Unity and Diversity in the Body of Christ

4 Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, k urge you to * walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility l and gentleness, with patience, m accepting n o one another in love, p 3 diligently keeping the unity q of the Spirit r with the peace s that binds us. 4 There is one body and one Spirit t—just as you were called to one hope u v at your calling— 5 one Lord, w one faith, x one baptism, 6 one God y and Father z of all, who is above all and through all and in all. a

7 Now grace was given to each one of us b according to the measure of the * Messiah’s gift. 8 For it says:

When He ascended c on high,

He took prisoners into captivity; d

He gave gifts to people. e f

9 But what does “He ascended” mean except that He g descended to the lower parts of the earth? h i 10 The One who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, j that He might fill k all things. l 11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 for the training of the * saints in 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 a mature man with a stature o 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 head q—Christ. 16 From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together r by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth s of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.