Ephesians 4:1
New International Version
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

New Living Translation
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

English Standard Version
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

Berean Standard Bible
As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling to which you were called,

King James Bible
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

New King James Version
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

New American Standard Bible
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

NASB 1995
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

NASB 1977
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called,

Amplified Bible
So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation],

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,

American Standard Version
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I who am a prisoner in our Lord request of you, therefore, that you walk just as it is suitable to the calling in which you are called,

Contemporary English Version
As a prisoner of the Lord, I beg you to live in a way that is worthy of the people God has chosen to be his own.

Douay-Rheims Bible
I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called,

English Revised Version
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I, a prisoner in the Lord, encourage you to live the kind of life which proves that God has called you.

Good News Translation
I urge you, then--I who am a prisoner because I serve the Lord: live a life that measures up to the standard God set when he called you.

International Standard Version
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to live in a way that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

Literal Standard Version
I, the prisoner of the LORD, then call on you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,

Majority Standard Bible
As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:

New American Bible
I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,

NET Bible
I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live worthily of the calling with which you have been called,

New Revised Standard Version
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

New Heart English Bible
I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, urge you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

Webster's Bible Translation
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation by which ye are called,

Weymouth New Testament
I, then, the prisoner for the Master's sake, entreat you to live and act as becomes those who have received the call that you have received--

World English Bible
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,

Young's Literal Translation
Call upon you, then, do I -- the prisoner of the Lord -- to walk worthily of the calling with which ye were called,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Unity in the Body
1As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received: 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,…

Cross References
Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 11:29
For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable.

Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

Ephesians 3:1
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...

Philippians 1:27
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,


Treasury of Scripture

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation with which you are called,

prisoner.

Ephesians 3:1
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

of the Lord.

Jeremiah 38:20
But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.

Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

1 Corinthians 4:16
Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

walk.

Ephesians 4:17
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Ephesians 5:2
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Genesis 5:24
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

vocation.

Ephesians 4:4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Romans 8:28-30
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose…

Philippians 3:14
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

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Act Beg Behaviour Beseech Credit Entreat God's Heart Implore Live Manner Master's Position Prisoner Purpose Received Request Sake Urge Vocation Walk Wherewith Worthily Worthy
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Act Beg Behaviour Beseech Credit Entreat God's Heart Implore Live Manner Master's Position Prisoner Purpose Received Request Sake Urge Vocation Walk Wherewith Worthily Worthy
Ephesians 4
1. He exhorts to unity;
7. and declares that God therefore gives various gifts unto men;
11. that his church might be edified,
16. and grow up in Christ.
18. He calls them from the impurity of the Gentiles;
24. to put on the new man;
25. to cast off lying;
29. and corrupt communication.














-1Ephesians 4:1-6, although cast in a hortatory form contain the final summary of the great doctrine of the Epistle--the UNITY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH--in words which have all the glowing freedom of spiritual enthusiasm, and all the clear-cut precision of a creed.

Thus (a) the ground of that unity is laid in that spiritual communion of each soul with the "one Spirit," the "one Lord," and the "one God and Father of all," which underlies all outward ordinance, and which no power of man can either give or take away, (b) The means of entering that unity is the "one baptism," ordained by Christ Himself, universal in the Christian world, capable of being ministered (though irregularly) by any Christian hand, (c) The graces, which in germ are conditions, and in full growth are effects, of such unity are the "one hope," the "one faith," the one "bond of peace" or charity. These last most of all depend on the "fellow-working" of man--primarily in the soul receiving them, and secondarily in all who can influence it for good and for evil.

We have here a perfect and exhaustive exposition of the unity of the Church, on which depend the other qualities of "Holiness," "Catholicity," and "Apostolicity" ascribed to it in the Creed. In other passages the essential life of the Church is attributed, now to the revelation of the Father (Matthew 16:17-18), now to the indwelling presence of the Son (Matthew 28:20), now to the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38-39). Here all are united in one comprehensive view. The order, however, is natural, not artificial. The exhortation to peace naturally leads to the conception of one Body, animated by the "one Spirit"; next, the remembrance of their calling leads to the "one Lord," who called them to Him in one faith and by one baptism; and all ends in the contemplation of the "one God and Father," who is not only above all and through all His creation, but specially in those who are adopted to a new sonship in Christ. (See John 14:22-23.) In its completeness and depth this passage stands alone. It is interesting to compare and contrast with it the equally celebrated passage occupying the corresponding place in the Colossian Epistle (Colossians 3:1-4), and to gather from this the mingled similarity and difference in the main idea of those two Epistles--the Ephesian Epistle dwelling especially on the unity and regeneration of the whole body, the Colossian Epistle on the sole Headship and Deity of Christ. . . .

Verses 1-16. - CHURCH PRINCIPLE OF GROWTH AND PROGRESS; THE CHURCH A BODY. Verse 1. - I therefore. Inference not only from last chapter, but the whole Epistle. Paul's interest in the Ephesians led him to a double application of the great subject which he had expounded:

(1) to ask God on their behalf that he would bestow on them the full measure of the blessing to which of his grace they were entitled (Ephesians 3:14-21); and

(2) to entreat them on God's behalf to live in a way befitting their high calling (Ephesians 4:6.). To this second application he proceeds now. The prisoner in the Lord. Not merely "of the Lord," but ἐν, Κυρίῳ, the usual formula for vital communion with Christ, indicating that his captivity was the captivity of a part or member of the Lord. An exhortation from such a prisoner ought to fall with double weight. Beseech you to walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye were called. Their call was to be God's people (comp. Romans 9:25); this not a mere speculative distinction, but one that must have practical form and that must lead to suitable fruit. True grace in the heart must show itself by true goodness in the life. They were not to conceal their religion, not to be ashamed of it, but to avow it and glory in it, and their lives were not to be disgraced by unworthy conduct, but to be brightened and elevated by their relation to Christ.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[As a]
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

prisoner
δέσμιος (desmios)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1198: One bound, a prisoner. From desmon; a captive.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[the] Lord,
Κυρίῳ (Kyriō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

then,
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

I
ἐγὼ (egō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

urge
Παρακαλῶ (Parakalō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3870: From para and kaleo; to call near, i.e. Invite, invoke.

you
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

to walk
περιπατῆσαι (peripatēsai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 4043: From peri and pateo; to tread all around, i.e. Walk at large; figuratively, to live, deport oneself, follow.

in a manner worthy
ἀξίως (axiōs)
Adverb
Strong's 516: Worthily, in a manner worthy of. Adverb from axios; appropriately.

of the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

calling
κλήσεως (klēseōs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2821: A calling, invitation; in the NT, always of a divine call. From a shorter form of kaleo; an invitation.

you have received:
ἐκλήθητε (eklēthēte)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2564: (a) I call, summon, invite, (b) I call, name. Akin to the base of keleuo; to 'call'.


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NT Letters: Ephesians 4:1 I therefore the prisoner in the Lord (Ephes. Eph. Ep)
Ephesians 3:21
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