rsv Ephesians:4 SEEK
Seeker Overlay ON
*
I therefore ,
a prisoner for the Lord ,
beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called ,
*
with all lowliness and meekness ,
with patience ,
forbearing one another in love ,
*
eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace .
*
There is one body and one Spirit ,
just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call ,
*
one Lord ,
one faith ,
one baptism ,
*
one God and Father of us all ,
who is above all and through all and in all .
*
But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ '
s gift .
*
Therefore it is said , "
When he ascended on high he led a host of captives ,
and he gave gifts to men ."
* (
In saying , "
He ascended ,"
what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth ?
*
He who descended is he who also ascended far above all the heavens ,
that he might fill all things .)
*
And his gifts were that some should be apostles ,
some prophets ,
some evangelists ,
some pastors and teachers ,
*
to equip the saints for the work of ministry ,
for building up the body of Christ ,
*
until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God ,
to mature manhood ,
to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ ;
*
so that we may no longer be children ,
tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine ,
by the cunning of men ,
by their craftiness in deceitful wiles .
*
Rather ,
speaking the truth in love ,
we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head ,
into Christ ,
*
from whom the whole body ,
joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied ,
when each part is working properly ,
makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love .
*
Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord ,
that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do ,
in the futility of their minds ;
*
they are darkened in their understanding ,
alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them ,
due to their hardness of heart ;
*
they have become callous and have given themselves up to licentiousness ,
greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness .
*
You did not so learn Christ !--
*
assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him ,
as the truth is in Jesus .
*
Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts ,
*
and be renewed in the spirit of your minds ,
*
and put on the new nature ,
created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness .
*
Therefore ,
putting away falsehood ,
let every one speak the truth with his neighbor ,
for we are members one of another .
*
Be angry but do not sin ;
do not let the sun go down on your anger ,
*
and give no opportunity to the devil .
*
Let the thief no longer steal ,
but rather let him labor ,
doing honest work with his hands ,
so that he may be able to give to those in need .
*
Let no evil talk come out of your mouths ,
but only such as is good for edifying ,
as fits the occasion ,
that it may impart grace to those who hear .
*
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God ,
in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption .
*
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you ,
with all malice ,
*
and be kind to one another ,
tenderhearted ,
forgiving one another ,
as God in Christ forgave you .