Study Desk

Therefore I, ^(C1)the prisoner of the Lord, ^(C2)urge you to ^(C3)walk in a manner worthy of the ^(C4)calling with which you have been ^(C5)called,

with all ^(C1)humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another ^(C2)in love,

being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the ^(C1)bond of peace.

There is ^(C1)one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one ^(C2)hope of your calling;

^(C1)one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God and Father of all ^(C1)who is over all and through all and in all.

But ^(C1)to each one of us ^(C2)grace was given ^(C3)according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Therefore ^(F1)it says, "^(C1)WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE ^(C2)LED CAPTIVE THE CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO PEOPLE."

(Now this expression, "He ^(C1)ascended," what ^(F1)does it mean except that He also ^(F2)had descended into ^(C2)the lower parts of the earth?

He who descended is Himself also He who ascended ^(C1)far above all the heavens, so that He might ^(C2)fill all things.)

And He ^(C1)gave ^(C2)some as apostles, some as prophets, some as ^(C3)evangelists, some as ^(F1)pastors and ^(C4)teachers,

^(C1)for the equipping of the ^(F1)saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of ^(C2)the body of Christ;

until we all attain to ^(C1)the unity of the faith, and of the ^(F1)(C2)knowledge of the Son of God, to a ^(C3)mature man, to the measure of the stature ^(F2)which belongs to the ^(C4)fullness of Christ.

^(F1)As a result, we are ^(C1)no longer to be children, ^(C2)tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by ^(C3)craftiness ^(F2)in ^(C4)deceitful scheming;

but ^(F1)speaking the truth ^(C1)in love, ^(F2)we are to ^(C2)grow up in all aspects into Him who is the ^(C3)head, that is, Christ,

from whom ^(C1)the whole body, being fitted and held together ^(F1)by what every joint supplies, according to the ^(F2)proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself ^(C2)in love.

^(C1)So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, ^(C2)that you are to no longer walk just as the ^(F1)Gentiles also walk, in the ^(C3)futility of their minds,

being ^(C1)darkened in their understanding, ^(F1)(C2)excluded from the life of God because of the ^(C3)ignorance that is in them, because of the ^(C4)hardness of their heart;

and they, having ^(C1)become callous, ^(C2)have given themselves up to ^(C3)indecent behavior ^(F1)for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

But you did not ^(C1)learn Christ in this way,

if indeed you ^(C1)have heard Him and have ^(C2)been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,

that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to ^(C1)rid yourselves of the ^(C2)old ^(F1)self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the ^(C3)lusts of deceit,

and that you are to be ^(C1)renewed in the spirit of your minds,

and to ^(C1)put on the ^(C2)new ^(F1)self, which ^(F2)(C3)in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Therefore, ^(C1)ridding yourselves of falsehood, ^(C2)SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE OF YOU WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, because we are ^(C3)parts of one another.

^(C1)BE ANGRY, AND YET DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

and do not ^(C1)give the devil ^(F1)an opportunity.

The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather ^(C1)he must labor, ^(C2)producing with his own hands what is good, ^(C3)so that he will have something to share with the one who has need.

Let no ^(F1)(C1)unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for ^(C2)edification ^(F2)according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

^(C1)Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^(F1)by whom you were ^(C2)sealed for the day of redemption.

^(C1)All bitterness, wrath, anger, ^(F1)clamor, and slander must be ^(C2)removed from you, along with all ^(C3)malice.

^(C1)Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, ^(C2)just as God in Christ also has forgiven ^(F1)you.