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Ephesians 4

Paul connects the church’s unity and growth under Christ with the changed conduct that belongs to life in him.

Paul speaks as a prisoner, urging the believers addressed in Ephesians to live in keeping with their calling. He begins with the unity they share under one God and Father, then describes Christ’s gifts for building up his body toward maturity. The focus turns to leaving their former way of life and putting on the new person created in God’s likeness. Paul closes with commands about speech, anger, work, and forgiveness.

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1I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,
2with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
3being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4There is one body and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling,
5one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all.
7But to each one of us, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.”
9Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
11He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
12for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,
13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
14that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
15but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ,
16from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.
17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,
19They, having become callous, gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20But you didn’t learn Christ that way,
21if indeed you heard him and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:
22that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit,
23and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
25Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
26“Be angry, and don’t sin.” Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath,
27and don’t give place to the devil.
28Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.
29Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.
30Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice.
32And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Ephesians 4:22Putting away the old person marks a break with former desires, followed by renewal and life in God’s likeness.
Ephesians 4:29Paul makes speech part of the church’s growth: words must serve the needs of those who hear.
Ephesians 4:32God’s forgiveness in Christ supplies the pattern for the kindness and forgiveness believers owe one another.
Where this chapter reaches

Colossians shares the language of putting off the old person and putting on the new, along with commands about speech and forgiveness. Romans and 1 Corinthians share the picture of one body with varied gifts, while James also addresses speech and anger.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

How does Paul’s picture of one body shape your understanding of another believer’s gifts?

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What stands out when you read Paul’s commands about speech alongside God’s forgiveness in Christ?

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Questions people ask about Ephesians 4

What does Christ descending mean in Ephesians 4:9?

The phrase “the lower parts of the earth” has been understood as Christ’s coming down to earth or as his descent into death or the realm of the dead. The wording leaves room for debate. Paul’s main claim is clear: the same Christ descended and ascended above all the heavens.

What does “Be angry, and don’t sin” mean in Ephesians 4:26?

Paul distinguishes anger from sin while warning that anger can give the devil an opening. The command about sunset places urgency on dealing with wrath. Later, verse 31 calls for putting away bitterness, wrath, and anger, so verse 26 offers no permission to nurse resentment or harm someone.

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What the Bible says about forgiveness →

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).