Beginning

Unity of the Spirit

4 Therefore I, ^(A)the prisoner in the Lord, ^(B)exhort you to ^(C)walk 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 also you 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,

⁹ (Now this expression, “He ^(R)ascended,” what ^[b]does it mean except that He also ^[c]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 Himself ^(V)gave ^(W)some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as ^(X)evangelists, and some as pastors and ^(Y)teachers, ^12 (Z)for the equipping of the ^[d]saints for the work of service, to the building up of ^(AA)the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to ^(AB)the unity of the faith, and of the ^[e](AC)full knowledge of the Son of God, to a ^(AD)mature man, to the measure of the stature ^[f]which belongs to the ^(AE)fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that 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 men, by ^(AH)craftiness ^[g]in ^(AI)deceitful scheming, ¹⁵ but ^[h]speaking the truth ^(AJ)in love, ^[i]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 joined and held together ^[j]by what every joint supplies, according to the properly ^(AN)measured working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself ^(AO)in love.

Put On the New Man

^17 (AP)Therefore this I say, and testify in the Lord, ^(AQ)that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the ^(AR)futility of their mind, ¹⁸ being ^(AS)darkened in their mind, ^(AT)alienated from the life of God because of the ^(AU)ignorance that is in them, because of the ^(AV)hardness of their heart. ¹⁹ And they, having ^(AW)become callous, ^(AX)have given themselves over to ^(AY)sensuality ^[k]for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. ²⁰ But you did not ^(AZ)learn ^[l]Christ in this way— ²¹ if indeed you ^(BA)heard Him and were ^(BB)taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, ^22 [m]to ^(BC)lay aside, in reference to your former conduct, the ^(BD)old man, which is being corrupted in accordance with the ^(BE)lusts of deceit, ²³ and to be ^(BF)renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and to ^(BG)put on the ^(BH)new man, which ^[n](BI)in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

²⁵ Therefore, ^(BJ)laying aside falsehood, ^(BK)speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are ^(BL)members of one another. ^26 (BM)Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and do not ^(BN)give the devil ^[o]an opportunity. ²⁸ He who steals must steal no longer, but rather ^(BO)he must labor, ^(BP)performing with his own hands what is good, ^(BQ)so that he will have something to share with ^[p]one who has need. ²⁹ Let no ^[q](BR)unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for ^(BS)building up ^[r]what is needed, so that it will give grace to those who hear. ^30 (BT)And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^[s]by whom you were ^(BU)sealed for the day of redemption. ^31 (BV)Let all bitterness and anger and wrath and shouting and slander be ^(BW)put away from you, along with all ^(BX)malice. ^32 (BY)Instead, be kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously forgiving each other, ^(BZ)just as God in Christ also has graciously forgiven ^[t]you.

Be Imitators of God

5 ^(CA)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, ² and ^(CB)walk in love, just as Christ also ^(CC)loved ^[u]us and ^(CD)gave Himself up for us, an ^(CE)offering and a sacrifice to God ^[v]as a ^(CF)fragrant aroma.

³ But ^(CG)sexual immorality ^[w]or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among ^[x]saints; ⁴ nor ^(CH)filthiness and foolish talk, or coarse jesting, which ^(CI)are not fitting, but rather ^(CJ)giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know with certainty, that ^(CK)no one sexually immoral or impure or greedy, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom ^(CL)of Christ and God.

^6 (CM)Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things ^(CN)the wrath of God comes upon ^(CO)the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be ^(CP)partakers with them, ⁸ for ^(CQ)you were formerly ^(CR)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as ^(CS)children of light ⁹ (for ^(CT)the fruit of that light consists in all ^(CU)goodness and righteousness and truth), ^10 [y](CV)trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ^11 (CW)And do not participate in the unfruitful ^(CX)works of ^(CY)darkness, but instead even ^[z](CZ)expose them. ¹² For it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But all things become visible ^(DA)when they are ^[aa]exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason ^[ab]it says,

¹⁵ Therefore look carefully how you ^(DE)walk, not ^(DF)as unwise but as wise, ^16 (DG)redeeming the time, because ^(DH)the days are evil. ¹⁷ On account of this, do not be foolish, but ^(DI)understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And ^(DJ)do not get drunk with wine, ^[ac]for that is ^(DK)dissipation, but be ^(DL)filled with the Spirit, ^19 (DM)speaking to ^[ad]one another in ^(DN)psalms and ^(DO)hymns and spiritual ^(DP)songs, ^(DQ)singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; ^20 (DR)always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to ^[ae](DS)God, even the Father; ^21 [af](DT)and being subject to one another in the ^[ag](DU)fear of Christ.

