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1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
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2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
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3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
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4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
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5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
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6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
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7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
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8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
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9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
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10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
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11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
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12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
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13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
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14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
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15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
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16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
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17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
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18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
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19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
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20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
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21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
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22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
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23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
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24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
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25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
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26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
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27 Neither give place to the devil.
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28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
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29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
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30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
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31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
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32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
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- 1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
- 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,
- 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
- 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 was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.
- 8 Therefore it says, “WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.”
- 9 (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth?
- 10 He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.)
- 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
- 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
- 13 until 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.
- 14 As 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;
- 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
- 16 from 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.
- 17 So 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,
- 18 being 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;
- 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
- 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way,
- 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,
- 22 that, 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,
- 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
- 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
- 25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.
- 26 BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
- 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.
- 28 He 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.
- 29 Let 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.
- 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
- 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
- 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
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