Ephesians 4 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~AD 60-62
Location
Written from Rome to the church in Ephesus, a major port city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey)
Audience
Christians in Ephesus, including both Jewish and Gentile believers in a cosmopolitan, pagan city
Situation
Paul writes from prison, transitioning from theological teaching (chapters 1-3) to practical instruction about church unity and Christian living. He addresses a diverse congregation that needed to overcome cultural and religious divisions.
Key Background
Ephesus was a wealthy commercial hub and center of pagan worship, home to the temple of Artemis. Paul had personally founded this church and ministered there for approximately three years. The believers were surrounded by immoral pagan practices and needed instruction on maintaining unity while leaving behind their former way of life. Chapter 4 specifically addresses spiritual gifts for building up the church and the contrast between their old pagan lifestyle and their new identity in Christ.
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 the 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 all, all, and in all.
But each of us has been given measured out by The One's gift.
That's why it says: "When he up to the he took with him and gave to people."
(Now when it says "he up," what does that mean except that he also down to the of the
The one who went down is the same one who went up far above all the heavens, so that he might in
And he himself gave some to be some to be some to be of the and some to be and teachers —
to God's people for of so that the body of The One would be up,
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, the with we'll grow up in every way into him who is the — The One.
From him the whole body, and 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 the around you live, with their of
Their understanding is They're from the that because of the ignorance inside them, because their hearts have become
Having all they've given themselves over to greedy for every kind of
But that's not what you when you The
Surely you've heard about him and were taught by him — since the is found in —
to your of that former self that was being destroyed by its
and to be in how you at the
and to on the created to be like God in genuine 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
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 up when they need it, so your words will be a to those who hear them.
And don't to the of who has you as own 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 you.