Wives and Husbands

^22 (DV)Wives, ^(DW)be subject to your own husbands, ^(DX)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(DY)the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the ^(DZ)head of the church, He Himself ^(EA)being the Savior of the body. ²⁴ But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.

^25 (EB)Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and ^(EC)gave Himself up for her, ^26 (ED)so that He might sanctify her, having ^(EE)cleansed her by the ^(EF)washing of water with ^(EG)the word, ²⁷ that He might ^(EH)present to Himself the church ^[ah]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be ^(EI)holy and blameless. ²⁸ So husbands ought also to ^(EJ)love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; ²⁹ for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, ³⁰ because we are ^(EK)members of His ^(EL)body. ^31 (EM)For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ³² This mystery is great, but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. ³³ Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to ^(EN)love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she ^[ai](EO)respects her husband.

Children and Parents

6 ^(EP)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ^2 (EQ)Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), ³ so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long in the land.

^4 (ER)Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but ^(ES)bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

^5 (ET)Slaves, be obedient to those who are your ^[aj]masters according to the flesh, with ^(EU)fear and trembling, in the ^[ak]integrity of your heart, ^(EV)as to Christ; ^6 (EW)not ^[al]by way of eyeservice, as ^(EX)men-pleasers, but as ^(EY)slaves of Christ, ^(EZ)doing the will of God from the ^[am]heart, ⁷ serving with good will ^(FA)as to the Lord, and not to men, ^8 (FB)knowing that ^(FC)whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, ^(FD)whether slave or free.

⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, ^(FE)giving up threatening, knowing that ^(FF)both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is ^(FG)no partiality with Him.

The Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, ^(FH)be strong in the Lord and in ^(FI)the might of His strength. ^11 (FJ)Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the ^(FK)schemes of the devil. ¹² For our ^(FL)struggle is not against ^[an](FM)flesh and blood, but ^(FN)against the rulers, against the authorities, against the ^(FO)world forces of this ^(FP)darkness, against the ^(FQ)spiritual forces of wickedness in ^(FR)the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up ^(FS)the full armor of God, so that you will be able to ^(FT)resist in ^(FU)the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand firm therefore, ^(FV)having girded your loins with truth, and having ^(FW)put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having ^(FX)shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. ^16 [ao]In addition to all, having taken up the ^(FY)shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the ^(FZ)flaming arrows of ^(GA)the evil one, ¹⁷ also receive ^(GB)the helmet of salvation, and the ^(GC)sword of the Spirit, which is ^(GD)the word of God,

^18 (GE)praying at all times ^[ap]with all ^(GF)prayer and petition ^(GG)in the Spirit, and to this end, ^(GH)being on the alert with all ^(GI)perseverance and ^(GJ)petition for all the saints, ¹⁹ as well as ^(GK)on my behalf, that ^[aq]words may be given to me ^(GL)in the opening of my mouth, to make known with ^(GM)boldness ^(GN)the mystery of the gospel— ²⁰ for which I am an ^(GO)ambassador ^(GP)in ^[ar]chains—so that ^[as]in proclaiming it I may speak ^(GQ)boldly, ^(GR)as I ought to speak.

^21 (GS)But that you also may know about all my affairs, ^[at]how I am doing, ^(GT)Tychicus, ^(GU)the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you. ^22 [au](GV)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know ^[av]our circumstances, and that he may ^(GW)encourage your hearts.

^23 (GX)Peace be to the brothers, and ^(GY)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ ^[aw]with incorruptible love.