I THEN, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you, that ye walk worthy of
the vocation with which ye are called, (2)with all humility and
meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love;
(3)careful to preserve unity of spirit, in the bond of peace. (4)There
is one body, and one spirit, even as ye have been called to one hope of
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 you all.
(7)But to every one of us hath the grace been given, according to the
measure of the gift of Christ. (8)Wherefore the Scripture saith, "When
he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto
men[116]." (9)Now this, that he ascended, what does it imply? but that
he also first descended into the more internal parts of the earth?
(10)He that descended is the same also, who ascended above all the
heavens, that he might fill all things.
(11)And he himself appointed, some indeed apostles, and some prophets;
and others preachers of the Gospel; and others pastors and teachers;
(12)for the perfecting the saints, for the work of the ministry, for
the edification of the body of Christ: (13)until we all attain in the
unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a state
of complete manhood, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of
Christ: (14)that we should be no longer infants, floating on the waves,
and carried about with every wind of novel doctrine, by the juggling of
men, by their craftiness after the delusive wiles of error; (15)but,
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is
the head, even Christ: (16)From whom the whole body nicely joined
together, and firmly connected by every joint of exact proportion,
according to the energy exerted in the measure of every several part,
causeth the increase of the body unto the edification of itself in
love.
(17)This then I urge and testify in the Lord, that ye walk no more as
the other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind, (18)darkened in
understanding; alienated from the life of God through the ignorance
which is in them; through the blindness of their hearts: (19)who
insensible to remorse, have delivered themselves over in
lasciviousness, to the practice of all impurity, with insatiable
avidity. (20)But ye have not so learned Christ; (21)if indeed ye have
heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
(22)that ye put off respecting your former conversation the old man,
which is corrupt according to the deceitful passions; (23)but be
renewed in the spirit of your minds; (24)and put on the new man, which
is created godlike, in righteousness and true holiness.
(25)Wherefore putting away lying, speak truth, every one with his
neighbour: for we are members one of another.
(26)Are ye provoked; and do you not sin? let not the sun go down upon
your wrath: (27)nor give place to the devil.
(28)Let him that stole steal no more; but rather labour hard, working
with his hands that which is good, that he may have something to give
to him that is in want.
(29)Let no loose discourse proceed out of your mouth, but whatever is
good for useful edification, that it may communicate grace to the
hearers. (30)And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye have
been sealed unto the day of redemption. (31)Let all bitterness, and
wrath, and anger, and clamour, and scandal, be removed from you, with
all malice: (32)but be ye kind one to another, full of sensibility,
forgiving mutually, even as God in Christ hath forgiven you.