Parallel Bible results for "ephesians 4"

Ephesians 4

New International Reader's Version NIRV

1 I am a prisoner because of the Lord. So I am asking you to live a life worthy of what God chose you for.

2 Don't be proud at all. Be completely gentle. Be patient. Put up with one another in love.

3 The Holy Spirit makes you one in every way. So try your best to remain as one. Let peace keep you together.

4 There is one body. There is one Spirit. You were appointed to one hope when you were chosen.

5 There is one Lord. There is one faith and one baptism.

6 There is one God and Father of all. He is over everything. He is through everything. He is in everything.

7 But each one of us has received a gift of grace, just as Christ wanted us to have it.

8 That is why Scripture says, "When he went up to his place on high, he led a line of prisoners. He gave gifts to people." (Psalm 68:18)

9 What does "he went up" mean? It can only mean that he also came down to the lower, earthly places.

10 The One who came down is the same as the One who went up higher than all the heavens. He did it in order to fill all of creation.

11 He is the One who gave some the gift to be apostles. He gave some the gift to be prophets. He gave some the gift of preaching the good news. And he gave some the gift to be pastors and teachers.

12 He did it so that they might prepare God's people to serve. If they do, the body of Christ will be built up.

13 That will continue until we all become one in the faith and in the knowledge of God's Son. Then we will be grown up in the faith. We will receive everything that Christ has for us.

14 We will no longer be babies in the faith. We won't be like ships tossed around by the waves. We won't be blown here and there by every new teaching. We won't be blown around by the cleverness and tricks of people who try to hide their evil plans.

15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love. We will grow up into Christ in every way. He is the Head.

16 He makes the whole body grow and build itself up in love. Under the control of Christ, each part of the body does its work. It supports the other parts. In that way, the body is joined and held together.

17 Here is what I'm telling you. I am speaking for the Lord as I warn you. You must no longer live like those who aren't Jews. Their thoughts don't have any purpose.

18 They can't understand the truth. They are separated from the life of God. That is because they don't know him. And they don't know him because their hearts are stubborn.

19 They have lost all feeling for what is right. They have given themselves over to the evil pleasures of their bodies. They take part in every kind of unclean act. And they always long for more.

20 But that is not what you have learned about Christ.

21 I'm sure you heard of him. I'm sure you were taught by him. What you learned was the truth about Jesus.

22 You were taught not to live the way you used to. You must get rid of your old way of life. That's because it is polluted by longing for things that lead you down the wrong path.

23 You were taught to be made new in your thinking.

24 You were taught to start living a new life. It is created to be truly good and holy, just as God is.

25 So each of you must get rid of your lying. Speak the truth to your neighbor. We are all parts of one body.

26 Scripture says, "When you are angry, do not sin."(Psalm 4:4) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

27 Don't give the devil a chance.

28 Those who have been stealing must never steal again. Instead, they must work. They must do something useful with their own hands. Then they will have something to give to people in need.

29 Don't let any evil talk come out of your mouths. Say only what will help to build others up and meet their needs. Then what you say will help those who listen.

30 Do not make God's Holy Spirit sad. He marked you with a seal for the day when God will set you completely free.

31 Get rid of all hard feelings, anger and rage. Stop all fighting and lying. Put away every form of hatred.

32 Be kind and tender to one another. Forgive each other, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.

New International Version NIV

1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

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

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”

9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions ?

10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.

18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned

21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;

24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

26 “In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

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

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.