Ephesians 4:1-16

Unity in the Body of Christ

1 I therefore, ¹a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to ²walk in a manner worthy of ³the calling to which you have been called,

2 with all ⁴humility and ⁵gentleness, with ⁶patience, ⁷bearing with one another in love,

3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in ⁸the bond of peace.

4 There is ⁹one body and ¹⁰one Spirit--just as you were called to the one ¹¹hope that belongs to your call--

5 ¹²one Lord, ¹³one faith, ¹⁴one baptism,

6 ¹⁵one God and Father of all, ¹⁶who is over all and through all and in all.

7 But ¹⁷grace was given ¹⁸to each one of us ¹⁹according to the measure of Christ's gift.

8 Therefore it says, ²⁰"When he ascended on high ²¹he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men."

9 (²²In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into ²³the lower regions, the earth?^[a]

10 He who descended is the one who also ²⁴ascended ²⁵far above all the heavens, that he might ²⁶fill all things.)

11 And ²⁷he gave the ²⁸apostles, the prophets, the ²⁹evangelists, the ³⁰shepherds^[b] and teachers,^[c]

12 ³¹to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for ³²building up ³³the body of Christ,

13 until we all attain to ³⁴the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, ³⁵to mature manhood,^[d] to the measure of the stature of ³⁶the fullness of Christ,

14 so that we may no longer be children, ³⁷tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in ³⁸deceitful schemes.

15 Rather, ³⁹speaking the truth in love, we are to ⁴⁰grow up in every way into him who is ⁴¹the head, into Christ,

16 ⁴²from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, ⁴³when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:1-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS 4

The apostle having in the three former chapters treated of the doctrines of grace, and explained and established them, proceeds in the three following to exhort to the duties of religion; and in this advises to a becoming conversation in general, and to brotherly concord and unity in particular; and dehorts from several vices, and encourages to the contrary virtues. And inasmuch as these Ephesians were called with an holy calling, he entreats them, if they had any regard for him as a prisoner of Christ, that they would walk worthy of it, Eph 4:1, and directs to the manner in which they should act becoming it, with all humility, patience, forbearance, and love; seeking to preserve a spiritual harmony, unity, and peace, one among another, Eph 4:2,3, for the encouragement of which, he makes use of various arguments, taken from the unity of the body, of which they were members; from their being quickened and influenced by one and the same Spirit; from having the same hope of eternal happiness, to which they were called; from their having one Lord over them, who is Christ; from their having the same like precious faith in him; from their being baptized with the same baptism in him; and from their having one, and the same God and Father, Eph 4:4-6, and from all of them having gifts, though different, for mutual usefulness; which gifts are described by the author and donor of them, Christ, Eph 4:7, which is proved Eph 4:8, out of a passage in Ps 68:18, which is explained of the humiliation and exaltation of Christ, of his descent from heaven, and ascension thither; the end of which latter was to fill all things, or persons, with gifts, Eph 4:9,10, of which a particular enumeration is given, Eph 4:11, the design of which is, to fit men for the work of the ministry, and by them to convert sinners, and edify saints, Eph 4:12, which ministry is to be continued, until all the saints arrive to a perfection of spiritual knowledge, and make up one perfect man, or body of men in Christ, Eph 4:13, for the use and end of the Gospel ministry is not, that such who are converted by it should continue children, be in suspense about truth, and under the deceptions of men, Eph 4:14, but that through speaking the truth in love, they should grow up into Christ their head; from whom supplies of grace are communicated, for the increase and edification of every member of the body, Eph 4:15,16, and seeing these Ephesians to whom the apostle writes were separated in the effectual calling from the rest of the Gentiles, they ought not to walk as the others did; whose minds were vain, their understandings darkened, and their hearts blinded, hardened, and ignorant; and had no sense of things, but were given up to all manner of wickedness, Eph 4:17-19, whereas they had learned Christ, and through hearing had been taught the truth of the Gospel, as it was in him, Eph 4:20,21, wherefore it became them in their conversation, not to follow the dictates of corrupt nature, called the old man, that being full of lusts, corrupt, and deceitful, but to act becoming the renewing work of the Spirit upon their souls, and agreeably to the new principles of the grace of God created in them, in order to righteousness and holiness, Eph 4:22-24, and in particular it became them to avoid lying, and on the contrary to speak truth to one another; and that for this reason, because they were members of the same body, and of one another, Eph 4:25, and likewise to abstain from sinful anger, and not continue a wrathful disposition, Eph 4:26, nor was it advisable to yield to the suggestions, solicitations, and temptations of Satan, Eph 4:27, nor to commit theft, but on the other hand give themselves to manual labour at some commendable calling, that they might have for their own use, and others too, Eph 4:28, and it was also right to be careful not to suffer corrupt and unchaste words to come out of their mouths, but such as would be grateful and useful to others, Eph 4:29, and the rather this, and all the rest of the things mentioned, and likewise what follows, should be attended to; since by such evil lusts, words, and actions, the Holy Spirit of God is grieved, who should not, since he is the sealer of the saints unto the day of redemption, Eph 4:30. And the chapter is concluded with a dehortation from several vices of the mind and tongue, respecting wrath and revenge; and an exhortation to the contrary virtues, kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness; to which encouragement is given, by the example of God, who forgives for Christ's sake, Eph 4:31,32.

Cross References

• 1. See Ephesians 3:1
• 2. Colossians 1:10; Colossians 2:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; [Philippians 1:27]
• 3. See Romans 8:28
• 4. Acts 20:19; Philippians 2:3; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 3:8; 1 Peter 5:5; [Colossians 2:18, 23]
• 5. Galatians 5:23
• 6. Colossians 1:11
• 7. Colossians 3:13
• 8. Colossians 3:14; [Acts 8:23]
• 9. Ephesians 2:16
• 10. See Ephesians 2:18
• 11. Ephesians 1:18
• 12. Zechariah 14:9; See 1 Corinthians 1:13; 1 Corinthians 8:6
• 13. [ver. 13; Jude 3]
• 14. See Galatians 3:27, 28
• 15. 1 Corinthians 12:5, 6
• 16. Romans 9:5
• 17. See Ephesians 3:2
• 18. [Matthew 25:15; 1 Corinthians 12:7]
• 19. Romans 12:3; [ver. 16]
• 20. Cited from Psalms 68:18
• 21. Judges 5:12; [Colossians 2:15]
• 22. See John 3:13
• 23. Psalms 63:9; Isaiah 44:23
• 24. See Mark 16:19
• 25. Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 7:26; Hebrews 9:24
• 26. Ephesians 1:23
• 27. [1 Corinthians 12:5, 6]
• 28. See 1 Corinthians 12:28
• 29. Acts 21:8; 2 Timothy 4:5
• 30. Jeremiah 3:15; [Acts 20:28]
• 31. See 2 Corinthians 13:9
• 32. ver. 16, 29
• 33. See 1 Corinthians 12:27
• 34. [ver. 5]
• 35. Hebrews 5:14
• 36. Ephesians 1:23
• 37. [Matthew 11:7; Hebrews 13:9; James 1:6; Jude 12]
• 38. Ephesians 6:11
• 39. 1 John 3:18; [ver. 25]
• 40. Ephesians 2:21
• 41. See Ephesians 1:22
• 42. Colossians 2:19
• 43. [ver. 7]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or the lower parts of the earth?
• [b]. Or pastors
• [c]. Or the shepherd-teachers
• [d]. Greek to a full-grown man