Ephesians 3–4

Chapter 3

For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you Gentiles:

²If yet you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me towards you:

³How that, according to revelation, the mystery has been made known to me, as I have written above in a few words:

⁴As you reading, may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ,

⁵Which in other generations was not known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit:

⁶That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body: and copartners of his promise in Christ Jesus, by the gospel

⁷Of which I am made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God, which is given to me according to the operation of his power.

⁸To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ:

⁹And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God who created all things:

¹⁰That the manifold wisdom of God may be made known to the principalities and powers in heavenly places through the church,

¹¹According to the eternal purpose which he made in Christ Jesus our Lord:

¹²In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

¹³Wherefore I pray you not to faint at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

¹⁴For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁵Of whom all paternity in heaven and earth is named:

¹⁶That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened by his Spirit with might unto the inward man:

¹⁷That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts: that, being rooted and founded in charity,

¹⁸You may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

¹⁹To know also the charity of Christ, which surpasseth all knowledge: that you may be filled unto all the fulness of God.

²⁰Now to him who is able to do all things more abundantly than we desire or understand, according to the power that worketh in us:

²¹To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, unto all generations, world without end. Amen.

Chapter 4

I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called:

²With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity.

³Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

⁴One body and one Spirit: as you are called in one hope of your calling.

⁵One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

⁶One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.

⁷But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ.

⁸Wherefore he saith: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive: he gave gifts to men.

⁹Now that he ascended, what is it, but because he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

¹⁰He that descended is the same also that ascended above all the heavens: that he might fill all things.

¹¹And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors:

¹²For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

¹³Until we all meet into the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ:

¹⁴That henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive.

¹⁵But doing the truth in charity, we may in all things grow up in him who is the head, even Christ:

¹⁶From whom the whole body, being compacted and fitly joined together, by what every joint supplieth, according to the operation in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in charity.

¹⁷This then I say and testify in the Lord: That henceforward you walk not as also the Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind:

¹⁸Having their understanding darkened: being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts.

¹⁹Who despairing have given themselves up to lasciviousness, unto the working of all uncleanness, unto covetousness.

²⁰But you have not so learned Christ:

²¹If so be that you have heard him and have been taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus:

²²To put off, according to former conversation, the old man, who is corrupted according to the desire of error.

²³And be renewed in spirit of your mind:

²⁴And put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth.

²⁵Wherefore, putting away lying, speak ye the truth, every man with his neighbour. For we are members one of another.

²⁶Be angry: and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your anger.

²⁷Give not place to the devil.

²⁸He that stole, let him now steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him that suffereth need.

²⁹Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth: but that which is good, to the edification of faith: that it may administer grace to the hearers.

³⁰And grieve not the holy Spirit of God: whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.

³¹Let all bitterness and anger and indignation and clamour and blasphemy be put away from you, with all malice.

³²And be ye kind one to another: merciful, forgiving one another, even as God hath forgiven you in Christ.