Ephesians 4
Easy-to-Read Version
The Unity of the Body
4 So, as a prisoner for the Lord, I beg you to live the way God’s people should live, because he chose you to be his. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient and accept each other with love. 3 You are joined together with peace through the Spirit. Do all you can to continue as you are, letting peace hold you together. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, and God chose you to have one hope. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. 6 There is one God and Father of us all, who rules over everyone. He works through all of us and in all of us.
7 Christ gave each one of us a special gift. Everyone received what he wanted to give them. 8 That is why the Scriptures say,
“He went up high into the sky;
he took prisoners with him,
and he gave gifts to people.” (A)
9 When it says, “He went up,” what does it mean? It means that he first came down low to earth. 10 So Christ came down, and he is the same one who went up. He went up above the highest heaven in order to fill everything with himself. 11 And that same Christ gave these gifts to people: He made some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to go and tell the Good News, and some to care for and teach God’s people.[a] 12 Christ gave these gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger. 13 This work must continue until we are all joined together in what we believe and in what we know about the Son of God. Our goal is to become like a full-grown man—to look just like Christ and have all his perfection.
14 Then we will no longer be like babies. We will not be people who are always changing like a ship that the waves carry one way and then another. We will not be influenced by every new teaching we hear from people who are trying to deceive us—those who make clever plans and use every kind of trick to fool others into following the wrong way. 15 No, we will speak the truth with love. We will grow to be like Christ in every way. He is the head, 16 and the whole body depends on him. All the parts of the body are joined and held together, with each part doing its own work. This causes the whole body to grow and to be stronger in love.
The Way You Should Live
17 I have something from the Lord to tell you. I warn you: Don’t continue living like those who don’t believe. Their thoughts are worth nothing. 18 They have no understanding, and they know nothing because they refuse to listen. So they cannot have the life that God gives. 19 They have lost their feeling of shame and use their lives to do what is morally wrong. More and more they want to do all kinds of evil. 20 But that way of life is nothing like what you learned when you came to know Christ. 21 I know that you heard about him, and in him you were taught the truth. Yes, the truth is in Jesus. 22 You were taught to leave your old self. This means that you must stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self gets worse and worse, because people are fooled by the evil they want to do. 23 You must be made new in your hearts and in your thinking. 24 Be that new person who was made to be like God, truly good and pleasing to him.
25 So you must stop telling lies. “You must always speak the truth to each other,”[b] because we all belong to each other in the same body. 26 “When you are angry, don’t let that anger make you sin,”[c] and don’t stay angry all day. 27 Don’t give the devil a way to defeat you. 28 Whoever has been stealing must stop it and start working. They must use their hands for doing something good. Then they will have something to share with those who are poor.
29 When you talk, don’t say anything bad. But say the good things that people need—whatever will help them grow stronger. Then what you say will be a blessing to those who hear you. 30 And don’t make the Holy Spirit sad. God gave you his Spirit as proof that you belong to him and that he will keep you safe until the day he makes you free. 31 Never be bitter, angry, or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. 32 Be kind and loving to each other. Forgive each other the same as God forgave you through Christ.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 4:11 to care for … people Literally, “to be shepherds and teachers.”
- Ephesians 4:25
Quote from Zech. 8:16. - Ephesians 4:26
Quote from Ps. 4:4 (Greek version).
Ephesians 4
Expanded Bible
The Unity of the Body
4 [L Therefore,] As a prisoner [3:1] ·for [because I belong to; or in] the Lord, I urge you to ·live [walk] in a manner worthy of the calling ·you have received [L to which you were called]. 2 ·Always be [or Be completely] humble, gentle, and patient, ·accepting [putting up/bearing with] each other in love. 3 Make every effort to preserve the unity ·of [provided by; available through] the Spirit ·in [through] the ·peace that joins us together [L bond of peace]. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, and God called you to ·have one hope [L one hope of your calling]. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. 6 There is one God and Father of everything. ·He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything [L …who is over all and through all and in all].
7 Each one of us has been given the ·special gift of grace [L grace; or gift], ·showing how generous Christ is [or in proportion to Christ’s gift; L according to the measure of Christ’s gift]. 8 That is why it says in the Scriptures,
“When he ·went up [ascended] to the heights,
he ·led a parade of captives [or took captives into captivity],
and he gave gifts to people [Ps. 68:18].”
