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Ephesians 4
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| 4:1
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of
the vocation wherewith ye are called, |
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| 4:2
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one
another in love; |
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| 4:3
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. |
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| 4:4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of
your calling; |
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| 4:5
One Lord, one faith, one baptism, |
BOM: Mosiah 18:21
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| 4:6
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you
all. |
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| 4:7
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the
gift of Christ. |
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| 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive,
and gave gifts unto men. |
Misquote of Ps.68:18, which says: "Thou hast ascended on high, thou
hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men."
The words and meaning of the psalm were changed from "received gifts" to "gave gifts".
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| 4:9
(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into
the lower parts of the earth?
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| 4:10
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens,
that he might fill all things.) |
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| 4:11
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and
some, pastors and teachers; |
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| 4:12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ: |
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| 4:13
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: |
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| 4:14
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; |
"Be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind
of doctrine."
Is it good to be childish?
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| 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which
is the head, even Christ: |
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| 4:16
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. |
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| 4:17
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not
as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, |
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| 4:18
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: |
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| 4:19
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to
work all uncleanness with greediness. |
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| 4:20
But ye have not so learned Christ; |
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| 4:21
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth
is in Jesus: |
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| 4:22
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is
corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; |
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| 4:23
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; |
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| 4:24
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness. |
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| 4:25
Wherefore putting
away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are
members one of another. |
(4:25, 29)
"Speak every man truth with his neighbour."
Is it wrong to lie?
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| 4:26
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
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"Let not the sun go down upon your wrath."
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| 4:27
Neither give place to the devil. |
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| 4:28
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. |
"Let him that stole steal no more."
Is it wrong to steal?
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| 4:29
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. |
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which
is good to the use of edifying."
Sounds like a good rule, but if it
were applied to the bible, there wouldn't be much left. (See Mal.2:3,
Ezek.23:20, and Jg.19:22-30 for some rather unedifying bible
verses.)
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| 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day
of redemption.
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| 4:31
Let all bitterness, and
wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with
all malice: |
(4:31-32)
Be kind and forgiving to one another.
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| 4:32
And be ye kind one to
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you.
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