And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Truth to Learn Kindness, compassion, and forgiveness are of vital importance within the church. Behind the Words The verb “be” is translated from ginomai, meaning “to cause to be” or “to become.”...
Ephesians 4:31 – Grieving Actions
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, along with all malice. Truth to Learn These are things which make God sad. Let’s not do them! Behind the Words The word “Bitterness” is the translation of pikria, from pikros which...
Ephesians 4:30 – Signed, Sealed, and Deliverable
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption. Truth to Learn All Christians are sealed with the Holy Spirit of God. Behind the Words “Grieve” is translated from the Greek verb lupeō, which is derived from the noun...
Ephesians 4:29 – Constructive Words
Let no rotten word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for needed edification, that it may give grace to the hearers. Truth to Learn Our speech should build up, not tear down. Behind the Words “Let … proceed” is translated from the verb ekporeuomai, which is...
Ephesians 4:28 – Give or Take
The one stealing, let him steal no more, but rather let him labor, working what is good with his own hands, that he may have something to give him who has need. Truth to Learn Overcome the problem of stealing by giving to others. Behind the Words The words...
Ephesians 4:27 – Accusation and Defense
nor give place to the devil. Truth to Learn Satan accuses us of wrongdoing. Don’t give him more to say. Behind the Words The word “nor” is from mēde, which is made up of mē (implying qualitative negation) and de, meaning “but” or “and.” There is another Greek word...
Ephesians 4:26 – Sinless Anger
"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, Truth to Learn It’s God-like to get angry without sinning. Behind the Words “Angry” is translated from the Greek verb orgidzō. It is based on orgē which refers to “excitement of the mind,”...
Ephesians 4:25 – A Body of Truth
Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," because we are members of one another. Truth to Learn Honesty is critically important within the body of Christ. Behind the Words “Therefore” is translated from the Greek word dio, which is made up of...
Ephesians 4:24 – It’s Your Choice
and that you put on the new man which, according to God, was created in true righteousness and holiness. Truth to Learn We have a choice in how we live our lives. Behind the Words The words “put on” are the translation of the Greek verb enduō, which is...
Ephesians 4:23 – Christians Growing Young
and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, Truth to Learn God expects us to use our mind to become more like Christ. Behind the Words “Be renewed” is translated from the Greek verb ananeoō, which appears nowhere else in the New Testament. It is made up...
Ephesians 4:22 – Lose the Old Man
that you put off, concerning your former behavior, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, Truth to Learn Christians need to deny the desires of their sin nature. Behind the Words The words “put off” are translated from apotithēmi, which is made up of apo,...
Ephesians 4:21 – Living The Truth
if indeed you heard Him and you were taught by Him, as truth is in Jesus: Truth to Learn Christians know the truth and should live as such. Behind the Words “If indeed” is the translation of the Greek word eige, which is made up of ei, meaning “if”...
Ephesians 4:20 – Learn By Faith
But you have not so learned Christ, Truth to Learn We can only know Christ by faith. Behind the Words “So” is translated from houtōs, which literally means “in this manner.” It is a comparative word which, when used with the negative article ou as it is here, indicates...
Ephesians 4:19 – Numb, Uncontrolled, and Unclean
who, being past feeling, have surrendered themselves to lewdness, to the working of all uncleanness with greediness. Truth to Learn The unsaved are in a hopeless state. Offer them hope! Behind the Words The words “being past feeling” are from the Greek verb apalgeō, which is made up of...
Ephesians 4:18 – Darkened, Alienated, and Ignorant
having their intellect obscured, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; Truth to Learn The unsaved are the way they are because of unbelief caused by a lack of spiritual enlightenment. Behind the Words “Intellect”...
Ephesians 4:17 – New Way of Living
Therefore, I say this, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk like the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Truth to Learn Don’t live your life like the unsaved people of this world. Behind the Words “Testify” is translated from marturomai,...
Ephesians 4:16 – Growth At Work
from whom the whole body, having been closely joined together and united by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working in the measure of every single part, produces the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Truth to Learn Growth of the body...
Ephesians 4:15 – Lovely Body Building
but, speaking the truth in love, that we may grow up unto Him in all things, who is the head—Christ— Truth to Learn We need to be truthful and loving as we minister to our fellow Christians. Behind the Words “Speaking the truth” is translated from the verb alētheuō,...
Ephesians 4:14 – Doctrinal Trickery
that we should no longer be infants, being tossed and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men in craftiness, with the methodology of error, Truth to Learn False teaching appears deceptively easy and attractive. Behind the Words Nēpios is the Greek word translated “infants.”...
Ephesians 4:13 – Gifts For Unity
untill we all may come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; Truth to Learn Christians should all be working for each other. Behind the...
Ephesians 4:12 – Share Your Gift!
for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, Truth to Learn All Christians have gifts to be used in the church. Behind the Words The Greek word translated “equipping” is katartismos. This word is made up of...
Ephesians 4:11 – Builders and Protectors
And He gave some to be apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, Truth to Learn God has provided gifted men to build and protect the church. Behind the Words “Apostles” is a transliteration of the Greek word apostolos, which is made up of...
Ephesians 4:10 – Not Worth Arguing
He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) Truth to Learn Some Biblical truths are very important to understand correctly, others are not worth arguing about. Behind the Words Both the words translated “descended” and “ascended” are...
Ephesians 4:9 – Jesus In Hades
(And that, He ascended, what is it except that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? Truth to Learn Our Lord experienced physical death for us. Behind the Words The word “first” is translated from prōton, which is based on the superlative of pro (toward...
Ephesians 4:8 – Moving Day
Therefore He says: "Having ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." Truth to Learn Jesus Christ moved Paradise and gave all Christians gifts. Behind the Words The word “says” is from the Greek verb legō, which literally means “to lay forth,” that is, “to...
Ephesians 4:7 – God’s Gifting
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Truth to Learn Each Christian has a job function to perform within the church based on how God has gifted him or her. Behind the Words The word “each” is from heskatos, which...
Ephesians 4:6 – One Father God
one God and Father of all, the One above all, and through all, and in you all. Truth to Learn All Christians are united under our Father God. Behind the Words “God” is translated from the Greek word theos, from which we get our English word “theology,” meaning the...
Ephesians 4:5 – More Oneness
one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Truth to Learn There are several aspects of oneness in the church. Behind the Words “Lord” is translated from the Greek noun kurios. This word is derived from kuros, meaning “authority” or “supremacy.” The basic meaning of kurios is “owner, master, or lord.”...
Ephesians 4:4 – Only One
There is one body and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; Truth to Learn All Christians are to work toward unity within the church. Behind the Words “One” is translated from the Greek word heis (pronounced hice). This is the masculine...
Ephesians 4:3 – Peaceful Unity
being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Truth to Learn Our service within the church should promote unity and peace. Behind the Words “Being diligent” is translated from spoudadzō. This word is derived from the noun spoudē, meaning “speed.” However, by implication...
Ephesians 4:2 – Humble, Gentle, Patience
with all humility and meekness, with longsuffering, holding up one another in love, Truth to Learn As we serve God and others within the church, we need to keep in mind how He treats us. Behind the Words The word “humility” is translated from the Greek noun tapeinophrosunē. This...