English Standard Version

New Living Translation

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

1Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

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

2Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

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

3Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

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

4For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

5one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

5There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

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

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

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

7However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.

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

8That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”

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

9Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world.

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

10And 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.

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

11Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

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

12Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body 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,

13This 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.

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.

14Then 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.

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

15Instead, 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.

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.

16He 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. Living as Children of Light

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.

17With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.

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.

18Their 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.

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

19They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

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

20But that isn’t what you learned about Christ.

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

21Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,

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

22throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.

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

23Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.

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

24Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

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

25So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.

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

26And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry,

27and give no opportunity to the devil.

27for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

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.

28If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.

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.

29Don’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.

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

30And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

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

31Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

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

32Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

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.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.