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Ephesians 4:1-16
New International Version

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoner(A) for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy(B) of the calling(C) you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another(D) in love.(E) 3 Make every effort to keep the unity(F) of the Spirit through the bond of peace.(G) 4 There is one body(H) and one Spirit,(I) just as you were called to one hope when you were called(J); 5 one Lord,(K) one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all,(L) who is over all and through all and in all.(M)

7 But to each one of us(N) grace(O) has been given(P) as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives(Q)
    and gave gifts to his people.”[b](R)

9 (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.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 Or God
  2. Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
  3. Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth
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Ephesians 4:1-16
King James Version

4 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

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Ephesians 4:1-16
New King James Version

Walk in Unity

4 I, therefore, the prisoner [a]of the Lord, [b]beseech you to (A)walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit (B)in the bond of peace. 4 (C)There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 (D)one Lord, (E)one faith, (F)one baptism; 6 (G)one God and Father of all, who is above all, and (H)through all, and in [c]you all.

Spiritual Gifts

7 But (I)to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says:

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

9 (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.

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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
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Ephesians 4:1-16
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,

(T)“When he ascended on high (U)he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”[a]

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.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
  2. Ephesians 4:9 Or the lower parts of the earth?
  3. Ephesians 4:11 Or pastors
  4. Ephesians 4:11 Or the shepherd-teachers
  5. Ephesians 4:13 Greek to a full-grown man
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Ephesians 4:1-16
New American Standard Bible

Unity of the Spirit

4 Therefore I, (A)the prisoner of the Lord, (B)urge you to (C)walk in a manner worthy of the (D)calling with which you have been (E)called, 2 with all (F)humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another (G)in love, 3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the (H)bond of peace. 4 There is (I)one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one (J)hope of your calling; 5 (K)one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all (L)who is over all and through all and in all.

7 But (M)to each one of us (N)grace was given (O)according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore [a]it says,

“(P)When He ascended on high,
He (Q)led captive the captives,
And He gave gifts to people.”

9 (Now this expression, “He (R)ascended,” what [b]does it mean except that He also [c]had descended into (S)the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended (T)far above all the heavens, so that He might (U)fill all things.) 11 And He (V)gave (W)some as apostles, some as prophets, some as (X)evangelists, some as [d]pastors and (Y)teachers, 12 (Z)for the equipping of the [e]saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of (AA)the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to (AB)the unity of the faith, and of the [f](AC)knowledge of the Son of God, to a (AD)mature man, to the measure of the stature [g]which belongs to the (AE)fullness of Christ. 14 [h]As a result, we are (AF)no longer to be children, (AG)tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by (AH)craftiness [i]in (AI)deceitful scheming; 15 but [j]speaking the truth (AJ)in love, [k]we are to (AK)grow up in all aspects into Him who is the (AL)head, that is, Christ, 16 from whom (AM)the whole body, being fitted and held together [l]by what every joint supplies, according to the [m]proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself (AN)in love.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 Or He
  2. Ephesians 4:9 Lit is it except
  3. Ephesians 4:9 One early ms had first descended
  4. Ephesians 4:11 From Gr for shepherds
  5. Ephesians 4:12 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  6. Ephesians 4:13 Or true knowledge
  7. Ephesians 4:13 Lit of the fullness
  8. Ephesians 4:14 Lit So that we will no longer be
  9. Ephesians 4:14 Lit with regard to the scheming of deceit
  10. Ephesians 4:15 Or holding to; or being truthful in
  11. Ephesians 4:15 Or let’s grow up
  12. Ephesians 4:16 Lit through every joint of the supply
  13. Ephesians 4:16 Lit working in measure
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Ephesians 3
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