|
|
|
|
1. I am in prison because I belong to the Lord. God chose you to be his people, so I urge you now to live the life to which God called you.
|
1. I G1473 therefore G3767 , the G3588 prisoner G1198 of G1722 the Lord G2962 , beseech G3870 you G5209 that ye walk G4043 worthy G516 of the G3588 vocation G2821 wherewith G3739 ye are called G2564 ,
|
|
2. Always be humble, gentle, and patient, accepting each other in love.
|
2. With G3326 all G3956 lowliness G5012 and G2532 meekness G4236 , with G3326 longsuffering G3115 , forbearing G430 one another G240 in G1722 love G26 ;
|
|
3. You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way.
|
3. Endeavoring G4704 to keep G5083 the G3588 unity G1775 of the G3588 Spirit G4151 in G1722 the G3588 bond G4886 of peace G1515 .
|
|
4. There is one body and one Spirit, and God called you to have one hope.
|
4. There is one G1520 body G4983 , and G2532 one G1520 Spirit G4151 , even as G2531 ye are called G2564 in G1722 one G3391 hope G1680 of your G5216 calling G2821 ;
|
|
5. There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.
|
5. One G1520 Lord G2962 , one G3391 faith G4102 , one G1520 baptism G908 ,
|
|
6. There is one God and Father of everything. He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything.
|
6. One G1520 God G2316 and G2532 Father G3962 of all G3956 , who G3588 is above G1909 all G3956 , and G2532 through G1223 all G3956 , and G2532 in G1722 you G5213 all G3956 .
|
|
7. Christ gave each one of us the special gift of grace, showing how generous he is.
|
7. But G1161 unto every G1538 one G1520 of us G2257 is given G1325 grace G5485 according G2596 to the G3588 measure G3358 of the G3588 gift G1431 of Christ G5547 .
|
|
8. That is why it says in the Scriptures, "When he went up to the heights, he led a parade of captives, and he gave gifts to people."
|
8. Wherefore G1352 he saith G3004 , When he ascended up G305 on G1519 high G5311 , he led captivity captive G162 G161 , and G2532 gave G1325 gifts G1390 unto men G444 .
|
|
9. When it says, "He went up," what does it mean? It means that he first came down to the earth.
|
9. ( Now G1161 that G3588 he ascended G305 , what G5101 is G2076 it but G1508 that G3754 he also G2532 descended G2597 first G4412 into G1519 the G3588 lower G2737 parts G3313 of the G3588 earth G1093 ?
|
|
10. So Jesus came down, and he is the same One who went up above all the heaven. Christ did that to fill everything with his presence.
|
10. He that descended G2597 is G2076 the same G846 also G2532 that ascended up G305 far above G5231 all G3956 heavens G3772 , that G2443 he might fill G4137 all things G3956 .)
|
|
11. And Christ gave gifts to people -- he made some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to go and tell the Good News, and some to have the work of caring for and teaching God's people.
|
11. And G2532 he G846 gave G1325 some G3588 G3303 , apostles G652 ; and G1161 some G3588 , prophets G4396 ; and G1161 some G3588 , evangelists G2099 ; and G1161 some G3588 , pastors G4166 and G2532 teachers G1320 ;
|
|
12. Christ gave those gifts to prepare God's holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger.
|
12. For G4314 the G3588 perfecting G2677 of the G3588 saints G40 , for G1519 the work G2041 of the ministry G1248 , for G1519 the edifying G3619 of the G3588 body G4983 of Christ G5547 :
|
|
13. This work must continue until we are all joined together in the same faith and in the same knowledge of the Son of God. We must become like a mature person, growing until we become like Christ and have his perfection.
|
13. Till G3360 we all G3956 come G2658 in G1519 the G3588 unity G1775 of the G3588 faith G4102 , and G2532 of the G3588 knowledge G1922 of the G3588 Son G5207 of God G2316 , unto G1519 a perfect G5046 man G435 , unto G1519 the measure G3358 of the stature G2244 of the G3588 fullness G4138 of Christ G5547 :
|
|
14. Then we will no longer be babies. We will not be tossed about like a ship that the waves carry one way and then another. We will not be influenced by every new teaching we hear from people who are trying to fool us. They make plans and try any kind of trick to fool people into following the wrong path.
|
14. That G2443 we henceforth be G5600 no more G3371 children G3516 , tossed to and fro G2831 , and G2532 carried about G4064 with every G3956 wind G417 of doctrine G1319 , by G1722 the G3588 sleight G2940 of men G444 , and G1722 cunning craftiness G3834 , whereby G4314 they lie in wait to deceive G3180 G4106 ;
|
|
15. No! Speaking the truth with love, we will grow up in every way into Christ, who is the head.
|
15. But G1161 speaking the truth G226 in G1722 love G26 , may grow up G837 into G1519 him G846 in all things G3956 , which G3739 is G2076 the G3588 head G2776 , even Christ G5547 :
|
|
16. The whole body depends on Christ, and all the parts of the body are joined and held together. Each part does its own work to make the whole body grow and be strong with love.
