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:

^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.

The New Man

¹⁷ This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should ^(V)no longer walk as ^[f]the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, ¹⁸ having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the ^(W)blindness of their heart; ^19 (X)who, being past feeling, ^(Y)have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

²⁰ But you have not so learned Christ, ²¹ if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² that you ^(Z)put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and ^(AA)be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you ^(AB)put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Do Not Grieve the Spirit

²⁵ Therefore, putting away lying, ^(AC)“Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for ^(AD)we are members of one another. ^26 (AE)“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ^27 (AF)nor give ^[g]place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather ^(AG)let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something ^(AH)to give him who has need. ^29 (AI)Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but ^(AJ)what is good for necessary ^[h]edification, ^(AK)that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And ^(AL)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ^31 (AM)Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, ^[i]clamor, and ^(AN)evil speaking be put away from you, ^(AO)with all malice. ³² And ^(AP)be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ^(AQ)forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Christian Liberty

5 ^(A)Stand^[a] fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a ^(B)yoke of bondage. ² Indeed I, Paul, say to you that ^(C)if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. ³ And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised ^(D)that he is ^[b]a debtor to keep the whole law. ^4 (E)You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; ^(F)you have fallen from grace. ⁵ For we through the Spirit eagerly ^(G)wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. ⁶ For ^(H)in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but ^(I)faith working through love.

Love Fulfills the Law

⁷ You ^(J)ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. ^9 (K)A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰ I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.

¹¹ And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, ^(L)why do I still suffer persecution? Then ^(M)the offense of the cross has ceased. ^12 (N)I could wish that those ^(O)who trouble you would even ^[c]cut themselves off!

¹³ For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only ^(P)do not use liberty as an ^(Q)opportunity for the flesh, but ^(R)through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For ^(S)all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ^(T)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Walking in the Spirit

¹⁶ I say then: ^(U)Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For ^(V)the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, ^(W)so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But ^(X)if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now ^(Y)the works of the flesh are evident, which are: ^[d]adultery, ^[e]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, ^[f]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that ^(Z)those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But ^(AA)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(AB)love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, ^(AC)goodness, ^(AD)faithfulness, ^23 [g]gentleness, self-control. ^(AE)Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s ^(AF)have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ^25 (AG)If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ^26 (AH)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.