Galatians

Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia is a short version of the message in Romans. Paul addresses legalism, showing how Christ brought freedom from, not bondage to the Jewish laws. Christians are saved from their sins only by faith in Christ. They are free to live by the law of love, not the Law of Moses.

1 Paul, an apostlea—sent not from men nor by a man,b but by Jesus Christc and God the Father,d who raised him from the deade—2 and all the brothers and sistersa with me,f

To the churches in Galatia:g

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,h 4 who gave himself for our sinsi to rescue us from the present evil age,j according to the will of our God and Father,k 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.l

No Other Gospel

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who calledm you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospeln—7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusiono and are trying to pervertp the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you,q let them be under God’s curse!r 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted,s let them be under God’s curse!

10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?t If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul Called by God

11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters,u that the gospel I preachedv is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man,w nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelationx from Jesus Christ.y

13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism,z how intensely I persecuted the church of Goda and tried to destroy it.b 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealousc for the traditions of my fathers.d 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s wombe and called mef by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles,g my immediate response was not to consult any human being.h 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.i

18 Then after three years,j I went up to Jerusalemk to get acquainted with Cephasb and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James,l the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before Godm that what I am writing you is no lie.n

21 Then I went to Syriao and Cilicia.p 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judeaq that are in Christ.r 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faiths he once tried to destroy.”t 24 And they praised Godu because of me.

Paul Accepted by the Apostles

2 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem,v this time with Barnabas.w I took Titusx along also. 2 I went in response to a revelationy and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.z I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my racea in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus,b who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.c 4 This matter arose because some false believersd had infiltrated our ranks to spy one the freedomf we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospelg might be preserved for you.

6 As for those who were held in high esteemh—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritismi—they added nothing to my message.j 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the taskk of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised,a l just as Peterm had been to the circumcised.b 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostlen to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostleo to the Gentiles. 9 James,p Cephasc q and John, those esteemed as pillars,r gave me and Barnabass the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.t They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles,u and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor,v the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Paul Opposes Cephas

11 When Cephasw came to Antioch,x I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James,y he used to eat with the Gentiles.z But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.a 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabasb was led astray.

14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel,c I said to Cephasd in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew.e How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?f

15 “We who are Jews by birthg and not sinful Gentilesh 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,i but by faith in Jesus Christ.j So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith ind Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.k

17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners,l doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!m 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.

19 “For through the law I died to the lawn so that I might live for God.o 20 I have been crucified with Christp and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.q The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,r who loved mes and gave himself for me.t 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,u Christ died for nothing!”e

Faith or Works of the Law

3 You foolishv Galatians!w Who has bewitched you?x Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.y 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spiritz by the works of the law,a or by believing what you heard?b 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?a 4 Have you experiencedb so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miraclesc among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?d 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”c e

7 Understand, then, that those who have faithf are children of Abraham.g 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”d h 9 So those who rely on faithi are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.j

10 For all who rely on the works of the lawk are under a curse,l as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”e m 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God,n because “the righteous will live by faith.”f o 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”g p 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the lawq by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”h r 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,s so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.t

The Law and the Promise

15 Brothers and sisters,u let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.v Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”i w meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 yearsx later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise;y but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressionsz until the Seeda to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angelsb and entrusted to a mediator.c 20 A mediator,d however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!e For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.f 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin,g so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Children of God

23 Before the coming of this faith,j we were held in custodyh under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.i 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ camej that we might be justified by faith.k 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.l

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of Godm through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christn have clothed yourselves with Christ.o 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,p nor is there male and female,q for you are all one in Christ Jesus.r 29 If you belong to Christ,s then you are Abraham’s seed,t and heirsu according to the promise.v

4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slaveryw under the elemental spiritual forcesa of the world.x 4 But when the set time had fully come,y God sent his Son,z born of a woman,a born under the law,b 5 to redeemc those under the law, that we might receive adoptiond to sonship.b e 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Sonf into our hearts,g the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,c Father.”h 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.i

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

8 Formerly, when you did not know God,j you were slavesk to those who by nature are not gods.l 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by Godm—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forcesd? Do you wish to be enslavedn by them all over again?o 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!p 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.q

12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters,r become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illnesss that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.t 15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?u

17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.v 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.w 19 My dear children,x for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,y 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

Hagar and Sarah

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law,z are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave womana and the other by the free woman.b 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh,c but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.d

24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is abovee is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

“Be glad, barren woman,

you who never bore a child;

shout for joy and cry aloud,

you who were never in labor;

because more are the children of the desolate woman

than of her who has a husband.”e f

28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.g 29 At that time the son born according to the fleshh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.i It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”f j 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,k but of the free woman.l

Freedom in Christ

5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.m Stand firm,n then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.o

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,p Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.q 4 You who are trying to be justified by the lawr have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.s 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.t 6 For in Christ Jesusu neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.v The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.w

7 You were running a good race.x Who cut in on youy to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.z 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”a 10 I am confidentb in the Lord that you will take no other view.c The one who is throwing you into confusion,d whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?e In that case the offensef of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,g I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.h But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesha;i rather, serve one anotherj humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”b k 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit,l and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.m 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.n They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whateverc you want.o 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,p you are not under the law.q

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,r impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.s I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.t

22 But the fruitu of the Spirit is love,v joy, peace,w forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.x Against such things there is no law.y 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the fleshz with its passions and desires.a 25 Since we live by the Spirit,b let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,c provoking and envying each other.

