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a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to lead a life worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above 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 That is why it says:
“When He ascended on high,
He lead captives into captivity;
He gave gifts to men”.
9 (When it says, “He ascended”, what can it mean, except that He also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
11 The gifts that He personally gave work for some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ 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 little children, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, and by the craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From Him the whole body, joined and knitted together by every supporting ligament, builds itself up in love, as each part carries out its function.
17 So I tell you this, and insist in the Lord, that you should no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, and because of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They have lost all sensitivity and given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, and with an insatiable lust for more and more.
20 But that the way you learned about the Christ, 21 If indeed you have heard about Him and were taught by Him, in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught to put away your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is corrupted by its deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, putting away all falsehood, let each one of speak truthfully to his neighbour, for we are all members of one another. 26 Be angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the Devil a foothold. 28 The thief must no longer steal; rather he must work honestly with his own hands, so he has something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unsavoury language proceed from your mouth, but only what is helpful for building up others according to their needs, so that your words may impart 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 Put away from you all bitterness, wrath and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as God also forgave you in Christ.