Ephesians 4 - GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Christ’s Gifts to the Church

4 I, a prisoner in the Lord, encourage you to live the kind of life which proves that God has called you. 2 Be humble and gentle in every way. Be patient with each other and lovingly accept each other. 3 Through the peace that ties you together, do your best to maintain the unity that the Spirit gives. 4 There is one body and one Spirit. In the same way you were called to share one hope. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over everything, through everything, and in everything.

7 God’s favor [a] has been given to each of us. It was measured out to us by Christ who gave it. 8 That’s why the Scriptures say:

“When he went to the highest place,
he took captive those who had captured us
and gave gifts to people.”

9 Now what does it mean that he went up except that he also had gone down to the lowest parts of the earth? 10 The one who had gone down also went up above all the heavens so that he fills everything.

11 He also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as pastors and teachers as gifts ⌞to his church⌟. 12 Their purpose is to prepare God’s people to serve and to build up the body of Christ. 13 This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard. 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed and carried about by all kinds of teachings that change like the wind. We will no longer be influenced by people who use cunning and clever strategies to lead us astray. 15 Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ, who is the head. 16 He makes the whole body fit together and unites it through the support of every joint. As each and every part does its job, he makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Live as God’s People

17 So I tell you and encourage you in the Lord’s name not to live any longer like other people in the world. Their minds are set on worthless things. 18 They can’t understand because they are in the dark. They are excluded from the life that God approves of because of their ignorance and stubbornness. 19 Since they no longer have any sense of shame, they have become promiscuous. They practice every kind of sexual perversion with a constant desire for more.

20 But that is not what you learned from Christ’s teachings. 21 You have certainly heard his message and have been taught his ways. The truth is in Jesus. 22 You were taught to change the way you were living. The person you used to be will ruin you through desires that deceive you. 23 However, you were taught to have a new attitude. 24 You were also taught to become a new person created to be like God, with a life that truly has God’s approval and is holy.

25 So then, get rid of lies. Speak the truth to each other, because we are all members of the same body.

26 Be angry without sinning. Don’t go to bed angry. 27 Don’t give the devil any opportunity ⌞to work⌟.

28 Thieves must quit stealing and, instead, they must work hard. They should do something good with their hands so that they’ll have something to share with those in need.

29 Don’t say anything that would hurt ⌞another person⌟. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you. 30 Don’t give God’s Holy Spirit any reason to be upset with you. He has put his seal on you for the day you will be set free ⌞from the world of sin⌟.

31 Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred. 32 Be kind to each other, sympathetic, forgiving each other as God has forgiven you through Christ.

Footnotes

  1. 4:7 Or “grace.”

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Ephesians 4 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

4 Call upon you, then, do I -- the prisoner of the Lord -- to walk worthily of the calling with which ye were called, 2 with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, 3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of the peace; 4 one body and one ...
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Ephesians 4 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

4 Therefore I bound for the Lord beseech you, that ye walk worthily in the calling, in which ye be called, 2 with all meekness and mildness, with patience supporting each other in charity [with patience supporting, or up-bearing, together in charity], 3 busy to keep unity of Spirit in the bond of ...
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Ephesians 4 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

4 I am a prisoner who belongs to the Lord. I beg you, live the way people should live who have been called by God. 2 Do not be proud at all. Be very humble. Love one another and be patient with each other. 3 The Spirit has made you all one. Try to stay like that. May you be at peace with one another...
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Ephesians 4 - World English Bible (WEB)

4 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, ...
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Ephesians 4 - The Voice (VOICE)

4 As a prisoner of the Lord, I urge you: Live a life that is worthy of the calling He has graciously extended to you. 2 Be humble. Be gentle. Be patient. Tolerate one another in an atmosphere thick with love. 3 Make every effort to preserve the unity the Spirit has already created, with peace bind...
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Ephesians 4 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Unity of the Body and of God4 Therefore I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you were called— 2 with complete humility and gentleness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Ruach in the b...
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Ephesians 4 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Unity in the Body of Christ4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 Ther...
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Ephesians 4 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Unity in the Body of Christ4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 Ther...
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Ephesians 4 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

4 I, therefore, being the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling to which you were called, 2 with all humility and gentleness; with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one...
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Ephesians 4 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Live Up to Your Calling!4 So, then, this is my appeal to you – yes, it’s me, the prisoner in the Lord! You must live up to the calling you received. 2 Bear with one another in love; be humble, meek and patient in every way with one another. 3 Make every effort to guard the unity that the spirit gi...
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Ephesians 4 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Unity in the Body of Christ4 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond...
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Ephesians 4 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Unity in the Body of Christ4 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,(A)2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,(B)3 making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in ...
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Ephesians 4 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

He exhorts them to meekness and longsuffering, to love and peace. Everyone is to serve and edify the other with the gift that God has given him, to beware of strange doctrine, to lay aside the old life of greedy desires, and to walk in a new life. 4 I therefore, who am in bonds for the Lord’s sake, ...
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