New Testament · Letters

Ephesians chapter 4

So here I am, a because of the Lord, and I’m urging you: live in a way that’s worthy of the you’ve received.Be completely and . Be , putting up with each other because of love.Make every effort to maintain the that gives, held together by .There is one and one Breath—just as you were called into one shared when you were called.One , one , one .One God and of all, who is .But each one of us has been given , measured out by ’s gift.That’s why it says: “When he , he took with him and gave to people.”(Now when it says “he went up,” what does that mean except that he also ?The one who went down is the same one who went up far above all the heavens, so that he might .)And he himself gave some to be , some to be , some to be , and some to be and teachers—to God’s people for , so that the body of The One would be ,until we all reach in and in the Son of God, becoming , measured by nothing less than the full stature of The One himself.Then we’ll no longer be like , tossed around by waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching, by the tricks of people who use and deceptive scheming.Instead, , we’ll grow up in every way into him who is the —The One.From him the whole body, by every , grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work.So here’s what I’m telling you, and I insist on it in the Lord: stop living the way the around you live, with their .Their understanding is . They’re because of the ignorance inside them, because their hearts have become .Having , they’ve given themselves over to , greedy for every kind of .But that’s not what you learned when you !Surely you’ve heard about him and were taught by him—since the is found in —to your , that former self that was being destroyed by its ,and to be in ,and to the , created to be like God in the and that come from truth.So get rid of lying. Each of you must with your , because we’re all parts of one body.When you get , don’t let it lead you into . Don’t let the sun go down while you’re still angry,and don’t give the an .If you’ve been , stop. Instead, do with your own hands, so that you’ll have something to share with anyone in need.Don’t let any talk come out of your mouths. Instead, only say what’s helpful for when they need it, so your words will be a to those who hear them.And don’t , who has for the day of .Get rid of all , , , , and , along with every kind of .Instead, be to each other, be , each other, just as God in The One freely you.