Ephesians 4

(1)  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
(2)  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
(3)  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(4)  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in 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 unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
(8)  Wherefore 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?
(10)  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
(11)  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(12)  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
(13)  Till 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:
(14)  That 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;
(15)  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
(16)  From 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.
(17)  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
(18)  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
(19)  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
(20)  But ye have not so learned Christ;
(21)  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
(22)  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
(23)  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
(24)  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
(25)  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
(26)  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
(27)  Neither give place to the devil.
(28)  Let 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.
(29)  Let 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.
(30)  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
(31)  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
(32)  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

Study Questions

read more

1. What is the calling by which we were called? What three characteristics must we have to walk worthily of our calling? Verses 1-2.

2. How is the unity of the Spirit gained? Verse 3.

3. Since divisions are the result of a violation of one or more of the seven unities of the Spirit, describe what each one is. Verses 4-6.

One Body:
One Spirit:
One Hope:
One Lord:
One Faith:
One Baptism:
One God:

4. If this originally referred to miraculous gifts, were any left out? Since all of us partake of the saving grace given by God, wouldn’t each be obligated to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”? Verse 7.

5. Who is it that ascended after first descending? What did he lead captive? What were the gifts? (The word for gifts is not charisma [spiritual miraculous gifts] but domata [a general word for gifts]). Do the next verses tell us what the gifts were? Verses 8-10.

6. What functionaries in the church were the gifts? For what three things were these gifts given? Verses 11-12.

7. What was it that was to last “till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God”? Verse 13.

8. What are we no longer to be? How are we to speak truth? In what things are we to grow up into Christ? Verses 14-15.

9. Stripped of its qualifying phrases, what is the gist of verse 16? How must each part of the body work? Verse 16.

10. How were the Ephesians forbidden to walk? Verse 17.

11. What was the condition of the Gentiles’ understanding? For what two reasons were the Gentiles alienated from the life of God? Verses 17-18.

12. Can someone reach the point that he is no longer pained by conscience? In what kind of conduct do people without feelings of guilt and shame engage? Verse 19.

13. If the Ephesians learned of Christ as the truth is in Jesus, what would they put away? Verses 20-22.

14. In what are we to be renewed? How can the spirit of our minds be renewed? Verse 23.

15. What are we to put on? After what person are we created? In what two ways are we created after God? Verse 24.

16. Why should the fact that we are members of the same body curb our lying? Verse 25.

17. Is this a prohibition against being angry or a caution not to sin when angry? Verse 26.

18. How does the angry person give place or provide an opportunity for the devil? Verse 27.

19. What type of work is the ex-thief to do? What is the purpose of work? Verse 28.

20. What type of speech is not to be let out of our mouths? What type is to be uttered? Verse 29

21. How can we grieve the Holy Spirit? Unto what day are we sealed? Verse 30.

22. Define these words: Verse 31.
Bitterness:
Wrath:
Anger:

23. Define these words/terms: Verse 31.
Clamor:
Evil Speaking:
Malice:

24. What is a good reason for being kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving? Verse 32.