Ephesians
Chapter 4: 1-16
Unity in the Body of Christ
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the
calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient,
bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the
Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit--just as
you were called to one hope when you were called-- 5one Lord, one faith, one
baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in
all.
7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This
is why it says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men." 9(What
does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly
regions? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the
heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11It was he who gave some to be
apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and
teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of
Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the
knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the
fullness of Christ.
14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and
blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in
their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all
things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole
body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in
love, as each part does its work.
