1
Therefore I urge you, I, the prisoner in the Lord, to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.
2
Always be humble, gentle, and patient. Show your love by helping one another.
3
And make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace:
4
one body, and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope in 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 has been given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
8
Therefore it says:
“When He ascended on high,
He led captives;
He gave gifts to men.”
9
Now this, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also descended to the lower parts of the earth?
10
He who descended is the same one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.
11
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ,
13
until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the true knowledge of the Son of God, to full maturity, and to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
14
so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of men in their deceitful scheming,
15
but, speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head, Christ.
16
From Him the whole body, — fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the working in due measure of each part — receives its growth and builds itself up in love.
17
Therefore I say and testify this to you in the Lord: Do not live any longer as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their mind
18
and the darkness of their understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their hearts.
19
Their feelings have become dull, so that they have given themselves over to sensuality and greedily practice every kind of impurity.
20
But you did not learn Christ in this way.
21
For you have heard about Him and have been taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus,
22
that, in reference to your former way of life, you must put off the old man, which is being corrupted by deceitful desires,
23
and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24
and put on the new man, created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.
25
Therefore put away falsehood and speak truth each one to his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
26
Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down while your anger remains
27
and do not give place to the devil.
28
Let the one who steals steal no longer, but rather let him labor, doing good work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one in need.
29
Let no corrupt speech come out of your mouth, but only what is good for building up, as there is need, so that it may give grace to those who hear.
30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31
Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, strife, and slander be put away from among you, along with all malice.
32
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven you.
📖 Ephesians 4 – The Unity of the Body of Christ and New Life in Christ
🧾 Summary of Contents
Ephesians 4 contains Paul’s exhortation to the church to:
- Live according to the calling as believers in unity and humility.
- Use spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ.
- Leave behind the old life and live out the new man in righteousness and holiness.
✨ Explanation by Section
| Verse | Main Point | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1–6 | A call to live in unity | Paul urges the church to preserve unity with humility, patience, and love. |
| 7–16 | Christ’s gifts for the Church | Christ gives gifts to each person to equip the ministry and build up His body. |
| 17–24 | Putting off the old self | Paul reminds believers not to live like those who do not know God. |
| 25–32 | Living in truth and love | An exhortation to live rightly: be honest, not continually angry, work honestly, and forgive one another. |
📘 Main Teaching
- Unity in the Spirit is important in the community of believers (verses 3–6).
- Spiritual gifts differ, but they are given to build up the body of Christ (verses 11–12).
- The goal of spiritual growth is to become mature and like Christ (verses 13–15).
- Believers must change, leaving behind the old way of life (verse 22).
- The new self is created in God’s image, in holiness and righteousness (verse 24).
- The ethics of Christ’s followers: be honest, work hard, avoid foul speech, and forgive one another (verses 25–32).
✨ Spiritual Meaning
Ephesians 4 describes the spiritual journey of Christians: from receiving salvation to growing in holiness and love, then serving with the gifts God gives to strengthen one another. This is not only about a personal relationship with God, but also living in the community of the body of Christ with love and humility.
💡 Key Verse
“…make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
(Ephesians 4:3)
“…so that we may grow in every way into Him, Christ, who is the Head.”
(Ephesians 4:15)