9 When it says, “He ·went up [ascended],” what does it mean? ·It means [L …except] that he first ·came down [descended] to the ·earth [or lower regions, namely the earth; or the depths of the earth; C probably refers to (1) the Incarnation, though possibly (2) Christ’s descent to Hades after his death (1 Pet. 3:19–20), or (3) Christ’s descent through the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2)]. 10 So the one who ·came down [descended] is the same one who ·went up [ascended] above all the heavens. ·Christ did that [L …in order] to fill ·everything with his presence [L all things]. 11 And ·Christ gave gifts to people—he made some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to go and tell the Good News, and some to have the work of caring for and teaching God’s people [L he himself gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors/shepherds, and teachers]. 12 ·Christ gave those gifts to prepare [L …to equip] God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger. 13 This work must continue until we ·are all joined together in the same faith [or all reach unity in the faith] and in the same knowledge of the Son of God. We must become like ·a mature person [or the perfect Man; C Christ], ·growing until we become like Christ and have his perfection [L to the measure of the stature of Christ’s fullness].
14 Then we will no longer be ·babies [children]. We will not be tossed about like a ship that the waves carry one way and then another. We will not be ·influenced by every new teaching [L carried along by every wind of (false) teaching] we hear from people who are trying to ·fool [trick] us. They ·make plans [scheme] and try any kind of trick to fool people into following ·the wrong path [error; false teaching]. 15 ·No! [Instead; Rather] ·Speaking [or Living out; Practicing] the truth with love, we will grow up in every way into Christ, who is the head. 16 ·The whole body depends on Christ, and [L …through/by whom] all the parts of the body are joined and held together. Each ·part [supporting joint/ligament] ·does its own work [performs its function] to make the whole body grow and ·be strong with [to build itself up in] love.
The Way You Should Live
17 ·In the Lord’s name [or By the Lord’s authority; L In the Lord], I ·tell you [L speak and testify to] this. Do not continue ·living [walking] like ·those who do not believe [the pagans; L the Gentiles], whose thoughts are ·worth nothing [futile]. 18 They ·do not understand [L are darkened in their minds/understanding] and they are ·separated [excluded; alienated] from the life ·God gives [or God has; L of God] because of their ignorance ·and because of [or caused by] ·their stubbornness [or their closed minds; L the stubbornness of their heart/mind]. 19 They have lost ·all feeling of shame [or any sense of right and wrong; L all feeling/sensitivity], and they ·use their lives for doing evil [abandon themselves to indecency/depravity]. They ·continually want to do [or greedily pursue] all kinds of ·evil [impurity]. 20 But ·what you learned in Christ was not like this [or that is not how you learned about Christ; L you did not learn Christ that way]. 21 ·I know that [L …if indeed] you heard ·about him [or him], and you ·are in him, so you were taught the truth that is in Jesus [or were taught by him, because the truth is in Jesus]. 22 You were taught to ·leave [put off; lay aside] your old ·self [L person]—to stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self ·becomes worse [is decaying/being corrupted], because ·people are fooled by the evil things they want to do [L of the deceitfulness of their desires]. 23 But you were taught to be made new in ·your hearts [the spirit/attitude of your minds], 24 to ·become [put on; clothe yourself with] the new ·self [L person; or Man; C become like Christ]. That new person is created ·to be like God [or in God’s image; L according to God]—truly good and holy [or in the righteousness and holiness that comes from truth].
25 So you must stop telling lies. ·Tell each other the truth [L Let each one of you speak truthfully to his neighbor; Zech. 8:16], because we ·all belong to each other in the same body [L are members of one another]. 26 ·When you are angry, [or Be angry, and] do not sin [Ps. 4:4; C there is a time for righteous anger, but it must not result in sin], and ·be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day [L don’t let the sun set on your anger]. 27 Do not give the devil a ·way to defeat you [foothold; opportunity]. 28 Those who are stealing must stop stealing and start working. They should ·earn an honest living for themselves [do something good/useful with their hands]. Then they will have something to share with those who ·are poor [L have need].
