1Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord,4:1 2Tm 1:8 urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,

2with all humility4:2 Col 3:12 and gentleness, with patience,4:2 Ex 34:6; 2Tm 3:10 bearing4:2 Heb 13:22 with one another in love,4:2 1Co 13:1

3making every effort to keep the unity4:3 Eph 4:13 of the Spirit4:3 Ps 51:11; Jn 1:33; Ac 2:4; Rm 8:9; Gl 5:25; Ti 3:5; Rv 3:22 through the bond of peace.

4There is one body and one Spirit4:4 Rm 12:4–5; 1Co 10:17; 12:9,12–13; Eph 2:16,18; Col 3:15 — just as you were called to one hope4:4 Lit called in one hope4:4 Ac 26:6–7; 28:20; Rm 5:2; 8:23–25; Eph 1:18; Col 1:5; 1Th 1:3 at your calling — 

5one Lord,4:5 1Co 1:13; 8:6 one faith,4:5 Jd 3 one baptism,

6one God4:6 Dt 6:4 and Father4:6 Mt 5:16; 11:27; Lk 11:13; Jn 8:42 of all, who is above all and through all and in all.4:6 Ps 104:24

9But what does “he ascended” mean except that he4:9 Other mss add first also descended to the lower parts of the earth?4:9 Or the lower parts, namely, the earth4:9 Jn 3:13; 6:62; Rm 10:6–7; Php 2:6–11

10The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens,4:10 Jn 3:13; 6:38 to fill all things.4:10 Eph 1:23; Heb 4:14; 7:26; 9:24

11And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,

12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,4:12 Rm 7:4; 1Co 10:16; 12:27; Col 2:17

13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son,4:13 Jn 5:19; Heb 1:2 growing into maturity with a stature4:13 Lk 2:52 measured by Christ’s fullness.

14Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching,4:14 Rm 15:4; Heb 13:9 by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.

15But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head4:15 Col 2:10 — Christ.

16From him the whole body, fitted and knit together4:16 Col 2:2 by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth4:16 Col 2:19 of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.

17Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts.

18They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because4:18 Or in them because of the hardness of their hearts.

19They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity4:19 1Th 4:17 with a desire for more and more.4:19 Lit with greediness