Unity in the Body of Christ

4 Therefore I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, and with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 and being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit (just as you were called to one hope at your calling), 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in [fn]us all.

7 Now each one of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive

and gave gifts to men.”

9 (Now what does “he ascended” mean except that he [fn]first also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) 11 It was he who appointed some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ's fullness. 14 So we must no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men and their craftiness in deceitful scheming. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting joint, grows and builds itself up in love as each individual part does its work.