Doing Good to All

6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spiritd should restoree that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.f 3 If anyone thinks they are somethingg when they are not, they deceive themselves.h 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone,i without comparing themselves to someone else,j 5 for each one should carry their own load.k 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.l

7 Do not be deceived:m God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.n 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh,o from the flesh will reap destruction;p whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.q 9 Let us not become weary in doing good,r for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.s 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do goodt to all people, especially to those who belong to the familyu of believers.

Not Circumcision but the New Creation

11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!v

12 Those who want to impress people by means of the fleshw are trying to compel you to be circumcised.x The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecutedy for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,z yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.a 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,b through whicha the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.c 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;d what counts is the new creation.e 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—tob the Israel of God.

17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marksf of Jesus.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christg be with your spirit,h brothers and sisters. Amen.

Ephesians

Although Paul wrote this letter to the church in Ephesus while he was in jail, it is his most optimistic and encouraging correspondence to the young churches. He tells of the advantages a believer has in Christ and instructs believers on how to “live a life of love.”

1 Paul, an apostlea of Christ Jesus by the will of God,b

To God’s holy peoplec in Ephesus,a d the faithfule in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.f

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,g who has blessed us in the heavenly realmsh with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose usi in him before the creation of the worldj to be holy and blamelessk in his sight. In lovel 5 heb predestinedm us for adoption to sonshipc n through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasureo and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace,p which he has freely given us in the One he loves.q 7 In him we have redemptionr through his blood,s the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the richest of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 hed made known to us the mysteryu of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposedv in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillmentw—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.x

11 In him we were also chosen,e having been predestinedy according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purposez of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.a 13 And you also were included in Christb when you heard the message of truth,c the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,d the promised Holy Spirit,e 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritancef until the redemptiong of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.h

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesusi and your love for all God’s people,j 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you,k remembering you in my prayers.l 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,m may give you the Spiritf of wisdomn and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightenedo in order that you may know the hope to which he has calledp you, the richesq of his glorious inheritancer in his holy people,s 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That powert is the same as the mighty strengthu 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the deadv and seated him at his right handw in the heavenly realms,x 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,y and every namez that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.a 22 And God placed all things under his feetb and appointed him to be headc over everything for the church, 23 which is his body,d the fullness of hime who fills everything in every way.f

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,g 2 in which you used to liveh when you followed the ways of this worldi and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,j the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.k 3 All of us also lived among them at one time,l gratifying the cravings of our flesha m and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us,n God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressionso—it is by grace you have been saved.p 6 And God raised us up with Christq and seated us with himr in the heavenly realmss in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,t expressed in his kindnessu to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by gracev you have been saved,w through faithx—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works,y so that no one can boast.z 10 For we are God’s handiwork,a createdb in Christ Jesus to do good works,c which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

11 Therefore, remember that formerlyd you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)e—12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreignersf to the covenants of the promise,g without hopeh and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who oncei were far away have been brought nearj by the blood of Christ.k

14 For he himself is our peace,l who has made the two groups onem and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his fleshn the law with its commands and regulations.o His purpose was to create in himself onep new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,q by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peacer to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.s 18 For through him we both have accesst to the Fatheru by one Spirit.v

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,w but fellow citizensx with God’s people and also members of his household,y 20 builtz on the foundationa of the apostles and prophets,b with Christ Jesus himselfc as the chief cornerstone.d 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy templee in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.f

God’s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles

3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisonerg of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to meh for you, 3 that is, the mysteryi made known to me by revelation,j as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insightk into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.l 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirsm together with Israel, members together of one body,n and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.o

7 I became a servant of this gospelp by the gift of God’s grace given meq through the working of his power.r 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people,s this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentilest the boundless riches of Christ,u 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,v which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of Godw should be made knownx to the rulers and authoritiesy in the heavenly realms,z 11 according to his eternal purposea that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach Godb with freedom and confidence.c 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14 For this reason I kneeld before the Father, 15 from whom every familya in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious richese he may strengthen you with powerf through his Spirit in your inner being,g 17 so that Christ may dwell in your heartsh through faith. And I pray that you, being rootedi and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,j to grasp how wide and long and high and deepk is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledgel—that you may be filledm to the measure of all the fullness of God.n

20 Now to him who is ableo to do immeasurably more than all we askp or imagine, according to his powerq that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.r

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoners for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthyt of the callingu you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one anotherv in love.w 3 Make every effort to keep the unityx of the Spirit through the bond of peace.y 4 There is one bodyz and one Spirit,a just as you were called to one hope when you were calledb; 5 one Lord,c one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all,d who is over all and through all and in all.e

7 But to each one of usf graceg has been givenh as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why ita says:

“When he ascended on high,

he took many captivesi

and gave gifts to his people.”b j

9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regionsc? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascendedk higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)l 11 So Christ himself gavem the apostles,n the prophets,o the evangelists,p the pastors and teachers,q 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christr may be built ups 13 until we all reach unityt in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of Godu and become mature,v attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.w

14 Then we will no longer be infants,x tossed back and forth by the waves,y and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.z 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love,a we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,b that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, growsc and builds itself upd in love,e as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longerf live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.g 18 They are darkened in their understandingh and separated from the life of Godi because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.j 19 Having lost all sensitivity,k they have given themselves overl to sensualitym so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put offn your old self,o which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;p 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;q 24 and to put onr the new self,s created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.t

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfullyu to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.v 26 “In your anger do not sin”d:w Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.x 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,y doing something useful with their own hands,z that they may have something to share with those in need.a

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,b but only what is helpful for building others upc according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,d with whom you were sealede for the day of redemption.f 31 Get rid ofg all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.h 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,i forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.j