Ephesians 4

Therefore I, a prisoner for the sake of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called,

with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

being diligent to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling,

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measured portion of Christ’s gift.

This is why it says, When he ascended on high, he took captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.

(Now when it says, “he ascended,” what does it mean except that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, in order to fill all things).

And he gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

for the equipping of the holy ones for the work of ministry, with the goal of building up the body of Christ,

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, growing into a mature person, attaining to the measure of the full stature of Christ,

so that we are no longer children, tossed here and there and blown about with every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery and craftiness in deceitful scheming.

But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, Christ,

from whom the whole body, being fitted together and held together by every supporting ligament, with each individual part doing its proper function, produces the growth of the body with the goal of building itself up in love.

Therefore I say this and insist in the Lord: you must no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds.

They are darkened in their understanding and are alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

They have lost all sensitivity and have given themselves over to unrestrained behavior to engage in every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.

But that is not the way you learned Christ!

Assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, because the truth resides in Jesus,

you are to put off the old self that belongs to your former way of life and that is being corrupted because of deceitful desires,

and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

and put on the new self, which has been created in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore, putting away falsehood, each one is to speak the truth with his neighbor, because we are members with one another.

Be angry and yet do not sin! Do not let the sun go down on your angry mood,

and do not give an opportunity to the Devil!

The one who steals must steal no more, but instead he must labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to give to the one who has need.

Let no corrupting talk proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for edifying according to the need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.

And do not grieve the holy spirit of God with which you were sealed until the day of redemption.

Get rid of all bitterness and rage and anger and angry shouting and defaming speech, along with all malice,

and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God has forgiven you in Christ.