To the Ephesians
4 I, therefore, the prisoner+ in [the] Lord, entreat YOU to walk worthily+ of the calling with which YOU were called,+ 2 with complete lowliness of mind+ and mildness, with long-suffering,+ putting up with one another in love,+ 3 earnestly endeavoring to observe the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.+ 4 One body+ there is, and one spirit,+ even as YOU were called in the one hope+ to which YOU were called; 5 one Lord,+ one faith,+ one baptism;+ 6 one God+ and Father of all [persons], who is over all and through all and in all.
7 Now to each one of us undeserved kindness+ was given according to how the Christ measured out the free gift.+ 8 Wherefore he* says: “When he ascended on high he carried away captives; he gave gifts [in] men.”*+ 9 Now the expression “he ascended,”+ what does it mean but that he also descended into the lower regions, that is, the earth?+ 10 The very one that descended is also the one that ascended+ far above all the heavens,+ that he might give fullness+ to all things.*
11 And he gave some as apostles,+ some as prophets,+ some as evangelizers,*+ some as shepherds and teachers,+ 12 with a view to the readjustment*+ of the holy ones, for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ,+ 13 until we all attain to the oneness in the faith and in the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown+ man, to the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ;+ 14 in order that we should no longer be babes, tossed about+ as by waves and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching+ by means of the trickery+ of men, by means of cunning in contriving error. 15 But speaking the truth,*+ let us by love grow up+ in all things into him who is the head,+ Christ. 16 From him all the body,+ by being harmoniously joined together and being made to cooperate* through every joint that gives what is needed, according to the functioning of each respective member in due measure, makes for the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.+
17 This, therefore, I say and bear witness to in [the] Lord, that YOU no longer go on walking just as the nations+ also walk in the unprofitableness of their minds,+ 18 while they are in darkness mentally,+ and alienated+ from the life that belongs to God, because of the ignorance+ that is in them, because of the insensibility+ of their hearts. 19 Having come to be past all moral sense,+ they gave themselves over to loose+ conduct* to work uncleanness*+ of every sort with greediness.+
20 But YOU did not learn the Christ to be so,+ 21 provided, indeed, that YOU heard him and were taught by means of him,+ just as truth+ is in Jesus, 22 that YOU should put away the old personality+ which conforms to YOUR former course of conduct and which is being corrupted+ according to his deceptive desires;+ 23 but that YOU should be made new in the force actuating YOUR mind,*+ 24 and should put on+ the new personality+ which was created+ according to God’s will in true righteousness+ and loyalty.
25 Wherefore, now that YOU have put away falsehood,+ speak truth each one of YOU with his neighbor,+ because we are members belonging to one another.+ 26 Be wrathful,* and yet do not sin;+ let the sun not set with YOU in a provoked state,+ 27 neither allow place for the Devil.+ 28 Let the stealer steal no more,+ but rather let him do hard work, doing with his hands what is good work,+ that he may have something to distribute to someone in need.+ 29 Let a rotten saying not proceed out of YOUR mouth,+ but whatever saying is good for building up as the need may be, that it may impart what is favorable to the hearers.+ 30 Also, do not be grieving* God’s holy spirit,+ with which YOU have been sealed+ for a day of releasing by ransom.+
31 Let all malicious bitterness+ and anger and wrath and screaming and abusive speech+ be taken away from YOU along with all badness.+ 32 But become kind+ to one another, tenderly compassionate,+ freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave YOU.+