The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians

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- Chapter 4 -

(Psalm 133:1–3; 1 Corinthians 1:10–17)

I therefore, being prisoner in the Lord, praie you that yee walke worthie of the vocation whereunto yee are called,

With all humblenesse of minde, and meekenesse, with long suffering, supporting one an other through loue,

Endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body, and one Spirit, euen as yee are called in one hope of your vocation.

There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme,

One God and Father of all, which is aboue all, and through all, and in you all.

But vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Wherfore he saith, Whe he asceded vp on hie, he led captiuity captiue, and gaue gifts vnto men.

(Nowe, in that hee ascended, what is it but that he had also descended first into the lowest partes of the earth?

Hee that descended, is euen the same that ascended, farre aboue all heauens, that hee might fill all things)

Hee therefore gaue some to be Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Euangelists, and some Pastours, and Teachers,

For the repairing of the Saintes, for the woorke of the ministerie, and for the edification of the bodie of Christ,

Till we all meete together (in the vnitie of faith and that acknowledging of the Sonne of God) vnto a perfite man, and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ,

That we henceforth be no more children, wauering and caried about with euery winde of doctrine, by the deceit of men, and with craftines, whereby they lay in wait to deceiue.

But let vs folowe the truth in loue, and in all things, grow vp into him, which is the head, that is, Christ.

By whome al the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt, for ye furniture therof (according to the effectual power, which is in the measure of euery part) receiueth increase of the body, vnto the edifying of itselfe in loue.

New Life in Christ

(Colossians 3:1–17)

This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord, that yee hencefoorth walke not as other Gentiles walke, in vanitie of their minde,

Hauing their vnderstanding darkened, and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardnesse of their heart:

Which being past feeling, haue giuen themselues vnto wantonnesse, to woorke all vncleannesse, euen with griedinesse.

But yee haue not so learned Christ,

If so be yee haue heard him, and haue bene taught by him, as the trueth is in Iesus,

That is, that yee cast off, concerning the conuersation in time past, that olde man, which is corrupt through the deceiueable lustes,

And be renued in the spirit of your minde,

And put on ye new man, which after God is created vnto righteousnes, and true holines.

Wherefore cast off lying, and speake euery man truth vnto his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Bee angrie, but sinne not: let not the sunne goe downe vpon your wrath,

Neither giue place to the deuill.

Let him that stole, steale no more: but let him rather labour, and worke with his handes the thing which is good, that hee may haue to giue vnto him that needeth.

Let no corrupt comunication proceed out of your mouths: but that which is good, to ye vse of edifying, that it may minister grace vnto the hearers.

And grieue not the holy Spirit of God, by whom ye are sealed vnto ye day of redemption.

Let all bitternesse, and anger, and wrath, crying, and euill speaking be put away from you, with all maliciousnesse.

Be ye courteous one to another, and tender hearted, freely forgiuing one another, euen as God for Christes sake, freely forgaue you.

(Psalm 133:1–3; 1 Corinthians 1:10–17)

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,

with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

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

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

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

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

Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.”(a)

Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

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

He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds

(b)

and teachers;

for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;

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

from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.

New Life in Christ

(Colossians 3:1–17)

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

being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts.

They, having become callous, gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

But you didn’t learn Christ that way,

if indeed you heard him and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:

that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit,

and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

“Be angry, and don’t sin.”(c) Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath,

and don’t give place

(d)

to the devil.

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

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

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

And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.

Footnotes

(a)4:8 ℘ Psalms 68:18

(b)4:11 or, pastors

(d)4:27 or, opportunity