|
16. From G1537 whom G3739 the G3588 whole G3956 body G4983 fitly joined together G4883 and G2532 compacted G4822 by G1223 that which every G3956 joint G860 supplieth G2024 , according G2596 to the effectual working G1753 in G1722 the measure G3358 of every G1538 G1520 part G3313 , maketh G4160 increase G838 of the G3588 body G4983 unto G1519 the edifying G3619 of itself G1438 in G1722 love G26 .
|
|
17. In the Lord's name, I tell you this. Do not continue living like those who do not believe. Their thoughts are worth nothing.
|
17. This G5124 I say G3004 therefore G3767 , and G2532 testify G3143 in G1722 the Lord G2962 , that ye G5209 henceforth walk not G3371 G4043 as G2531 G2532 other G3062 Gentiles G1484 walk G4043 , in G1722 the vanity G3153 of their G848 mind G3563 ,
|
|
18. They do not understand, and they know nothing, because they refuse to listen. So they cannot have the life that God gives.
|
18. Having the G3588 understanding G1271 darkened G4654 , being G5607 alienated G526 from the G3588 life G2222 of God G2316 through G1223 the G3588 ignorance G52 that is G5607 in G1722 them G846 , because G1223 of the G3588 blindness G4457 of their G846 heart G2588 :
|
|
19. They have lost all feeling of shame, and they use their lives for doing evil. They continually want to do all kinds of evil.
|
19. Who G3748 being past feeling G524 have given themselves over G3860 G1438 unto lasciviousness G766 , to G1519 work G2039 all G3956 uncleanness G167 with G1722 greediness G4124 .
|
|
20. But what you learned in Christ was not like this.
|
20. But G1161 ye G5210 have not G3756 so G3779 learned G3129 Christ G5547 ;
|
|
21. I know that you heard about him, and you are in him, so you were taught the truth that is in Jesus.
|
21. If so be G1489 that ye have heard G191 him G846 , and G2532 have been taught G1321 by G1722 him G846 , as G2531 the truth G225 is G2076 in G1722 Jesus G2424 :
|
|
22. You were taught to leave your old self -- to stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do.
|
22. That ye G5209 put off G659 concerning G2596 the G3588 former G4387 conversation G391 the G3588 old G3820 man G444 , which is corrupt G5351 according G2596 to the G3588 deceitful G539 lusts G1939 ;
|
|
23. But you were taught to be made new in your hearts,
|
23. And G1161 be renewed G365 in the G3588 spirit G4151 of your G5216 mind G3563 ;
|
|
24. to become a new person. That new person is made to be like God -- made to be truly good and holy.
|
24. And G2532 that ye put on G1746 the G3588 new G2537 man G444 , which after G2596 God G2316 is created G2936 in G1722 righteousness G1343 and G2532 true G225 holiness G3742 .
|
|
25. So you must stop telling lies. Tell each other the truth, because we all belong to each other in the same body.
|
25. Wherefore G1352 putting away G659 lying G5579 , speak G2980 every man G1538 truth G225 with G3326 his G848 neighbor G4139 : for G3754 we are G2070 members G3196 one of another G240 .
|
|
26. When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day.
|
26. Be ye angry G3710 , and G2532 sin G264 not: let G3361 not G3361 the G3588 sun G2246 go down G1931 upon G1909 your G5216 wrath G3950 :
|
|
27. Do not give the devil a way to defeat you.
|
27. Neither G3383 give G1325 place G5117 to the G3588 devil G1228 .
|
|
28. Those who are stealing must stop stealing and start working. They should earn an honest living for themselves. Then they will have something to share with those who are poor.
|
28. Let him that stole G2813 steal G2813 no more G3371 : but G1161 rather G3123 let him labor G2872 , working G2038 with his hands G5495 the thing which is good G18 , that G2443 he may have G2192 to give G3330 to him that needeth G2192 G5532 .
|
|
29. When you talk, do not say harmful things, but say what people need -- words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will do good to those who listen to you.
|
29. Let no G3361 G3956 corrupt G4550 communication G3056 proceed G1607 out of G1537 your G5216 mouth G4750 , but G235 that G1536 which is good G18 to G4314 the G3588 use G5532 of edifying G3619 , that G2443 it may minister G1325 grace G5485 unto the G3588 hearers G191 .
|
|
30. And do not make the Holy Spirit sad. The Spirit is God's proof that you belong to him. God gave you the Spirit to show that God will make you free when the final day comes.
|
30. And G2532 grieve G3076 not G3361 the G3588 Holy G40 Spirit G4151 of God G2316 , whereby G1722 G3739 ye are sealed G4972 unto G1519 the day G2250 of redemption G629 .
|
|
31. Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil.
|
31. Let all G3956 bitterness G4088 , and G2532 wrath G2372 , and G2532 anger G3709 , and G2532 clamor G2906 , and G2532 evil speaking G988 , be put away G142 from G575 you G5216 , with G4862 all G3956 malice G2549 :
|
|
32. Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.
|
32. And G1161 be G1096 ye kind G5543 one to another G240 G1519 , tenderhearted G2155 , forgiving G5483 one another G1438 , even G2532 as G2531 God G2316 for Christ's sake G1722 G5547 hath forgiven G5483 you G5213 .
|