Ephesians 4

Unity of the Body

1Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3being eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Gifts for the Body

7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led captivity captive,

and gave gifts to human beings.”

9Now this expression, “he ascended,” what does it mean except that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10The one who descended is the same one who also ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.

11And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as shepherds and teachers, 12for the equipping of the holy ones for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ,

13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth by the waves and carried about by every wind of teaching, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes;

15but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting joint, according to the working of each individual part, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

The New Life

17Therefore I say this and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds, 18being darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to the hardness of their hearts;

19who, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greed. 20But you did not learn Christ in this way— 21if indeed you have heard him and were taught in him, just as truth is in Jesus—

22to put off your former way of life, the old self, which is being corrupted according to deceitful desires, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to put on the new self, created according to God in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Instructions for the Community

25Therefore, having put away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, 27and do not give place to the devil.

28Let the one who steals steal no longer, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need. 29Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth, but only what is good for building up, as fits the need, so that it may give grace to those who hear.

30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice.

32And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.