1 I am a prisoner who belongs to the Lord. I beg you, live the way people should live who have been called by God.

2 Do not be proud at all. Be very humble. Love one another and be patient with each other.

3 The Spirit has made you all one. Try to stay like that. May you be at peace with one another.

4 There is one body of Christ and one Spirit. When God called you, there was one hope before you in your calling.

5 There is one Lord, one way to believe, and one baptism.

6 There is one God and Father of us all. He is over all. He works through all. And he is living in us all.

7 But each one of us has received a blessing, whatever amount Christ has given to each one.

8 So then, the holy writings say, When Christ went up to heaven he took those he had won with him. And he gave gifts to men.

9 Now, what does he went up mean? Does it not mean that he also came down to the earth below?

10 The one who came down is the same one who went up higher than all the heavens. He did this so that he would be everywhere.

11 The gifts he gave are these: some are to be apostles; some prophets; some evangelists; some pastors and teachers.

12 These gifts are to make Gods people better able to do their work for him and to make the body of Christ become stronger.

13 The gifts are given so that we will all believe the one way and all know the Son of God. They are given so that we will be really grown-up Christians, like Christ himself.