Ephesians 4
Bible in Basic English (BBE)
1 Ref I then, the prisoner in the Lord, make this request from my heart, that you will see that your behaviour is a credit to the position which God's purpose has given you,
2 Ref With all gentle and quiet behaviour, taking whatever comes, putting up with one another in love;
3 Ref Taking care to keep the harmony of the Spirit in the yoke of peace.
4 Ref There is one body and one Spirit, even as you have been marked out by God in the one hope of his purpose for you;
5 Ref One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 Ref One God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.
7 Ref But to every one of us has grace been given in the measure of the giving of Christ.
8 Ref For this reason he says, He went up on high, taking his prisoners with him, and gave freely to men.
9 Ref (Now this, He went up, what is it but that he first went down into the lower parts of the earth?
10 Ref He who went down is the same who went up far over all the heavens so that he might make all things complete.)
11 Ref And he gave some as Apostles, and some, prophets; and some, preachers of the good news; and some to give care and teaching;
12 Ref For the training of the saints as servants in the church, for the building up of the body of Christ:
13 Ref Till we all come to the harmony of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to full growth, to the full measure of Christ:
14 Ref So that we may be no longer children, sent this way and that, turned about by every wind of teaching, by the twisting and tricks of men, by the deceits of error;
15 Ref But saying true words in love, may come to full growth in him, who is the head, even Christ;
16 Ref Through whom all the body, being rightly formed and united together, by the full working of every part, is increased to the building up of itself in love.
17 Ref This I say, then, and give witness in the Lord, that you are to go no longer in the way of the Gentiles whose minds are turned to that which has no profit,
18 Ref Whose thoughts are dark, to whom the life of God is strange because they are without knowledge, and their hearts have been made hard;
19 Ref Who having no more power of feeling, have given themselves up to evil passions, to do all unclean things with overmuch desire.
20 Ref For this was not the teaching of Christ which was given to you;
21 Ref If in fact you gave ear to him, and were given teaching in him, even as what is true is made clear in Jesus:
22 Ref That you are to put away, in relation to your earlier way of life, the old man, which has become evil by love of deceit;
23 Ref And be made new in the spirit of your mind,
24 Ref And put on the new man, to which God has given life, in righteousness and a true and holy way of living.
25 Ref And so, putting away false words, let everyone say what is true to his neighbour: for we are parts one of another.
26 Ref Be angry without doing wrong; let not the sun go down on your wrath;
27 Ref And do not give way to the Evil One.
28 Ref Let him who was a thief be so no longer, but let him do good work with his hands, so that he may have something to give to him who is in need.
29 Ref Let no evil talk come out of your mouth, but only what is good for giving necessary teaching, and for grace to those who give ear.
30 Ref And do not give grief to the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were marked for the day of salvation.
31 Ref Let all bitter, sharp and angry feeling, and noise, and evil words, be put away from you, with all unkind acts;
32 Ref And be kind to one another, full of pity, having forgiveness for one another, even as God in Christ had forgiveness for you.
American Standard-ASV1901 (ASV)
1 Ref I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called,
2 Ref with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Ref giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 Ref `There is' one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;
5 Ref one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 Ref one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.
7 Ref But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Ref Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men.
9 Ref (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10 Ref He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 Ref And he gave some `to be' apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 Ref for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:
13 Ref till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 Ref that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
15 Ref but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, `even' Christ;
16 Ref from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in `due' measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.
17 Ref This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Ref being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;
19 Ref who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 Ref But ye did not so learn Christ;
21 Ref if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:
22 Ref that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit;
23 Ref and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 Ref and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
25 Ref Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
26 Ref Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Ref neither give place to the devil.
28 Ref Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.
29 Ref Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.
30 Ref And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Ref Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 Ref and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.
World English Bible (WEB)
1 Ref I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,
2 Ref with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love;
3 Ref being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 Ref There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling;
5 Ref one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 Ref one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all.
7 Ref But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Ref Therefore he says, "When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."
9 Ref Now this, "He ascended," what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10 Ref He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
11 Ref He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds{The word for "shepherds" (poimenas) can also be correctly translated "pastors."} and teachers;
12 Ref for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ;
13 Ref until 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;
14 Ref that 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;
15 Ref but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ;
16 Ref from 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.
17 Ref This 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,
18 Ref being 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;
19 Ref who having become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 Ref But you did not learn Christ that way;
21 Ref if indeed you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:
22 Ref that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit;
23 Ref and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 Ref and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.
25 Ref Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members one of another.
26 Ref "Be angry, and don't sin." Don't let the sun go down on your wrath,
27 Ref neither give place to the devil.
28 Ref Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.
29 Ref Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.
30 Ref Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Ref Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice.
32 Ref And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.