Ephesians 4:4–32

⁴There 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