New King James Version

English Standard Version

1I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

2with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

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

3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;

4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—

5one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

5one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

7But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

8Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”

8Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”

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

9(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?

10He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

13till 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;

13until 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 fullness of Christ,

14that 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,

14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

16from 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.

16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,

17Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

18having 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;

18They 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.

19who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

19They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

20But you have not so learned Christ,

20But that is not the way you learned Christ!—

21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:

21assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,

22that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

22to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

23and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

24and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

24and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

25Therefore, putting away lying, “ Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.

25Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

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

26Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

27nor give place to the devil.

27and give no opportunity to the devil.

28Let 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.

28Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

29Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

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

32And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.