New King James Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with 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, showing tolerance for one another in love,

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

3being diligent to preserve 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 also you were called in one hope of your calling;

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 to each one of us grace was given 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 CAPTIVE 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(Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of 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 Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so 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 some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,

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

12for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of 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 a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to 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,

14As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

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

15but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even 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, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself 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,

17So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,

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;

18being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

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

19and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

20But you have not so learned Christ,

20But you did not learn Christ in this way,

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

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

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

22that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,

23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

23and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

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

24and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

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

25Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.

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

26BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

27nor give place to the devil.

27and do not give the devil an opportunity.

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.

28He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has 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 unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will 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.

30Do 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, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

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

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org