Unity in the Body of Christ
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I therefore, m a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to n walk in a manner worthy of o the calling to which you have been called,
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with all p humility and q gentleness, with r patience, s bearing with one another in love,
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eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in t the bond of peace.
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There is u one body and v one Spirit - just as you were called to the one w hope that belongs to your call -
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x one Lord, y one faith, z one baptism,
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a one God and Father of all, b who is over all and through all and in all.
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But c grace was given d to each one of us e according to the measure of Christ's gift.
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Therefore it says,
f "When he ascended on high g he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men."
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( h In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into i the lower regions, the earth?
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He who descended is the one who also j ascended k far above all the heavens, that he might l fill all things.)
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And m he gave the n apostles, the prophets, the o evangelists, the p shepherds and teachers,
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q to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for r building up s the body of Christ,
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until we all attain to t the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, u to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of v the fullness of Christ,
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so that we may no longer be children, w tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in x deceitful schemes.
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Rather, y speaking the truth in love, we are to z grow up in every way into him who is a the head, into Christ,
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b from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, c when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
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Cross References
Ephesians 3:1
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles -
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Cross References
Colossians 1:10
So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Colossians 2:6
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.
1 Thessalonians 2:12
We exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
Philippians 1:27
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.
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Cross References
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
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Cross References
Acts 20:19
Serving the Lord with all humility and with tea...
Philippians 2:3
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humi...
Colossians 3:12
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and bel...
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympat...
1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to th...
Colossians 2:18
Let no one disqualify you, insisting on ascetic...
Colossians 2:23
These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in pr...
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Cross References
Galatians 5:23
Gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
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Colossians 1:11
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.
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Colossians 3:13
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
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Cross References
Colossians 3:14
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Acts 8:23
For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
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Cross References
Ephesians 2:16
And might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
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Ephesians 2:18
For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
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Cross References
Ephesians 1:18
Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.
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Cross References
Zechariah 14:9
And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.
1 Corinthians 1:13
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1 Corinthians 8:6
Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
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Cross References
Ephesians 4:13
Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Jude 1:3
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
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Cross References
Galatians 3:27 - 28
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 12:5 - 6
And there are varieties of service, but the same Lord.
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Cross References
Romans 9:5
To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
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Cross References
Ephesians 3:2
Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you.
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Cross References
Matthew 25:15
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
1 Corinthians 12:7
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
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Cross References
Romans 12:3
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
Ephesians 4:16
From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
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Cross References
Psalms 68:18
You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.
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Cross References
Judges 5:12
Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, break out in a song! Arise, Barak, lead away your captives, O son of Abinoam.
Colossians 2:15
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
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Cross References
Psalms 68:18
You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there.
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Cross References
John 3:13
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
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Cross References
Psalms 63:9
But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth.
Isaiah 44:23
Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel.
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Cross References
Mark 16:19
So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
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Cross References
Hebrews 4:14
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Hebrews 7:26
For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Hebrews 9:24
For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
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Cross References
Ephesians 1:23
Which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 12:5 - 6
And there are varieties of service, but the same Lord.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 12:28
And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
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Cross References
Acts 21:8
On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
2 Timothy 4:5
As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
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Cross References
Jeremiah 3:15
'And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Acts 20:28
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
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Cross References
2 Corinthians 13:9
For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.
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Cross References
Ephesians 4:16
From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
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Cross References
Ephesians 4:5
One Lord, one faith, one baptism.
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Cross References
Hebrews 5:14
But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
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Cross References
Ephesians 1:23
Which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
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Cross References
Matthew 11:7
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
Hebrews 13:9
Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
James 1:6
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Jude 1:12
These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted.
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Cross References
Ephesians 6:11
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
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Cross References
1 John 3:18
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
Ephesians 4:25
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
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Cross References
Ephesians 2:21
In whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
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Cross References
Ephesians 1:22
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.
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Colossians 2:19
And not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
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Cross References
Ephesians 4:7
But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.