Unity in the Body

(Psalm 133:1-3; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

1*I*, the prisoner in [the] Lord, exhort you therefore to walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye have been called, 2with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love; 3using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace. 4[There is] one body and one Spirit, as ye have been also called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all.

7But to each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of the Christ.

8Wherefore he says, Having ascended up on high, he has led captivity captive, and has given gifts to men.

9But that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same who has also ascended up above all the heavens, that he might fill all things; 11and *he* has given some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers, 12for the perfecting of the saints; with a view to [the] work of [the] ministry, with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ; 13until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, at [the] full-grown man, at [the] measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ; 14in order that we may be no longer babes, tossed and carried about by every wind of *that* teaching [which is] in the sleight of men, in unprincipled cunning with a view to systematized error; 15but, holding the truth in love, we may grow up to him in all things, who is the head, the Christ: 16from whom the whole body, fitted together, and connected by every joint of supply, according to [the] working in [its] measure of each one part, works for itself the increase of the body to its self-building up in love.

Living as Children of Light

17This I say therefore, and testify in [the] Lord, that ye should no longer walk as [the rest of] the nations walk in [the] vanity of their mind, 18being darkened in understanding, estranged from the life of God by reason of the ignorance which is in them, by reason of the hardness of their hearts, 19who having cast off all feeling, have given themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greedy unsatisfied lust. 20But *ye* have not thus learnt the Christ, 21if ye have heard him and been instructed in him according as [the] truth is in Jesus; 22[namely] your having put off according to the former conversation the old man which corrupts itself according to the deceitful lusts; 23and being renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24and [your] having put on the new man, which according to God is created in truthful righteousness and holiness.

25Wherefore, having put off falsehood, speak truth every one with his neighbour, because we are members one of another. 26Be angry, and do not sin; let not the sun set upon your wrath, 27neither give room for the devil. 28Let the stealer steal no more, but rather let him toil, working what is honest with [his] hands, that he may have to distribute to him that has need. 29Let no corrupt word go out of your mouth, but if [there be] any good one for needful edification, that it may give grace to those that hear [it]. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which ye have been sealed for [the] day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, and heat of passion, and wrath, and clamour, and injurious language, be removed from you, with all malice; 32and be to one another kind, compassionate, forgiving one another, so as God also in Christ has forgiven you.