Ephesians 4King James Version
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. Speak every man truth with his neighbour. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another.
The letter pivots from doctrine to practice. Paul urges a walk worthy of the calling, built on unity: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. He explains that Christ gave gifts to the church, including apostles and teachers, to mature the body until it looks like Christ. The chapter closes with specific behavioral contrasts: put off the old self, put on the new, exchange lies for truth, theft for honest labor, corrupt speech for words that give grace.
Position determines practice: because you are already one body in Christ, pursue the unity, maturity, and speech that reflect that reality.
4:15: "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ": maturity is not just doctrinal accuracy or relational warmth but both at once, pulling toward Christ as the measure.
A house church in Ephesus listens as someone reads through the list in verses 25 through 32. Someone in the room stole. Someone has been carrying anger past sunset for weeks. The letter names the exact things they need to hear, without knowing their names.
The whole church as a body, each part contributing to the whole. Teachers, pastors, evangelists and apostles as gifts Christ gave after his ascension. The devil, given a foothold by unchecked anger.
Chapter 4 is where Ephesians shifts from indicative to imperative, from what is true to how to live it. Paul grounds every command in the preceding theology. Unity is worth the effort because it already exists in the Spirit. The new self is worth putting on because it was already created in righteousness. Ethics become an alignment exercise, not an achievement program.
There is a grief named here: grieving the Spirit, corrupting speech, letting bitterness calcify. Paul treats these not as abstract sins but as specific damages done to real relationships inside the body.
1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20But ye have not so learned Christ;
21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27Neither give place to the devil.
28Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.