1So I—this prisoner in the Lord—am encouraging you to make sure you live according to the principles to which you were called.

2Don't think proudly of yourselves; be gentle and patient, showing tolerance to each other in love.

3Make every effort to remain one in the Spirit through the peace that binds you together.

4For there's one body, and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope.

5The Lord is one, our trust in him is one, and there's one baptism;

6there's one God and Father of everyone. He is over all and through all and in all.

7To each of us grace was given in proportion to Christ's generous gift.

8As Scripture says, “When he ascended to the heights he took captives with him, and gave gifts to humanity.” ¹¹

9(Regarding this: it says he ascended, but that means he also had previously descended to our lowly world.

10The one that descended is the same one who also ascended to the highest heaven in order that he could make the whole universe complete.)

11The gifts he gave were so that some could be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers,

12with the purpose of preparing God's people for the work of helping others, to help the body of Christ to grow.

13We grow together until we all reach the state of being one in our trust in and knowledge of the Son of God, completely grown up, measuring up to full maturity in Christ.

14We shouldn't be little children any more, tossed about and blown along by every passing breeze of doctrine, confused by human trickery, led into error by crafty people who deceitfully scheme.

15Instead by speaking the truth in love we ought to grow up in everything into Christ, who is our head.

16It's because of him that the whole body operates, every joint holding it together as each individual part does what it's supposed to, and the whole body grows, building itself up in love.

17So let me say this to you—in fact I insist on it in the Lord—that you should no longer live like the foreigners do, in their empty-headed way.

18In the darkness of their minds they don't understand, and they have been cut off from the life of God because they don't know anything and in their stubbornness they don't want to know.

19Because they are past caring they abandon themselves to sensuality, and greedily do all kinds of disgusting things.

20But that's not what you learned about Christ!

21Didn't you hear about him? Weren't you taught concerning him? Didn't you learn the truth as it is in Jesus?

22So get rid of your former lifestyle, that old nature that ruins you through deceptive desires!

23Let yourselves be remade spiritually and mentally,

24and put on your new nature that God created so you will be like him, right and holy in the truth.

25So reject lies, and tell the truth to each other—for we belong to each other.

26Don't sin by getting angry; don't let evening come and find you still mad—

27and don't give the devil any opportunity.

28Thieves, stop your stealing, and do honest, productive work with your hands, so you'll have something to give to those who need it.

29Don't use bad language. Speak words that will encourage people as necessary, so that those who listen will be helped.

30Don't disappoint the Holy Spirit of God that marked you as belonging to him until the day of redemption.

31Get rid of every kind of bitterness, rage, anger, verbal abuse, and insults, along with all forms of evil.

32Be kind and compassionate to each other, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.