.(Q) 26 “In your anger do not sin”[a]:(R) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.(S) 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,(T) doing something useful with their own hands,(U) that they may have something to share with those in need.(V)
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,(W) but only what is helpful for building others up(X) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,(Y) with whom you were sealed(Z) for the day of redemption.(AA) 31 Get rid of(AB) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.(AC) 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,(AD) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.(AE) 5 1 Follow God’s example,(AF) therefore, as dearly loved children(AG) 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us(AH) and gave himself up for us(AI) as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.(AJ)
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,(AK) or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,(AL) because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk(AM) or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.(AN) 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater(AO)—has any inheritance(AP) in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[b](AQ) 6 Let no one deceive you(AR) with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath(AS) comes on those who are disobedient.(AT) 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once(AU) darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light(AV) 9 (for the fruit(AW) of the light consists in all goodness,(AX) righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.(AY) 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,(AZ) but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light(BA) becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
15 Be very careful, then, how you live(BE)—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity,(BF) because the days are evil.(BG) 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.(BH) 18 Do not get drunk on wine,(BI) which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,(BJ) 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.(BK) Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks(BL) to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint)
- Ephesians 5:5 Or kingdom of the Messiah and God
Ephesians 4:17-5:20
English Standard Version
Ephesians 4:17-5:20
English Standard Version
The New Life
17 Now this I say and (A)testify in the Lord, (B)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, (C)in the futility of their minds. 18 They (D)are darkened in their understanding, (E)alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to (F)their hardness of heart. 19 They (G)have become callous and (H)have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you (I)learned Christ!— 21 assuming that (J)you have heard about him and (K)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to (L)put off (M)your old self,[a] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through (N)deceitful desires, 23 and (O)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on (P)the new self, (Q)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you (R)speak the truth with his neighbor, for (S)we are members one of another. 26 (T)Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and (U)give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather (V)let him labor, (W)doing honest work with his own hands, so (X)that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 (Y)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 (Z)grace to those who hear. 30 And (AA)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, (AB)by whom you were sealed for the day of (AC)redemption. 31 (AD)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 (AE)Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, (AF)forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Walk in Love
5 (AG)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And (AH)walk in love, (AI)as Christ loved us and (AJ)gave himself up for us, a (AK)fragrant (AL)offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But (AM)sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness (AN)must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be (AO)no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, (AP)which are out of place, but instead (AQ)let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that (AR)everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ((AS)that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 (AT)Let no one (AU)deceive you with empty words, for because of these things (AV)the wrath of God comes upon (AW)the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore (AX)do not become partners with them; 8 for (AY)at one time you were (AZ)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. (BA)Walk as children of light 9 (for (BB)the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and (BC)try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 (BD)Take no part in the (BE)unfruitful (BF)works of darkness, but instead (BG)expose them. 12 For (BH)it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when (BI)anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
15 (BM)Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 (BN)making the best use of the time, because (BO)the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what (BP)the will of the Lord is. 18 And (BQ)do not get drunk with wine, for that is (BR)debauchery, but (BS)be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in (BT)psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 (BU)giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father (BV)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Footnotes
- Ephesians 4:22 Greek man; also verse 24
Ephesians 4:17-5:20
The Message
Ephesians 4:17-5:20
The Message
The Old Way Has to Go
17-19 And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They’ve refused for so long to deal with God that they’ve lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can’t think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.
20-24 But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
25 What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.
26-27 Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
28 Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can’t work.
29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
30 Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.
31-32 Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
Wake Up from Your Sleep
5 1-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
3-4 Don’t allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed. Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, those who follow Jesus have better uses for language than that. Don’t talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn’t fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect.
5 You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them—the usual variations on idolatry—will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God.
6-7 Don’t let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don’t even hang around people like that.
8-10 You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.
11-16 Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!
17 Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.
18-20 Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge drafts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:17-5:20
Contemporary English Version
Ephesians 4:17-5:20
Contemporary English Version
The Old Life and the New Life
17 As a follower of the Lord, I order you to stop living like stupid, godless people. 18 Their minds are in the dark, and they are stubborn and ignorant and have missed out on the life that comes from God. They no longer have any feelings about what is right, 19 and they are so greedy they do all kinds of indecent things.
20-21 But this isn't what you were taught about Jesus Christ. He is the truth, and you heard about him and learned about him. 22 (A) You were told that your foolish desires will destroy you and that you must give up your old way of life with all its bad habits. 23 Let the Spirit change your way of thinking 24 (B) and make you into a new person. You were created to be like God, and so you must please him and be truly holy.
Rules for the New Life
25 (C) We are part of the same body. Stop lying and start telling each other the truth. 26 (D) Don't get so angry that you sin. Don't go to bed angry 27 and don't give the devil a chance.
28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Be honest and work hard, so you will have something to give to people in need.
29 Stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say.
30 Don't make God's Spirit sad. The Spirit makes you sure that someday you will be free from your sins.
31 Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don't yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude. 32 (E) Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ.
5 Do as God does. After all, you are his dear children. 2 (F) Let love be your guide. Christ loved us[a] and offered his life for us as a sacrifice that pleases God.
3 You are God's people, so don't let it be said that any of you are immoral or indecent or greedy. 4 Don't use dirty or foolish or filthy words. Instead, say how thankful you are. 5 Being greedy, indecent, or immoral is just another way of worshiping idols. You can be sure people who behave in this way will never be part of the kingdom that belongs to Christ and to God.
Living as People of Light
6 Don't let anyone trick you with foolish talk. God punishes everyone who disobeys him and says[b] foolish things. 7 So don't have anything to do with anyone like that.
8 You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light 9 and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, 10 as you try to please the Lord. 11 Don't take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Instead, show how wrong they are. 12 It is disgusting even to talk about what is done in the dark. 13 But the light will show what these things are really like. 14 Light shows up everything,[c] just as the Scriptures say,
“Wake up from your sleep
and rise from death.
Then Christ will shine on you.”
15 Act like people with good sense and not like fools. 16 (G) These are evil times, so make every minute count. 17 Don't be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don't destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life. 19 (H) When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart. 20 Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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