Ephesians 4
4I THEREFORE, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to {and} beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God's service,G1473G3767G1198G1722G2962G3870G5209G4043G516G2821G3739G25642Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another {and} making allowances because you love one another.G3326G3956G5012G2532G4236G3326G3115G430G240G1722G263Be eager {and} strive earnestly to guard {and} keep the harmony {and} oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace.G4704G5083G1775G4151G1722G4886G15154[There is] one body and one Spirit--just as there is also one hope [that belongs] to the calling you received--G1520G4983G2532G1520G4151G2531G2532G2564G1722G3391G1680G5216G28215[There is] one Lord, one faith, one baptism,G1520G2962G1520G4102G3391G9086One God and Father of [us] all, Who is above all [Sovereign over all], pervading all and [living] in [us] all.G1520G2316G2532G3962G3956G3588G1909G3956G2532G1223G3956G2532G1722G5213G39567Yet grace (God's unmerited favor) was given to each of us individually [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ's [rich and bounteous] gift.G1161G1538G1520G2257G1325G5485G2596G3358G1431G55478Therefore it is said, When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive [He led a train of vanquished foes] and He bestowed gifts on men.G1352G3004G305G1519G5311G162G161G2532G1325G1390G4449[But He ascended?] Now what can this, He ascended, mean but that He had previously descended from [the heights of] heaven into [the depths], the lower parts of the earth?G1161G305G5101G2076G1508G3754G2597G2532G2597G4412G1519G2737G3313G109310He Who descended is the [very] same as He Who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things (the whole universe, from the lowest to the highest).G846G2597G2076G2532G305G5231G3956G3772G2443G4137G395611And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers.G2532G846G1325G3303G652G1161G4396G1161G2099G1161G4166G2532G132012His intention was the perfecting {and} the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church),G4314G2677G40G1519G2041G1248G1519G3619G4983G554713[That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ {and} the completeness found in Him.G3360G3956G2658G1519G1775G4102G2532G1922G5207G2316G1519G5046G435G1519G3358G2244G4138G554714So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching {and} wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning {and} cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead.G2443G5600G3371G3516G2831G2532G4064G3956G417G1319G1722G2940G444G1722G3834G4314G3180G410615Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way {and} in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).G1161G226G1722G26G837G1519G846G3956G3739G2076G2776G554716For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints {and} ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.G1537G3739G3956G4983G4883G2532G4822G1223G3956G860G2024G2596G1753G1722G3358G1538G1520G3313G4160G838G4983G1519G3619G1438G1722G2617So this I say and solemnly testify in [the name of] the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the heathen (the Gentiles) do in their perverseness [in the folly, vanity, and emptiness of their souls and the futility] of their minds.G5124G3004G3767G2532G3143G1722G2962G5209G3371G4043G3371G2531G2532G3062G1484G4043G1722G3153G846G356318Their moral understanding is darkened {and} their reasoning is beclouded. [They are] alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the ignorance (the want of knowledge and perception, the willful blindness) that is deep-seated in them, due to their hardness of heart [to the insensitiveness of their moral nature].G1271G4654G5607G526G2222G2316G1223G52G5607G1722G846G1223G4457G846G258819In their spiritual apathy they have become callous {and} past feeling {and} reckless and have abandoned themselves [a prey] to unbridled sensuality, eager {and} greedy to indulge in every form of impurity [that their depraved desires may suggest and demand].G3748G524G3860G1438G3860G766G1519G2039G3956G167G1722G412420But you did not so learn Christ!G1161G5210G3129G3756G3779G3129G554721Assuming that you have really heard Him {and} been taught by Him, as [all] Truth is in Jesus [embodied and personified in Him],G1489G191G846G2532G1321G1722G846G2531G225G2076G1722G242422Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts {and} desires that spring from delusion;G5209G659G2596G4387G391G3820G444G3588G5351G2596G539G193923And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude],G1161G365G4151G5216G356324And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness.G2532G1746G2537G444G3588G2596G2316G2936G1722G1343G2532G225G374225Therefore, rejecting all falsity {and} being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body {and} members one of another.G1352G659G5579G2980G1538G225G3326G846G4139G3754G2070G3196G24026When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.G3710G2532G264G3361G1931G3361G2246G1931G1909G5216G395027Leave no [such] room {or} foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].G3383G1325G5117G122828Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need.G2813G2813G2813G3371G1161G3123G2872G2038G5495G18G2443G2192G3330G5532G219229Let no foul {or} polluting language, {nor} evil word {nor} unwholesome {or} worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good {and} beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need {and} the occasion, that it may be a blessing {and} give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it.G4550G3361G3956G4550G3056G1607G1537G5216G4750G235G1536G18G4314G5532G3619G2443G1325G5485G19130And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).G2532G3076G3361G40G4151G2316G1722G3739G4972G1519G2250G62931Let all bitterness and indignation {and} wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).G142G3956G4088G2532G2372G2532G3709G2532G2906G2532G988G142G575G5216G4862G3956G254932And become useful {and} helpful {and} kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.G1161G1096G5543G1519G240G2155G5483G1438G2531G2532G2316G1722G5547G1722G5483G5213
Columbus, OH
