Unity in the Body
(Psalm 133:1-3; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

1Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling to which you were called, 2with all humility and gentleness; with patience bearing with one another in love; 3being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; 4one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called into 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 all.

7Now to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8Therefore it says:a

“Having ascended on high,

He led captive captivity,

and gave gifts to men.”b

9Now what is “He ascended,” except that He also descended into the lower regions of the earth? 10The One having descended is also the same one having ascended above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.

11And He gave some indeed to be apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers, 12toward the perfecting of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, 13until we all may attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a complete man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14so that no longer we might be infants, being tossed by waves and being carried about by every wind of teaching in the cunning, in the craftiness of men with a view to the scheming of deceit. 15But speaking the truth in love, we should grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ, 16from whom the whole body, being joined together and being held together by every ligament of its supply, according to the working in the measure of each individual part, the increase of the body makes for itself, to the building up of itself in love.

New Life in Christ

17This therefore I say and testify in the Lord: You are no longer to walk as also the Gentiles are walking, in the futility of their mind, 18being darkened in the understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance being in them on account of the hardness of their heart, 19who, having cast off all feeling, have given themselves up to sensuality for the working of all impurity, with greediness for more.

20But you have not learned Christ this way, 21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him just as the truth is in Jesus. 22You are to have put off, concerning the former way of life, the old man, which is being corrupted according to its desires of deceit, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and to have put on the new man, having been created according to God in righteousness and holiness of truth.

25Therefore having put off falsehood, let each one speak truth with his neighbor, because we are members of one another. 26“Be angry, and yet do not sin.”c Let not the sun set upon your anger, 27neither give opportunity to the devil.

28The one stealing, let him steal no longer, but rather let him toil, working with the own hands what is good, so that he may have something to impart to the one having need.

29Do not let any unwholesome word go forth out of your mouth, but only good, for edification of the need, so that it may give grace to those hearing.

30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31Let all bitterness, and rage, and anger, and clamor, and slander, be removed from you, along with all malice. 32And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, as also in Christ God forgave you.