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.
Ìṣọ̀kan nínú ara Jesu
1Nítorí náà, èmi òǹdè nínú Olúwa ń bẹ̀ yín pé kí ẹ̀yin máa gbé ìgbé ayé tí ó yẹ sí ìpè tí a pè yín sí. 24.2: Kl 3.12-13.Pẹ̀lú ìrẹ̀lẹ̀ gbogbo àti inú tútù, pẹ̀lú ìpamọ́ra, ẹ máa fi ìfẹ́ faradà fún ẹnìkejì yín. 3Kí ẹ sì máa làkàkà láti pa ìṣọ̀kan Ẹ̀mí mọ́ ni ìdàpọ̀ àlàáfíà. 4Ara kan ni ń bẹ, àti Ẹ̀mí kan, àní bí a ti pè yín sínú ìrètí kan nígbà tí a pè yín. 5Olúwa kan, ìgbàgbọ́ kan àti ìtẹ̀bọmi kan. 6Ọlọ́run kan àti Baba gbogbo aráyé, ẹni tí ó ṣe olórí ohun gbogbo àti nípá gbogbo àti nínú ohun gbogbo.
7Ṣùgbọ́n olúkúlùkù wa ni a fi oore-ọ̀fẹ́ fun gẹ́gẹ́ bi òṣùwọ̀n ẹ̀bùn Kristi. 84.8: Sm 68.18.Nítorí náà a wí pé:
“Nígbà tí ó gòkè lọ sí ibi gíga,
ó di ìgbèkùn ni ìgbèkùn,
ó sì fi ẹ̀bùn fun ènìyàn.”
9(Ǹjẹ́ ní ti pé, “Ó gòkè lọ!” Kín ni ó túmọ̀ sí, bí kò ṣe pé ó kọ́ sọ̀kalẹ̀ pẹ̀lú lọ sí ìsàlẹ̀ ilẹ̀? 10Ẹni tí ó ti sọ̀kalẹ̀, Òun kan náà ni ó sì ti gòkè rékọjá gbogbo àwọn ọ̀run, kí ó lè kún ohun gbogbo.) 11Nítorí náà ó sì ti fi àwọn kan fún ni bí aposteli; àti àwọn mìíràn bí i wòlíì; àti àwọn mìíràn bí efangelisti, àti àwọn mìíràn bí olùṣọ́-àgùntàn àti olùkọ́ni. 12Fún àṣepé àwọn ènìyàn mímọ́ fun iṣẹ́ ìránṣẹ́, fún ìmúdàgbà ara Kristi. 13Títí gbogbo wa yóò fi dé ìṣọ̀kan ìgbàgbọ́ àti ìmọ̀ Ọmọ Ọlọ́run, títí a ó fi di ọkùnrin, títí a ó fi dé ẹ̀kúnrẹ́rẹ́ ìwọ̀n Kristi.
14Kí àwa má ṣe jẹ́ èwe mọ́, tí a ń fi gbogbo afẹ́fẹ́ ẹ̀kọ́ tì síwá tì sẹ́yìn, tí a sì fi ń gbá kiri, nípa ìtànjẹ ènìyàn, nípa àrékérekè fun ọgbọ́nkọ́gbọ́n àti mú ni ṣìnà; 154.15: Kl 1.18.Ṣùgbọ́n ká a máa sọ òtítọ́ ní ìfẹ́, kí a lè máa dàgbàsókè nínú rẹ̀ ní ohun gbogbo ẹni tí i ṣe orí, àní Kristi. 164.16: Kl 2.19.Láti ọ̀dọ̀ ẹni ti ara náà tí a ń so ṣọ̀kan pọ̀, tí ó sì ń fi ara mọ́ra, nípasẹ̀ oríkèé kọ̀ọ̀kan tí a ti pèsè, nígbà tí ẹ̀yà kọ̀ọ̀kan bá ń ṣiṣẹ́ dáradára, yóò mú ara dàgbà, yóò sì gbé ara òun tìkára rẹ̀ dìde nínú ìfẹ́.
