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.

Living the New Life

17 Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity t with a desire for more and more. u

20 But that is not how you learned about the Messiah, 21 assuming you heard about Him and were taught by Him, because the truth v is in Jesus. 22 You took off w x your former way of life, y the old self z a that is corrupted by deceitful desires; 23 you are being renewed b in the spirit c of your minds; 24 you put on d e the new self, the one created f according to God’s likeness g in righteousness and purity of the truth.

25 Since you put away h lying, Speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, i j because we are members of one another. 26 Be angry and do not sin. k l Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don’t give the Devil an opportunity. 28 The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share m with anyone in need. 29 No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, n so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. o You were sealed by Him p for the day of * redemption. q 31 All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. 32 And be kind r and compassionate s to one another, forgiving t one another, just as God also forgave you u in Christ.