Unity in the Body
(1 Corinthians 1:10–17)

1I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord exhort you to walk worthily of the calling with which ye were called, 2with all humility and meekness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love; 3earnestly endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one immersion, 6one God and Father of all, Who is over all, and through all, and in all.

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

8Wherefore, He saith, "Having ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."

9Now the word, "He ascended," what does it mean, but that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10He Who descended is Himself also the One Who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. 11And He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12with a view to the perfecting of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man?to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; 14that we may no longer be babes, billow-tossed, and carried about with every wind of teaching, in the sleight of men, in the craftiness suited to the artifice of error; 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him, Who is the Head, Christ; 16from Whom all the body, fitly framed and knit together through every joint of supply, according to the working in due measure of each single part, secures the growth of the body to the upbuilding of itself in love.

New Life in Christ
(Colossians 3:1–17)

17This, therefore, I say, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their hearts; 19who, indeed, having become without feeling, delivered themselves up to lasciviousness for the working of all uncleanness with greediness. 20But ye did not so learn Christ; 21if, indeed, ye heard Him, and were taught in Him, as truth is in Jesus; 22that ye put off, as to your former manner of life, the old man, who is corrupt according to the desires of deceit; 23and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and put on the new man, who after God was created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

25Wherefore, having put away false-hood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor, because we are members one of another. 26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath; 27neither give place to the Devil. 28Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands that which is good, that he may have to impart to him that has need. 29Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but whatever is good for the supplying of the need, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in Whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and reviling, be put away from you, with all wickedness; 32and become kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God also in Christ forgave you.