Ephesians 4 · WEB
Unity of the Spirit and the New Self
Listen — WEB narration 0:00 / 0:00 Narration: World English Bible (David Williams), public domain — AudioTreasure.
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I 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,
18being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts.
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, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
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Summary
Paul pivots to the practical half of the letter, calling believers to walk worthy of their calling in humility, patience, and unity. Christ has given diverse gifts — apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers — to equip the saints so the body grows into maturity and is no longer tossed by every wind of doctrine. Believers must put off the old self with its corrupt practices and put on the new self created in righteousness, speaking truth, working honestly, controlling anger, and forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave them.
Themes
- Unity of the Spirit grounded in the "seven ones" (one body, Spirit, hope, Lord, faith, baptism, God)
- Christ's ascension gifts and equipping of the church for maturity
- Putting off the old self and putting on the new self
- Speaking truth in love and edifying speech
- Forgiveness and kindness modeled on God's forgiveness in Christ
Key verses
- Eph 4:1 — “walk worthily of the calling with which you were called”
- Eph 4:15 — “speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ”
- Eph 4:32 — “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you”
- Eph 4:4-6 — “one body and one Spirit... one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all”
Context & background
Paul wrote Ephesians c. AD 60-62 from prison in Rome (modern Italy) to the church at Ephesus (modern western Turkey, near Selçuk), a major Roman port on the Aegean coast. Chapter 4 begins the practical second half of the letter (chs. 4-6) — having established the believer's identity and spiritual blessings in chapters 1-3, Paul now describes the corresponding "walk." The quotation in verse 8 draws from Psalm 68:18, applied to Christ's ascension and gift-giving to his church.
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 12:4-31 — parallel teaching on spiritual gifts and the body
- Colossians 3:5-14 — parallel "put off / put on" language with similar virtues
- Matthew 18:21-35 — Jesus' teaching on forgiveness modeled on God's forgiveness
- Psalm 68:18 — source of the "ascended on high, led captivity captive" quotation
- Romans 12:1-8 — walking worthy and the gifts given according to grace