Eph.4.1

In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk--better yet, run!-on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere.

Eph.4.1

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

Eph.4.1

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

Eph.4.1

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

Eph.4.2

And mark that you do this with humility and discipline--not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love,

Eph.4.2

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

Eph.4.2

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

Eph.4.2

Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.

Eph.4.3

alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

Eph.4.3

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

Eph.4.3

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

Eph.4.3

Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.

Eph.4.4

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly.

Eph.4.4

There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--

Eph.4.4

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

Eph.4.4

We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future.

Eph.4.5

You have one Master, one faith, one baptism,

Eph.4.5

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

Eph.4.5

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

Eph.4.5

There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Eph.4.6

one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

Eph.4.6

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

Eph.4.6

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

Eph.4.6

and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.

Eph.4.7

But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift.

Eph.4.7

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

Eph.4.7

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

Eph.4.7

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

Eph.4.8

The text for this is, He climbed the high mountain, He captured the enemy and seized the booty, He handed it all out in gifts to the people.

Eph.4.8

This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."

Eph.4.8

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

Eph.4.8

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

Eph.4.9

It's true, is it not, that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth?

Eph.4.9

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

Eph.4.9

(Now this, "He ascended"--what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

Eph.4.9

Notice that it says "he ascended." This means that Christ first came down to the lowly world in which we live.

Eph.4.10

And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts,

Eph.4.10

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

Eph.4.10

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

Eph.4.10

The same one who came down is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that his rule might fill the entire universe.

Eph.4.11

filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher

Eph.4.11

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

Eph.4.11

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

Eph.4.11

He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

Eph.4.12

to train Christians in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church,

Eph.4.12

to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

Eph.4.12

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

Eph.4.12

Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ,

Eph.4.13

until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. 114No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors.

Eph.4.13

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.

Eph.4.13

till 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;

Eph.4.13

until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.

Eph.4.14

No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors.

Eph.4.14

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 men in their deceitful scheming.

Eph.4.14

that 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,

Eph.4.14

Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth.

Eph.4.15

God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love--like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do.

Eph.4.15

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

Eph.4.15

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

Eph.4.15

Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

Eph.4.16

He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.

Eph.4.16

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.

Eph.4.16

from 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.

Eph.4.16

Under his direction, the whole body is fitted 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.