Ephesians 4

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. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another^(D) in love.^(E) ³Make every effort to keep the unity^(F) of the Spirit through the bond of peace.^(G) ⁴There is one body^(H) and one Spirit,^(I) just as you were called to one hope when you were called^(J); ⁵one Lord,^(K) one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all,^(L) who is over all and through all and in all.^(M)

⁷But to each one of us^(N) grace^(O) has been given^(P) as Christ apportioned it. ⁸This 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]? ¹⁰He who descended is the very one who ascended^(S) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)^(T) ¹¹So Christ himself gave^(U) the apostles,^(V) the prophets,^(W) the evangelists,^(X) the pastors and teachers,^(Y) ¹²to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^(Z) may be built up^(AA) ¹³until 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)

¹⁴Then 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) ¹⁵Instead, 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. ¹⁶From 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.

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer^(AN) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.^(AO) ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding^(AP) and separated from the life of God^(AQ) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.^(AR) ¹⁹Having lost all sensitivity,^(AS) they have given themselves over^(AT) to sensuality^(AU) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

²⁰That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off^(AV) your old self,^(AW) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;^(AX) ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds;^(AY) ²⁴and to put on^(AZ) the new self,^(BA) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^(BB)

²⁵Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully^(BC) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.^(BD) ²⁶“In your anger do not sin”^[d]:^(BE) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷and do not give the devil a foothold.^(BF) ²⁸Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,^(BG) doing something useful with their own hands,^(BH) that they may have something to share with those in need.^(BI)

²⁹Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,^(BJ) but only what is helpful for building others up^(BK) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,^(BL) with whom you were sealed^(BM) for the day of redemption.^(BN) ³¹Get rid of^(BO) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.^(BP) ³²Be kind and compassionate to one another,^(BQ) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.^(BR)

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Footnotes

Ephesians 4:8 Or God
Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth
Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint)

Isaiah 24

New International Version

The Lord’s Devastation of the Earth

24 See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth^(A)
    and devastate^(B) it;
he will ruin its face
    and scatter^(C) its inhabitants—
²it will be the same
    for priest as for people,^(D)
    for the master as for his servant,
    for the mistress as for her servant,
    for seller as for buyer,^(E)
    for borrower as for lender,
    for debtor as for creditor.^(F)
³The earth will be completely laid waste^(G)
    and totally plundered.^(H)
The Lord has spoken^(I) this word.

⁴The earth dries up^(J) and withers,^(K)
    the world languishes and withers,
    the heavens^(L) languish with the earth.^(M)
⁵The earth is defiled^(N) by its people;
    they have disobeyed^(O) the laws,
violated the statutes
    and broken the everlasting covenant.^(P)
⁶Therefore a curse^(Q) consumes the earth;
    its people must bear their guilt.
Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,^(R)
    and very few are left.
⁷The new wine dries up^(S) and the vine withers;^(T)
    all the merrymakers groan.^(U)
⁸The joyful timbrels^(V) are stilled,
    the noise^(W) of the revelers^(X) has stopped,
    the joyful harp^(Y) is silent.^(Z)
⁹No longer do they drink wine^(AA) with a song;
    the beer is bitter^(AB) to its drinkers.
¹⁰The ruined city^(AC) lies desolate;^(AD)
    the entrance to every house is barred.
¹¹In the streets they cry out^(AE) for wine;^(AF)
    all joy turns to gloom,^(AG)
    all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.
¹²The city is left in ruins,^(AH)
    its gate^(AI) is battered to pieces.
¹³So will it be on the earth
    and among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,^(AJ)
    or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.^(AK)

¹⁴They raise their voices, they shout for joy;^(AL)
    from the west^(AM) they acclaim the Lord’s majesty.
¹⁵Therefore in the east^(AN) give glory^(AO) to the Lord;
    exalt^(AP) the name^(AQ) of the Lord, the God of Israel,
    in the islands^(AR) of the sea.
¹⁶From the ends of the earth^(AS) we hear singing:^(AT)
    “Glory^(AU) to the Righteous One.”^(AV)

But I said, “I waste away, I waste away!^(AW)
    Woe^(AX) to me!
The treacherous^(AY) betray!
    With treachery the treacherous betray!^(AZ)”
¹⁷Terror^(BA) and pit and snare^(BB) await you,
    people of the earth.^(BC)
¹⁸Whoever flees^(BD) at the sound of terror
    will fall into a pit;^(BE)
whoever climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in a snare.^(BF)

The floodgates of the heavens^(BG) are opened,
    the foundations of the earth shake.^(BH)
¹⁹The earth is broken up,^(BI)
    the earth is split asunder,^(BJ)
    the earth is violently shaken.
²⁰The earth reels like a drunkard,^(BK)
    it sways like a hut^(BL) in the wind;
so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion^(BM)
    that it falls^(BN)—never to rise again.^(BO)

²¹In that day^(BP) the Lord will punish^(BQ)
    the powers^(BR) in the heavens above
    and the kings^(BS) on the earth below.
²²They will be herded together
    like prisoners^(BT) bound in a dungeon;^(BU)
they will be shut up in prison
    and be punished^[a] after many days.^(BV)
²³The moon will be dismayed,
    the sun^(BW) ashamed;
for the Lord Almighty will reign^(BX)
    on Mount Zion^(BY) and in Jerusalem,
    and before its elders—with great glory.^(BZ)

