Growing Up Together in the Body of Christ
1I am a prisoner because of the Lord. So I am asking you to live a life worthy of what God chose you for. 2Don’t be proud at all. Be completely gentle. Be patient. Put up with one another in love. 3The Holy Spirit makes you one in every way. So try your best to remain as one. Let peace keep you together. 4There is one body and one Spirit. You were appointed to one hope when you were chosen. 5There is one Lord, one faith and one baptism. 6There is one God and Father of all. He is over everything. He is through everything. He is in everything.
7But each one of us has received a gift of grace. These gifts are given to us by Christ. 8That is why Scripture says,
“When he went up to his place on high,
he took many prisoners.
He gave gifts to his people.” (Psalm 68:18)
9What does “he went up” mean? It can only mean that he also came down to the lower, earthly places. 10The one who came down is the same one who went up. He went up higher than all the heavens. He did it in order to fill all creation. 11So Christ himself gave the gift of the apostles to the church. He gave the prophets and those who preach the good news. And he also gave the pastors and teachers as a gift to the church. 12He gave all these people so that they might prepare God’s people to serve. Then the body of Christ will be built up. 13That will continue until we all become one in the faith. We will also become one in the knowledge of God’s Son. Then we will be grown up in the faith. We will receive everything that Christ has for us.
14We will no longer be babies in the faith. We won’t be like ships tossed around by the waves. We won’t be blown here and there by every new teaching. We won’t be blown around by cleverness and tricks. Certain people use them to hide their evil plans. 15Instead, we will speak the truth in love. So we will grow up in every way to become the body of Christ. Christ is the head of the body. 16He makes the whole body grow and build itself up in love. Under the control of Christ, each part of the body does its work. It supports the other parts. In that way, the body is joined and held together.
Teachings for Living as Christians
17Here is what I’m telling you. I am speaking for the Lord as I warn you. You must no longer live as the Gentiles do. Their thoughts don’t have any purpose. 18They can’t understand the truth. They are separated from the life of God. That’s because they don’t know him. And they don’t know him because their hearts are stubborn. 19They have lost all feeling for what is right. So they have given themselves over to all kinds of evil pleasures. They take part in every kind of unclean act. And they are full of greed.
20But that is not the way of life in Christ that you learned about. 21You heard about Christ and were taught about life in him. What you learned was the truth about Jesus. 22You were taught not to live the way you used to. You must get rid of your old way of life. That’s because it has been made impure by the desire for things that lead you astray. 23You were taught to be made new in your thinking. 24You were taught to start living a new life. It is created to be truly good and holy, just as God is.
25So each of you must get rid of your lying. Speak the truth to your neighbor. We are all parts of one body. 26Scripture says, “When you are angry, do not sin.” (Psalm 4:4) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. 27Don’t give the devil a chance. 28Anyone who has been stealing must never steal again. Instead, they must work. They must do something useful with their own hands. Then they will have something to give to people in need.
29Don’t let any evil talk come out of your mouths. Say only what will help to build others up and meet their needs. Then what you say will help those who listen. 30Do not make God’s Holy Spirit mourn. The Holy Spirit is the proof that you belong to God. And the Spirit is the proof that God will set you completely free. 31Get rid of all hard feelings, anger and rage. Stop all fighting and lying. Don’t have anything to do with any kind of hatred. 32Be kind and tender to one another. Forgive one another, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.
Paulus opfordrer til enhed gennem ydmyghed og kærlighed
1Jeg, som nu sidder fængslet her, fordi jeg tjener Herren, bønfalder jer om at leve det kald værdigt, som I har modtaget. 2Vær ydmyge og imødekommende. Vær tålmodige og bær over med hinanden i kærlighed. 3Gør alt for at fastholde den enhed, som Helligånden skaber, og den fred, som binder os sammen. 4Vi er jo dele af det samme legeme og har fået den samme Ånd, ligesom vi har den samme stærke forventning om en herlig fremtid. 5Der er kun én Herre, én tro, én dåb 6og én Gud, som er Far for os alle. Han står over os alle, virker gennem os alle og bor i os alle.
