Ephesians
4:17-5:2
Ephesians
4
(17) Now this I say and testify in
the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of
their minds.
(18) They are darkened in their
understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is
in them, due to their hardness of heart.
(19) They have become callous and
have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of
impurity.
(20) But that is not the way you
learned Christ!--
(21) assuming
that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
(22) to
put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is
corrupt through deceitful desires,
(23) and
to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
(24) and
to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness
and holiness.
(25) Therefore, having put away
falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are
members one of another.
(26) Be
angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
(27) and
give no opportunity to the devil.
(28) Let the thief no longer steal,
but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may
have something to share with anyone in need.
(29) Let no corrupting talk come
out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the
occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
(30) And do not grieve the Holy
Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
(31) Let all bitterness and wrath
and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
(32) Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in
Christ forgave you.
Ephesians
5
(1) Therefore be imitators of God,
as beloved children.
(2) And walk in love, as Christ
loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.