New Living Translation

New King James Version

Unity in the Body

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

1

Walk in Unity

I, therefore, the prisoner [a]of the Lord, [b]beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

2

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

2

with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

3

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

3

endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4

For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

4

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;

5

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

5

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

6

one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all.

6

one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in [c]you all.

7

However, he has given each one of us a special gifta through the generosity of Christ.

7

Spiritual Gifts

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

8

That is why the Scriptures say,
“When he ascended to the heights,
he led a crowd of captives
and gave gifts to his people.”b

8

Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”

9

Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world.c

9

(Now this, “He ascended” — what does it mean but that He also [d]first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

10

And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

10

He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

11

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

11

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

12

Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

12

for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [e]edifying of the body of Christ,

13

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

13

till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

14

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

14

that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

15

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

15

but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ —

16

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

16

from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

17

Living as Children of Light

With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.

17

The New Man

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as [f]the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,

18

Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

18

having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;

19

They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

19

who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20

But that isn’t what you learned about Christ.

20

But you have not so learned Christ,

21

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,

21

if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:

22

throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.

22

that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

23

Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

23

and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

24

Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy.

24

and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

25

So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.

25

Do Not Grieve the Spirit

Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.

26

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”d Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry,

26

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,

27

for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

27

nor give [g]place to the devil.

28

If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.

28

Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

29

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

29

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary [h]edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

30

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own,e guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

30

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

31

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, [i]clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

32

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

32

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Parallel

New Living Translation

New King James Version

Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4