1 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,

Yo, pues, preso en el Señor, os ruego que andéis como es digno de la vocación con que fuisteis llamados:

2 L iving 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.

con toda humildad y mansedumbre, soportándoos con paciencia los unos a los otros en amor,

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

procurando mantener la unidad del Espíritu en el vínculo de la paz:

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

un solo cuerpo y un solo Espíritu, como fuisteis también llamados en una misma esperanza de vuestra vocación;

5 o ne Lord, one faith, one baptism,

un solo Señor, una sola fe, un solo bautismo,

6 O ne God and Father of all, Who is above all, pervading all and in all.

un solo Dios y Padre de todos, el cual es sobre todos y por todos y en todos.

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

Pero a cada uno de nosotros fue dada la gracia conforme a la medida del don de Cristo.

8 T herefore it is said, When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive '> vanquished foes] and He bestowed gifts on men.

Por lo cual dice: «Subiendo a lo alto, llevó cautiva la cautividad, y dio dones a los hombres.»

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

Y eso de que «subió», ¿qué es, sino que también había descendido primero a las partes más bajas de la tierra?

10 H e 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).

El que descendió es el mismo que también subió por encima de todos los cielos para llenarlo todo.

11 A nd 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.

Y él mismo constituyó a unos, apóstoles; a otros, profetas; a otros, evangelistas; a otros, pastores y maestros,

12 H is 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),

a fin de perfeccionar a los santos para la obra del ministerio, para la edificación del cuerpo de Cristo,

13 u ntil 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.

hasta que todos lleguemos a la unidad de la fe y del conocimiento del Hijo de Dios, al hombre perfecto, a la medida de la estatura de la plenitud de Cristo.

14 S o 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.

Así ya no seremos niños fluctuantes, llevados por doquiera de todo viento de doctrina, por estratagema de hombres que para engañar emplean con astucia las artimañas del error;

15 R ather, 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).

sino que, siguiendo la verdad en amor, crezcamos en todo en aquel que es la cabeza, esto es, Cristo,

16 F or 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.

de quien todo el cuerpo, bien concertado y unido entre sí por todas las coyunturas que se ayudan mutuamente, según la actividad propia de cada miembro, recibe su crecimiento para ir edificándose en amor. La nueva vida en Cristo

17 S o 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.

Esto, pues, digo y requiero en el Señor: que ya no andéis como los otros gentiles, que andan en la vanidad de su mente,

18 T heir 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.

teniendo el entendimiento entenebrecido, ajenos de la vida de Dios por la ignorancia que en ellos hay, por la dureza de su corazón.

19 I n 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.

Estos, después que perdieron toda sensibilidad, se entregaron al libertinaje para cometer con avidez toda clase de impureza.

20 B ut you did not so learn Christ!

Pero vosotros no habéis aprendido así sobre Cristo,

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

si en verdad lo habéis oído, y habéis sido por él enseñados, conforme a la verdad que está en Jesús.

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

En cuanto a la pasada manera de vivir, despojaos del viejo hombre, que está corrompido por los deseos engañosos,

23 A nd be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind,

renovaos en el espíritu de vuestra mente,

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

y vestíos del nuevo hombre, creado según Dios en la justicia y santidad de la verdad.

25 T herefore, 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.

Por eso, desechando la mentira, hablad verdad cada uno con su prójimo, porque somos miembros los unos de los otros.

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

Airaos, pero no pequéis; no se ponga el sol sobre vuestro enojo,

27 L eave no room or foothold for the devil.

ni deis lugar al diablo.

28 L et 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.

El que robaba, no robe más, sino trabaje, haciendo con sus manos lo que es bueno, para que tenga qué compartir con el que padece necesidad.

29 L et 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.

Ninguna palabra corrompida salga de vuestra boca, sino la que sea buena para la necesaria edificación, a fin de dar gracia a los oyentes.

30 A nd 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).

Y no entristezcáis al Espíritu Santo de Dios, con el cual fuisteis sellados para el día de la redención.

31 L et 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).

Quítense de vosotros toda amargura, enojo, ira, gritería, maledicencia y toda malicia.

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

Antes sed bondadosos unos con otros, misericordiosos, perdonándoos unos a otros, como Dios también os perdonó a vosotros en Cristo.