Chapter 4

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort 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,

careful to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace:

one body and one Spirit, even as you were called in one hope of your calling;

one Lord, one faith, one Baptism;

one God and Father of all, who is above all, and throughout all, and in us all. Diversity of Graces

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's bestowal.

Thus it says, "Ascending on high, he led away captives; he gave gifts to men."

Now this, "he ascended," what does it mean but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

He who descended, he it is who ascended also above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

And he himself gave some men as apostles, and some as prophets, others again as evangelists, and others as pastors and teachers,

in order to perfect the saints for a work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the deep knowledge of the Son of God, to perfect manhood, to the mature measure of the fullness of Christ.

And this he has done that we may be now no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine devised in the wickedness of men, in craftiness, according to the wiles of error.

Rather are we to practice the truth in love, and so grow up in all things in him who is the head, Christ.

For from him the whole body (being closely joined and knit together through every joint of the system according to the functioning in due measure of each single part) derives its increase to the building up of itself in love. Change of Self

This, therefore, I say and testify in the Lord, that henceforward you are not to walk as the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind,

having their understanding clouded in darkness, estranged from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.

For they have given themselves up in despair to sensuality, greedily practising every kind of uncleanness.

But you have not so learned Christ---

for surely you have heard of him and have been taught in him (as truth is in Jesus)

that as regards your former manner of life you are to put off the old man, which is being corrupted through its deceptive lusts.

But be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

and put on the new man, which has been created according to God in justice and holiness of truth. Vices to Be Avoided

Wherefore, put away lying and speak truth each one with his neighbor, because we are members of one another.

"Be angry and do not sin": do not let the sun go down upon your anger:

do not give place to the devil.

He who was wont to steal, let him steal no longer; but rather let him labor, working with his hands at what is good, that he may have something to share with him who suffers need.

Let no ill speech proceed from your mouth, but whatever is good for supplying what fits the current necessity, that it may give grace to the hearers.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and indignation, and clamor, and reviling, be removed from you, along with all malice.

On the contrary, be kind to one another, and merciful, generously forgiving one another, as also God in Christ has generously forgiven you.