Gbígbé ìgbé ayé gẹ́gẹ́ bí ọmọ ìmọ́lẹ̀
17Ǹjẹ́ èyí ni mo ń wí, tí mo sì ń jẹ́rìí nínú Olúwa pé, láti ìsinsin yìí lọ, kí ẹ̀yin má ṣe rìn mọ́, àní gẹ́gẹ́ bí àwọn aláìkọlà ti ń rìn nínú ìrònú asán wọn. 18Òye àwọn ẹni tí ó ṣókùnkùn, a sì yà wọ́n nínú ìyè Ọlọ́run nítorí àìmọ̀ tí ń bẹ nínú wọn, nítorí líle ọkàn wọn. 19Àwọn ẹni tí ọkàn wọn le rékọjá, tí wọ́n sì ti fi ara wọn fún wọ̀bìà, láti máa fi ìwọra ṣiṣẹ́ ìwà èérí gbogbo.
20Ṣùgbọ́n a kò fi Kristi kọ́ yín bẹ́ẹ̀. 21Bí ó bá ṣe pé nítòótọ́ ni ẹ ti gbóhùn rẹ̀ ti a sì ti kọ́ yín nínú rẹ̀, gẹ́gẹ́ bí òtítọ́ ti ń bẹ nínú Jesu. 22Pé, ní tì ìwà yín àtijọ́, kí ẹ̀yin bọ́ ògbólógbòó ọkùnrin nì sílẹ̀, èyí tí ó díbàjẹ́ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ìfẹ́kúfẹ̀ẹ́ ẹ̀tàn; 23Kí ẹ sì di tuntun ni ẹ̀mí inú yín; 24kí ẹ sì gbé ọkùnrin tuntun ni wọ̀, èyí tí a dá ni àwòrán Ọlọ́run nínú òdodo àti ìwà mímọ́ ti òtítọ́.
254.25: Sk 8.16; Ro 12.5.Nítorí náà ẹ fi èké ṣíṣe sílẹ̀, ki olúkúlùkù yín kí ó máa ba ọmọnìkejì rẹ̀ sọ òtítọ́, nítorí ẹ̀yà ara ọmọnìkejì wa ni àwa jẹ́. 26Nínú ìbínú yín, ẹ máa ṣe ṣẹ̀, ẹ má ṣe jẹ́ kí oòrùn wọ̀ bá ìbínú yín: 27Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni kí ẹ má ṣe fi ààyè ẹ̀gbẹ́ kan fún Èṣù. 28Kí ẹni tí ń jalè má ṣe jalè mọ́: ṣùgbọ́n kí ó kúkú máa ṣe làálàá, kí ó máa fi ọwọ́ rẹ̀ ṣiṣẹ́ ohun tí ó dára, kí òun lè ní láti pín fún ẹni tí ó ṣe aláìní.
29Ẹ má ṣe jẹ́ kí ọ̀rọ̀ ìdíbàjẹ́ kan ti ẹnu yín jáde, ṣùgbọ́n irú èyí tí ó lè ràn ìdàgbàsókè wọn lọ́wọ́ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ohun tí wọ́n nílò, kí ó lè máa fi oore-ọ̀fẹ́ fún àwọn tí ń gbọ́. 30Ẹ má sì ṣe mú Ẹ̀mí Mímọ́ Ọlọ́run bínú, ẹni tí a fi ṣe èdìdì yín dé ọjọ́ ìdáǹdè. 31Gbogbo ìwà kíkorò àti ìbínú, àti ìrunú, àti ariwo, àti ọ̀rọ̀ búburú ni kí a mú kúrò lọ́dọ̀ yín, pẹ̀lú gbogbo àrankàn: 32Ẹ máa ṣoore fún ọmọnìkejì yín, ẹ ní ìyọ́nú, ẹ máa dáríjì ara yín, gẹ́gẹ́ bí Ọlọ́run nínú Kristi ti dáríjì yín.
