-
1 ) I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, plead to you that all of you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith all of you are called,
-
2 ) With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love,
-
3 ) Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
-
4 ) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as all of you are called in one hope of your calling,
-
5 ) One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
-
6 ) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
-
7 ) But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
-
8 ) Wherefore he says, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
-
9 ) (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
-
10 ) He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
-
11 ) And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers,
-
12 ) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
-
13 ) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
-
14 ) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed back and forth, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive,
-
15 ) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
-
16 ) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
-
17 ) This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that all of you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,