1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

I therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the calling to which you have been called [with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God’s service,

2 w ith all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another.

3 e ndeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of the Spirit in the binding power of peace.

4 T here is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

one body and one Spirit—just as there is also one hope to the calling you received—

5 o ne Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 o ne God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

One God and Father of all, Who is above all, pervading all and in all.

7 B ut unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Yet grace (God’s unmerited favor) was given to each of us individually in proportion to the measure of Christ’s gift.

8 W herefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Therefore it is said, When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive '> vanquished foes] and He bestowed gifts on men.

9 ( Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

Now what can this, He ascended, mean but that He had previously descended from heaven into, the lower parts of the earth?

10 H e that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

He Who descended is the same as He Who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He might fill all things (the whole universe, from the lowest to the highest).

11 A nd he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

And His gifts were some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers.

12 f or the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church),

13 t ill 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:

until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the '> full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.

14 t hat 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;

So then, we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead.

15 b ut speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

16 f rom 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.

For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.

17 T his I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

So this I say and solemnly testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the heathen (the Gentiles) do in their perverseness of their minds.

18 h aving the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Their moral understanding is darkened and their reasoning is beclouded. alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God because of the ignorance (the want of knowledge and perception, the willful blindness) that is deep-seated in them, due to their hardness of heart.

19 w ho being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

In their spiritual apathy they have become callous and past feeling and reckless and have abandoned themselves to unbridled sensuality, eager and greedy to indulge in every form of impurity.

20 B ut ye have not so learned Christ;

But you did not so learn Christ!

21 i f so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

Assuming that you have really heard Him and been taught by Him, as Truth is in Jesus,

22 t hat ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

Strip yourselves of your former nature which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion;

23 a nd be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind,

24 a nd that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, in true righteousness and holiness.

25 W herefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Therefore, rejecting all falsity and being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another.

26 B e ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.

27 n either give place to the devil.

Leave no room or foothold for the devil.

28 L et 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.

Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need.

29 L et 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.

Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.

30 A nd grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).

31 L et all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).

32 a nd be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.