Ephesians 4
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As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received: Begin Abide·
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with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, Begin Abide·
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and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Begin Abide·
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There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; Begin Abide·
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one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Begin Abide·
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one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Begin Abide·
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Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Begin Abide·
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This is why it says: “When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.” Begin Abide·
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What does “He ascended” mean, except that He also descended to the lower parts of the earth? Begin Abide·
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He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things. Begin Abide·
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And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, Begin Abide·
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to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, Begin Abide·
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until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ. Begin Abide·
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Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. Begin Abide·
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Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head. Begin Abide·
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From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part. Begin Abide·
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So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. Begin Abide·
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They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. Begin Abide·
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Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more. Begin Abide·
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But this is not the way you came to know Christ. Begin Abide·
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Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him—in keeping with the truth that is in Jesus— Begin Abide·
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to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; Begin Abide·
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to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; Begin Abide·
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and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Begin Abide·
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Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. Begin Abide·
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“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger, Begin Abide·
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and do not give the devil a foothold. Begin Abide·
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He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need. Begin Abide·
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Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen. Begin Abide·
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And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Begin Abide·
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Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. Begin Abide·
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Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you. Begin Abide·