I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
9
(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness*, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part*, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
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,
18
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20
But ye have not so learned Christ;
21
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
26
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27
Neither give place to the devil.
28
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth*.
29
Let no* corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32
And be ye kind one to another*, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as* God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
1 [To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,] I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