Kristi gaver til menighedens vækst og udvikling
7Kristus har delt ud af sine åndelige gaver til os, og vi har hver især fået nåde til at tjene ham i overensstemmelse med hans plan. 8Det hedder jo: „Han steg op til det høje, frigav fanger og gav menneskene gaver.”4,8 Fra Sl. 68,19a, muligvis i Paulus’ egen oversættelse. Teksten er uklar. 9Når der står, at han steg op, må det betyde, at han først var steget ned til jordens nederste regioner.4,9 Betydningen er omstridt, men der tænkes nok på dødsriget, jf. Sl. 63,10 og 1.Pet. 3,19. 10Og han, som steg ned, er den samme som steg op, højt over himmelrummet, for at bringe alt til fuldendelse.
11Kristus gav os apostle, profeter, evangelister, hyrder og lærere. 12Deres opgave er at træne de kristne til at udføre hver deres tjeneste, så Kristi legeme kan styrkes og udvikles, 13indtil vi alle når frem til enhed i troen på og forståelsen af Guds Søn, til en sådan grad af åndelig modenhed, at vi fuldt ud kan repræsentere Kristus.
14Målet er, at vi ikke længere skal være ustabile som en båd, der kastes hid og did af vinden, eller være som godtroende børn. Lad os ikke blive vildledt af menneskers snedige påhit og falske lærdomme. 15Nej, i trofasthed overfor sandheden og i kærlighed til hinanden skal vi vokse op til at ligne Kristus på enhver måde. Det er jo ham, der er hovedet for legemet, 16og under hans ledelse sammenføjes det og vokser i kærlighed, idet hver enkelt del udfører sin specielle opgave og derved hjælper til at knytte det hele sammen til en enhed.
Lev det nye liv
17På Herrens vegne siger jeg: I må ikke længere leve som de gudløse, der ikke har noget mål i livet. 18På grund af deres formørkede tankegang, deres uvidenhed om Gud og deres afvisende holdning er de fremmedgjorte over for det liv, Gud gerne vil give dem. 19De er uden forståelse for Guds vilje, og i deres egoisme har de kastet sig ud i en umoralsk livsstil.
20Sådan må I ikke leve. I er blevet undervist om Kristus, 21-22og I har lært, at sandheden findes hos Jesus. Derfor skal I aflægge den gamle livsstil, som I havde før i tiden, da I blev bedraget af jeres begær og var på vej mod fortabelsen. 23I stedet skal I fornyes i tanker og sind. 24I skal iklæde jer det nye liv, som Gud har givet jer, så I kan ligne ham og leve med en ren samvittighed i lydighed mod sandheden.
25Læg al løgn til side og tal sandhed til hinanden.4,25 Zak. 8,16. Vi er jo lemmer på det samme legeme. 26Bliver I oprørte over noget, da synd ikke.4,26 Sl. 4,5a. Lad ikke solen gå ned over jeres vrede, 27og lad ikke Djævelen få fodfæste i jeres liv. 28De, som plejer at stjæle, skal holde op med det og i stedet bruge hænderne til noget godt, så de har noget at give af til dem, der har brug for hjælp. 29Undgå sårende ord. Sig hellere noget, som kan styrke og opmuntre. Lad jeres ord være til velsignelse for dem, I taler til. 30Gør ikke Helligånden bedrøvet. Gud har jo beseglet jer med sin Ånd og dermed bekræftet, at I hører ham til og vil få del i den endelige befrielse.
31Afhold jer fra enhver form for bitterhed, hidsighed, vredesudbrud, skænderier og hånlige ord, ja alt, hvad der er ondt. 32Vær venlige og barmhjertige over for hinanden. Tilgiv hinanden, ligesom Gud tilgav jer på grund af det, Kristus har gjort.
