Ephesians 4:15-5:13

English Standard Version

¹⁵Rather, ^(A)speaking the truth in love, we are to ^(B)grow up in every way into him who is ^(C)the head, into Christ, ¹⁶^(D)from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, ^(E)when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

The New Life

¹⁷Now this I say and ^(F)testify in the Lord, ^(G)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, ^(H)in the futility of their minds. ¹⁸They ^(I)are darkened in their understanding, ^(J)alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to ^(K)their hardness of heart. ¹⁹They ^(L)have become callous and ^(M)have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. ²⁰But that is not the way you ^(N)learned Christ!— ²¹assuming that ^(O)you have heard about him and ^(P)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²²to ^(Q)put off ^(R)your old self,^[a] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through ^(S)deceitful desires, ²³and ^(T)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴and to put on ^(U)the new self, ^(V)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you ^(W)speak the truth with his neighbor, for ^(X)we are members one of another. ²⁶^(Y)Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷and ^(Z)give no opportunity to the devil. ²⁸Let the thief no longer steal, but rather ^(AA)let him labor, ^(AB)doing honest work with his own hands, so ^(AC)that he may have something to share with anyone in need. ²⁹^(AD)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 ^(AE)grace to those who hear. ³⁰And ^(AF)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^(AG)by whom you were sealed for the day of ^(AH)redemption. ³¹^(AI)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. ³²^(AJ)Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ^(AK)forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Walk in Love

5 ^(AL)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ²And ^(AM)walk in love, ^(AN)as Christ loved us and ^(AO)gave himself up for us, a ^(AP)fragrant ^(AQ)offering and sacrifice to God.

³But ^(AR)sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness ^(AS)must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. ⁴Let there be ^(AT)no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, ^(AU)which are out of place, but instead ^(AV)let there be thanksgiving. ⁵For you may be sure of this, that ^(AW)everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (^(AX)that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶^(AY)Let no one ^(AZ)deceive you with empty words, for because of these things ^(BA)the wrath of God comes upon ^(BB)the sons of disobedience. ⁷Therefore ^(BC)do not become partners with them; ⁸for ^(BD)at one time you were ^(BE)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. ^(BF)Walk as children of light ⁹(for ^(BG)the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰and ^(BH)try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹^(BI)Take no part in the ^(BJ)unfruitful ^(BK)works of darkness, but instead ^(BL)expose them. ¹²For ^(BM)it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. ¹³But when ^(BN)anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,