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Footnotes

Isaiah 24:22 Or released

Isaiah 25

New International Version

Praise to the Lord

25 Lord, you are my God;^(A)
    I will exalt you and praise your name,^(B)
for in perfect faithfulness^(C)
    you have done wonderful things,^(D)
    things planned^(E) long ago.
²You have made the city a heap of rubble,^(F)
    the fortified^(G) town a ruin,^(H)
the foreigners’ stronghold^(I) a city no more;
    it will never be rebuilt.^(J)
³Therefore strong peoples will honor you;^(K)
    cities of ruthless^(L) nations will revere you.
⁴You have been a refuge^(M) for the poor,^(N)
    a refuge for the needy^(O) in their distress,
a shelter from the storm^(P)
    and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless^(Q)
    is like a storm driving against a wall
⁵    and like the heat of the desert.
You silence^(R) the uproar of foreigners;^(S)
    as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
    so the song of the ruthless^(T) is stilled.

⁶On this mountain^(U) the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast^(V) of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.^(W)
⁷On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud^(X) that enfolds all peoples,^(Y)
the sheet that covers all nations;
⁸    he will swallow up death^(Z) forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears^(AA)
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace^(AB)
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.^(AC)

⁹In that day^(AD) they will say,

“Surely this is our God;^(AE)
we trusted^(AF) in him, and he saved^(AG) us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice^(AH) and be glad in his salvation.”^(AI)

¹⁰The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain;^(AJ)
    but Moab^(AK) will be trampled in their land
    as straw is trampled down in the manure.
¹¹They will stretch out their hands in it,
    as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim.
God will bring down^(AL) their pride^(AM)
    despite the cleverness^[a] of their hands.
¹²He will bring down your high fortified walls^(AN)
    and lay them low;^(AO)
he will bring them down to the ground,
    to the very dust.

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Footnotes

Isaiah 25:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

Isaiah 26

New International Version

A Song of Praise

26 In that day^(A) this song will be sung^(B) in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;^(C)
    God makes salvation
    its walls^(D) and ramparts.^(E)
²Open the gates^(F)
    that the righteous^(G) nation may enter,
    the nation that keeps faith.
³You will keep in perfect peace^(H)
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust^(I) in you.
⁴Trust^(J) in the Lord forever,^(K)
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock^(L) eternal.
⁵He humbles those who dwell on high,
    he lays the lofty city low;
he levels it to the ground^(M)
    and casts it down to the dust.^(N)
⁶Feet trample^(O) it down—
    the feet of the oppressed,^(P)
    the footsteps of the poor.^(Q)

⁷The path of the righteous is level;^(R)
    you, the Upright One,^(S) make the way of the righteous smooth.^(T)
⁸Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws,^[a]^(U)
    we wait^(V) for you;
your name^(W) and renown
    are the desire of our hearts.
⁹My soul yearns for you in the night;^(X)
    in the morning my spirit longs^(Y) for you.
When your judgments^(Z) come upon the earth,
    the people of the world learn righteousness.^(AA)
¹⁰But when grace is shown to the wicked,^(AB)
    they do not learn righteousness;
even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil^(AC)
    and do not regard^(AD) the majesty of the Lord.
¹¹Lord, your hand is lifted high,^(AE)
    but they do not see^(AF) it.
Let them see your zeal^(AG) for your people and be put to shame;^(AH)
    let the fire^(AI) reserved for your enemies consume them.

¹²Lord, you establish peace^(AJ) for us;
    all that we have accomplished you have done^(AK) for us.
¹³Lord our God, other lords^(AL) besides you have ruled over us,
    but your name^(AM) alone do we honor.^(AN)
¹⁴They are now dead,^(AO) they live no more;
    their spirits^(AP) do not rise.
You punished them and brought them to ruin;^(AQ)
    you wiped out all memory of them.^(AR)
¹⁵You have enlarged the nation, Lord;
    you have enlarged the nation.^(AS)
You have gained glory for yourself;
    you have extended all the borders^(AT) of the land.

¹⁶Lord, they came to you in their distress;^(AU)
    when you disciplined^(AV) them,
    they could barely whisper^(AW) a prayer.^[b]
¹⁷As a pregnant woman about to give birth^(AX)
    writhes and cries out in her pain,
    so were we in your presence, Lord.
¹⁸We were with child, we writhed in labor,
    but we gave birth^(AY) to wind.
We have not brought salvation^(AZ) to the earth,
    and the people of the world have not come to life.^(BA)

¹⁹But your dead^(BB) will live, Lord;
    their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust^(BC)
    wake up and shout for joy—
your dew^(BD) is like the dew of the morning;
    the earth will give birth to her dead.^(BE)

²⁰Go, my people, enter your rooms
    and shut the doors^(BF) behind you;
hide^(BG) yourselves for a little while
    until his wrath^(BH) has passed by.^(BI)
²¹See, the Lord is coming^(BJ) out of his dwelling^(BK)
    to punish^(BL) the people of the earth for their sins.
The earth will disclose the blood^(BM) shed on it;
    the earth will conceal its slain no longer.