Ephesians 4:1

παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμιος ἐν Κυρίῳ : I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech (or, exhort) you. In more exact accordance with the order of the words “I beseech you, therefore, I the prisoner in the Lord”. The οὖν connects the practical charge with the preceding statement of doctrine and privilege, and establishes the one upon the other. The connection is taken by some to be with the statement just made in Ephesians 3:21 regarding the Church (Mey.). A reference of a larger scope, however, seems more in harmony with the contents of the paragraph. It is best, therefore, to understand the οὖν as basing the exhortations which follow on the whole preceding statement of the great things done for the readers by God's grace from chap. Ephesians 3:6 onwards. The verb παρακαλῶ is rendered “beseech” by Wicl., Cov. (Test.), Rhem., AV, RV, while the Genevan gives “pray”. But in Tynd., Cov., Cran., Bish., it is “exhort,” and this is the more probable shade of meaning here in view of the context (Alf., Ell.). In classical Greek the dominant idea of the verb, except when it is used with reference to the gods, is that of admonishing or exhorting. In later Greek and in the NT the idea of entreating has its place along with the other. For the force of the article in ὁ δέσμιος and the anarthrous ἐν Κυρίῳ, see under Ephesians 3:1 above. The ἐν Κυρίῳ belongs not to the παρακαλῶ (Semler), but to the δέσμιος. It expresses the sphere within which his captivity subsisted or the ground of that captivity. He was a prisoner because of his connection with Christ, the Lord, and for no other reason. As in chapter 3, so here the idea of the dignity of his office seems to lie behind the mention of his imprisonment. He designates himself “the prisoner in the Lord” not with a view to stir the sympathy of the readers and enforce his exhortation by an appeal to feeling, but as one who could rejoice in his sufferings and speak of his tribulations as their “glory” (Ephesians 3:13; Galatians 6:17). ἀξίως περιπατῆσαι τῆς κλήσεως ἧς ἐκλήθητε : to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called. As the phrase καλεῖν κλήσει occurs (cf. 2 Timothy 1:9, and, with ἐν, 1 Corinthians 7:20), the ἧς may be by attraction for ᾗ. As that, however, is a doubtful application of the law of attraction, and as the formula κλῆσιν καλεῖν is found in Arrian, Epict., p. 122, it is to be explained rather as = ἥν (cf. Ephesians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 1:4; and Win.-Moult., p. 202). With the ἀξίως τῆς κλήσεως cf. πολιτεύεσθαι ἀξίως τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, Philippians 1:27; περιπατεῖν ἀξίως τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ καλοῦντος (καλέσαντος), 1 Thessalonians 2:12; περιπατῆσαι ἀξίως τοῦ Κυρίου, Colossians 1:10.