UNITY AND DIVERSITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST

4 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord,au urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humilityav and gentleness, with patience,aw bearingax with one another in love,ay 3 making every effort to keep the unityaz of the Spiritba through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spiritbb—just as you were called to one hopeA,a at your calling—5 one Lord,b one faith,c one baptism, 6 one Godd and Fathere of all, who is above all and through all and in all.f

7 Now grace was given to each one of usg according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 For it says:

When he ascendedh on high,

he took the captives captive;

he gave gifts to people.B,i

9 But what does “he ascended” mean except that heC also descended to the lower parts of the earth?D,j 10 The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens,k to fill all things.l 11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,m 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son,n growing into maturity with a statureo measured by Christ’s fullness. 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching,p by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the headq—Christ. 16 From him the whole body, fitted and knit togetherr by every supporting ligament, promotes the growths of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.