Parallel Bible results for "ephesians 4:1-16"

Ephesians 4:1-16

Good News Translation GNT

1 I urge you, then - I who am a prisoner because I serve the Lord: live a life that measures up to the standard God set when he called you.

2 Be always humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by being tolerant with one another.

3 Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope to which God has called you.

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

6 there is one God and Father of all people, who is Lord of all, works through all, and is in all.

7 Each one of us has received a special gift in proportion to what Christ has given.

8 As the scripture says, "When he went up to the very heights, he took many captives with him; he gave gifts to people."

9 Now, what does "he went up" mean? It means that first he came down to the lowest depths of the earth.

10 So the one who came down is the same one who went up, above and beyond the heavens, to fill the whole universe with his presence.

11 It was he who "gave gifts to people"; he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers.

12 He did this to prepare all God's people for the work of Christian service, in order to build up the body of Christ.

13 And so we shall all come together to that oneness in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God; we shall become mature people, reaching to the very height of Christ's full stature.

14 Then we shall no longer be children, carried by the waves and blown about by every shifting wind of the teaching of deceitful people, who lead others into error by the tricks they invent.

15 Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head.

16 Under his control all the different parts of the body fit together, and the whole body is held together by every joint with which it is provided. So when each separate part works as it should, the whole body grows and builds itself up through love.

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.