8 due measure the favour of the free gift of the Christ. Therefore it is said, "Having ascended on high, he hath led capti9 vity captive,;"* and "he hath given gifts to men." Now this 10 expression, “He ascended," what doth it infer, but that he

had first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same who ascended far above all the hea11 vens, that he might fill all; and he hath given some to be

apostles, and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and 12 some pastors, and teachers, for the fitting up of the saints; for 13 the work of distribution; for the building up of the body of

the Christ, until we all come up to the unity of the belief and of the knowledge of the son of God; to perfect manhood14 to a measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ; that we may no longer be infants, tossed like waves, and whirled about by every wind of doctrine, by the cheating sleight of 15 men, by a skill in the art of deceiving: but that maintaining 16 truth with love, we may grow up in all respects for him, who

is the head, the Christ; from whom the whole body being fitly framed together and cemented, provision is made by means of the supply of every joint, according to the proportionate operative power of every part, for an increase of the bodyfor building itself up in love.

17 This therefore I say and testify in the Lord, that you no 18 more walk, as the rest of the nations do, in the vanity of their mind. They having their understandings darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance 19 which is in them, by reason of the blindness of their heart, have without remorse abandoned themselves to the commis20 sion of every uncleanness with inordinate desire. But you 21 have not thus learned the Christ; inasmuch as you have heard 22 him and been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, with re23 spect to your former course of life, to put off the old man,

which is corrupted by deceitful desires, and to be renewed in 24 the spirit of your mind; and to put on the new man, which in a conformity to God is created in righteousness and the holiness 25 of truth. Wherefore, putting away all falsehood, speak truth,

*Ps. 68. 18.

26 every one to his neighbour. Because we are members one

of another, are you excited to anger? Do not therefore sin. 27 Let not the sun go down on your wrath, nor give the devil an 28 opportunity. Let the stealer steal no more; but rather labour,

and procure honestly with the work of his hands, that he 29 may have wherewithal to relieve the needy. Let no corrupt discourse proceed out of your mouth-nothing but what is good for edification-of such utility as to be a benefit to the 50 hearers. And grieve not the holy spirit of God by which you 31 have been sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, 32 and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and detraction, be banished from among you, with malice of every sort; and be kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, forgiving one another.

V. And as God hath in Christ forgiven you, be ye therefore 2 imitators of God as beloved children, And walk in love, even as the Christ loved us, and delivered himself up for us, as an 5 offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. And let not fornication, nor uncleanness of any sort, nor in4 ordinate desire, be so much as named among you, as becom eth saints; nor obscenity, nor foolish talking, nor jesting about 5 things which are unbecoming; but rather thanksgiving. For this you know that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor lewd 6 libertine, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with vain discourses; for on the account of these things the wrath 7 of God is coming on these children of disobedience, be not ye 8 therefore partakers with them. For you were formerly darkness, 9 but being now a light in the Lord, walk as children of light (for 10 the fruit of this light* consists of goodness and righteousness

and truth of every sort) proving what is well pleasing to the 11 Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of 12 darkness, but rather reprove them: for as to the things done 13 by them in secret, it is shameful even to mention them. But

all these reprehensible things are exposed to view by the light. 14 For it is light which exposeth every thing to view; therefore

* This is the reading in sundry Greek copies and ancient versions. I prefer it, because by continuing the use of the same metaphor it seems most agreeable to the context.

it is said, "Awake thou who sleepest and arise from the dead 15 and the Christ will shine upon thee.* Take heed therefore 16 how circumspectly you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, re

deeming the time. Because these are evil days, therefore be 17 not without understanding, but intelligent with regard to what 18 is the will of the Lord. And be not intoxicated with wine in

which there is debauchery, but be filled with the spirit when 19 you are speaking to one another, when with psalms and hymns

and spiritual songs you are singing and making melody with 20 your hearts to the Lord: and give thanks on all occasions for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to the God and Father.

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Be subject to one another in the fear of God.

Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord; be23 cause the husband is the head of the wife, even as the Christ 24 is the head of the congregation. He indeed is the saviour of the body; but as the congregation is subject to the Christ, so let wives be to their husbands in every thing.

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Husbands love your wives, even as the Christ loved the 26 congregation, and gave himself up for it, that having purified 27 it with the bath of the water, he might hallow it; indeed that he might present it to himself as the glorious congregation, having neither spot, nor wrinkle, nor any defect whatę. ver; but that it may be holy and without blemish. In the 28 same manner husbands ought to love their wives as their own

bodies. He who loveth his wife, loveth himself. Now no one 29 ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, 30 even as the Lord doth the congregation, because we are mem

bers of his body-of his flesh and of his bones. Instead of this, 31 "A man will leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, 32 and they two will be one flesh," this is the great mystery, I

mean in regard to Christ and the congregation. However with 33 regard to you individually, let every one love his wife as himself, and let the wife reverence her husband.

VI.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother (this is the first commandment

*Es. 60. 1. † Gen. 2. 24.

3 with a promise) that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayst live long on the earth.

4

5

9

And you, parents, exasperate not your children, but edu. cate them with the discipline and admonition of the Lord.

Servants, obey them who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your hearts, as you do the Christ-not with eye-service as men pleasers, but as servants of the Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, performing service with good will, as to the Lord and not to men; knowing that whatever good any one doth, the Lord will reward him for it, whether he be a bondman or a freeman.

And you, masters, observe the same conduct towards them, abating your threats, knowing that you yourselves have a master in heaven, and that with him there is no respect of persons.

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the 11 power of his might. Put on the complete armour of God, 12 that you may be able to withstand the wiles of the devil. Be cause our conflict is not barely with flesh and blood, but against the principalities and the powers-against the rulers of this dark age, against the spiritual [assaults] of the wicked. 13 ness in the heavenly dispensation; take up therefore the com plete armour of God, that you may be able to make resist ance in the evil day, and having put a stop to them all, to 14 maintain your ground. Stand, therefore, having your loins 15 girded with truth, and having on the breast plate of righte

ousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the glad 16 tidings of peace, covering all with the shield of faith with

which you will be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the 17 evil one. Take also the helmet of salvation, and the sword of 18 the spirit, that is the word of God; in every prayer and sup

plication, always praying with the spirit (being for this pur pose in a continual state of watchfulness and prayer) for all 19 the saints—particularly for me, that to me a word may be gi ven, that with the opening of my mouth, and with freedom and plainness of speech, I may make known the secret of the glad 20 tidings, for which I am performing the office of an ambassa

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dor in a chain, that in this situation I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.

Now that you may know the state of my affairs, and what I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minis22 ter in the Lord, will give you a particular account, as I have sent him for this very purpose, that you may know the state of our affairs, and that he may comfort your hearts.

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Peace to the brethren and love with faith, from God the 24 Father and the Lord Jesus Christ-this favour be with all them who love our Lord Jesus Christ without any mixture of corruption. Amen.