Ephesians 4–6

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4As a prisoner^s for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy^t of the calling^u you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another^v in love.^{w 3}Make every effort to keep the unity^x of the Spirit through the bond of peace.^{y 4}There is one body^z and one Spirit,^a just as you were called to one hope when you were called^b; ⁵one Lord,^c one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all,^d who is over all and through all and in all.^e

⁷But to each one of us^f grace^g has been given^h as Christ apportioned it. ⁸This is why it^a says:

“When he ascended on high,

he took many captivesⁱ

and gave gifts to his people.”^bj

⁹(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^c? ¹⁰He who descended is the very one who ascended^k higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)^{l 11}So Christ himself gave^m the apostles,ⁿ the prophets,^o the evangelists,^p the pastors and teachers,^{q 12}to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^r may be built up^{s 13}until we all reach unity^t in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God^u and become mature,^v attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.^w

¹⁴Then we will no longer be infants,^x tossed back and forth by the waves,^y and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.^{z 15}Instead, speaking the truth in love,^a we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^b that is, Christ. ¹⁶From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^c and builds itself up^d in love,^e as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer^f live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.^{g 18}They are darkened in their understanding^h and separated from the life of Godⁱ because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.^{j 19}Having lost all sensitivity,^k they have given themselves over^l to sensuality^m so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

²⁰That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²²You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put offⁿ your old self,^o which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;^{p 23}to be made new in the attitude of your minds;^{q 24}and to put on^r the new self,^s created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^t

²⁵Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully^u to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.^{v 26}“In your anger do not sin”^d:^w Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷and do not give the devil a foothold.^{x 28}Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,^y doing something useful with their own hands,^z that they may have something to share with those in need.^a

²⁹Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,^b but only what is helpful for building others up^c according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,^d with whom you were sealed^e for the day of redemption.^{f 31}Get rid of^g all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.^{h 32}Be kind and compassionate to one another,ⁱ forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.^j

5Follow God’s example,^k therefore, as dearly loved children^{l 2}and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us^m and gave himself up for usⁿ as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.^o

³But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality,^p or of any kind of impurity, or of greed,^q because these are improper for God’s holy people. ⁴Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk^r or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.^{s 5}For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater^t—has any inheritance^u in the kingdom of Christ and of God.^{av 6}Let no one deceive you^w with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath^x comes on those who are disobedient.^{y 7}Therefore do not be partners with them.

⁸For you were once^z darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light^{a 9}(for the fruit^b of the light consists in all goodness,^c righteousness and truth) ¹⁰and find out what pleases the Lord.^{d 11}Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,^e but rather expose them. ¹²It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³But everything exposed by the light^f becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,^g

rise from the dead,^h

and Christ will shine on you.”ⁱ

¹⁵Be very careful, then, how you live^j—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of every opportunity,^k because the days are evil.^{l 17}Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.^{m 18}Do not get drunk on wine,ⁿ which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,^{o 19}speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.^p Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰always giving thanks^q to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Instructions for Christian Households

5:22–6:9pp—Col 3:18–4:1

²¹Submit to one another^r out of reverence for Christ.

²²Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands^s as you do to the Lord.^{t 23}For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church,^u his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands^v in everything.

²⁵Husbands, love your wives,^w just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her^{x 26}to make her holy,^y cleansing^b her by the washing^z with water through the word, ²⁷and to present her to himself^a as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.^{b 28}In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives^c as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—³⁰for we are members of his body.^{d 31}“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”^{ce 32}This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³However, each one of you also must love his wife^f as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

6Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.^{g 2}“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—³“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”^ah

⁴Fathers,^b do not exasperate your children;ⁱ instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.^j

⁵Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect^k and fear, and with sincerity of heart,^l just as you would obey Christ.^{m 6}Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ,ⁿ doing the will of God from your heart. ⁷Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,^{o 8}because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do,^p whether they are slave or free.

⁹And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours^q is in heaven, and there is no favoritism^r with him.

The Armor of God

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord^s and in his mighty power.^{t 11}Put on the full armor of God,^u so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,^v but against the rulers, against the authorities,^w against the powers^x of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.^{y 13}Therefore put on the full armor of God,^z so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,^a with the breastplate of righteousness in place,^{b 15}and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.^{c 16}In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,^d with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.^{e 17}Take the helmet of salvation^f and the sword of the Spirit,^g which is the word of God.^h

¹⁸And pray in the Spiritⁱ on all occasions^j with all kinds of prayers and requests.^k With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying^l for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹Pray also for me,^m that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlesslyⁿ make known the mystery^o of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador^p in chains.^q Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Final Greetings

²¹Tychicus,^r the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. ²²I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are,^s and that he may encourage you.^t

²³Peace^u to the brothers and sisters,^c and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.^d