CHAPTER 4

1 I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you, that ye may walk worthy of the calling to which ye have been called,

2 With all humility and meekness, with patience forbearing one another in love,

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

4 One body and one spirit; ¹ as ye have been called in one hope of your calling.

5 One Lord ² one faith, one baptism.

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all things, and through all things, (or, above all men and through all men,) and in you all.

7 But to each of us hath grace been given, according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 Wherefore he saith: After having ascended on high, he led captivity captive ³ and gave gifts to men. (Psalm 68:18.)

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

10 He who descended is the same also who ascended above all heavens, that he might fill all things. ⁴

11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and others pastors and teachers,

12 For the renewing of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ;

13 Till we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, into a perfect man, into the measure of the age of fulness ⁵ of Christ;

14 That we may no longer be children, who are tossed and driven about by every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by craftiness for lying in wait to deceive;

15 But, following truth with love, may grow up in all things into him who is the head, that is, Christ;

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by every joint of supply, according to the efficacy in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, to the edifying of itself, in love.

17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk, as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18 Blinded in the understanding, alienated from the life of God on account of the ignorance which is in them, on account of the blindness of their heart;

19 Who, after having ceased to have any feeling, ⁶ have given themselves up to lasciviousness, to commit all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

21 If indeed ye have heard him, and have been taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus;

22 That ye put off, according to the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupted according to the lusts of deceit; ⁷

23 And that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24 And that ye put on the new man, which hath been created according to God, in righteousness and holiness of truth. ⁸

25 Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every one the truth with his neighbor;

26 For we are members one of another.

27 Be ye angry, and do not sin. (Psalm 4:4.) Let not the sun go down on your wrath; and give not place to the devil.

28 He that stole, let him steal no more; but rather let him labor, by working with his hands what is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no filthy speech proceed out of your mouth; but if any (speech) is good for the edification of use, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by whom ye have been sealed to the day of redemption.

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

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