29 Don’t ·say anything that will hurt others [L let any rotten/unhealthy word come from your mouth], but only say what is ·helpful [good] to ·make others stronger [build others up] ·and meet [L according to] their needs. Then what you say will ·do good [give grace; be a gift] to those who listen to you. 30 And do not ·make the Holy Spirit sad [grieve/bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit]. ·The Spirit is God’s proof that you belong to him and he will make you free when the final day comes […by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption]. 31 Do not be bitter or angry or ·mad [raging]. Never shout angrily or ·say things to hurt [slander; insult] others. ·Never do anything [Get rid of all kinds of] evil. 32 Be kind and ·loving [compassionate; tenderhearted] to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.
Ephesians 4
Christian Standard Bible
Unity and Diversity in the Body of Christ
4 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord,(A) urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility(B) and gentleness, with patience,(C) bearing(D) with one another in love,(E) 3 making every effort to keep the unity(F) of the Spirit(G) through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit(H)—just as you were called to one hope[a](I) at your calling— 5 one Lord,(J) one faith,(K) one baptism, 6 one God(L) and Father(M) of all, who is above all and through all and in all.(N)
7 Now grace was given to each one of us(O) according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 For it says:
9 But what does “he ascended” mean except that he[c] also descended to the lower parts of the earth?[d](R) 10 The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens,(S) to fill all things.(T) 11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,(U) 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son,(V) growing into maturity with a stature(W) measured by Christ’s fullness. 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching,(X) by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head(Y)—Christ. 16 From him the whole body, fitted and knit together(Z) by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth(AA) of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.
Living the New Life
17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because[e] of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity(AB) with a desire for more and more.[f]
20 But that is not how you came to know Christ, 21 assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth(AC) is in Jesus, 22 to take off[g](AD) your former way of life,(AE) the old self(AF) that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed[h] in the spirit(AG) of your minds, 24 and to put on[i](AH) the new self, the one created(AI) according to God’s likeness(AJ) in righteousness and purity of the truth.
25 Therefore, putting away(AK) lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor,[j](AL) because we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin.[k](AM) Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity. 28 Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share(AN) with anyone in need. 29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need,[l] so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit.(AO) You were sealed by him[m] for the day of redemption.(AP) 31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind(AQ) and compassionate(AR) to one another, forgiving(AS) one another, just as God also forgave you[n] in Christ.
Footnotes
- 4:4 Lit called in one hope
- 4:8 Ps 68:18
- 4:9 Other mss add first
- 4:9 Or the lower parts, namely, the earth
- 4:18 Or in them because
- 4:19 Lit with greediness
- 4:21–22 Or Jesus. This means: take off (as a command)
- 4:22–23 Or desires; renew (as a command)
- 4:23–24 Or minds; and put on (as a command)
- 4:25 Zch 8:16
- 4:26 Ps 4:4
- 4:29 Lit for the building up of the need
- 4:30 Or Spirit, by whom you were sealed
- 4:32 Other mss read us
Ephesians 4
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,
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.
The New Life
17 Now this I say and (AR)testify in the Lord, (AS)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, (AT)in the futility of their minds. 18 They (AU)are darkened in their understanding, (AV)alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to (AW)their hardness of heart. 19 They (AX)have become callous and (AY)have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you (AZ)learned Christ!— 21 assuming that (BA)you have heard about him and (BB)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to (BC)put off (BD)your old self,[f] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through (BE)deceitful desires, 23 and (BF)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on (BG)the new self, (BH)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you (BI)speak the truth with his neighbor, for (BJ)we are members one of another. 26 (BK)Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and (BL)give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather (BM)let him labor, (BN)doing honest work with his own hands, so (BO)that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 (BP)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 (BQ)grace to those who hear. 30 And (BR)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, (BS)by whom you were sealed for the day of (BT)redemption. 31 (BU)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 (BV)Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, (BW)forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 4:8 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
- Ephesians 4:9 Or the lower parts of the earth?
- Ephesians 4:11 Or pastors
- Ephesians 4:11 Or the shepherd-teachers
- Ephesians 4:13 Greek to a full-grown man
- Ephesians 4:22 Greek man; also verse 24
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
