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Unity in the Body
The prisoner in the Lord urges believers to live in a way that fits God’s call. This passage teaches how unity is kept, how Christ gives gifts, and how the whole body grows in love.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
In this part of the letter, the writer describes himself as a prisoner in the Lord and appeals to his readers. He moves from the call to live worthily into teaching about shared oneness, grace given to each person, and Christ’s purpose for the body to grow towards maturity.
Ephesians 4:1–16Main takeaway
Believers are urged to keep the unity of the Spirit and to grow together as Christ gives grace and service for the building up of his body.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A worthy walk and careful unityThe writer begins with an appeal: walk worthily of the calling you have received. He names the attitudes that fit this walk: lowliness, humility, patience, and bearing with one another in love.
Explanation
The writer begins with an appeal: walk worthily of the calling you have received. He names the attitudes that fit this walk: lowliness, humility, patience, and bearing with one another in love. Believers are also to be eager to keep the unity of the Spirit, and that unity is linked with peace.
02The repeated word “one”The passage then stresses unity by repeating the word “one”. It speaks of one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.
Explanation
The passage then stresses unity by repeating the word “one”. It speaks of one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all. This repeated language shows a shared foundation that belongs to God’s people together.
03Grace given to each personAlongside shared unity, the passage says grace is given to each one according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Explanation
Alongside shared unity, the passage says grace is given to each one according to the measure of Christ’s gift. It then speaks about the one who ascended and who also descended, and says he ascended far above all the heavens to fill all things. The passage connects this with gifts given to people.
04People Christ gives for serviceThe gifts named here include apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers. Their purpose is not simply to hold titles.
Explanation
The gifts named here include apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers. Their purpose is not simply to hold titles. The passage says they are given for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of serving, and for the building up of the body of Christ towards unity and maturity.
05Growing up into Christ the headThe goal is that believers are no longer like children tossed around by every wind of doctrine or by human trickery.
Explanation
The goal is that believers are no longer like children tossed around by every wind of doctrine or by human trickery. Instead, speaking truth in love, they are to grow into Christ, the head. From him the whole body is fitted together, and each part helps build the body up in love.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Which qualities in the opening verses are linked with keeping unity?
Look for the list of attitudes before the command to be eager to keep the unity of the Spirit.
02What does the repeated word “one” describe in verses 4 to 6?
Read each line carefully and list the things called one in these verses.
03According to verses 11 to 16, what results should Christ’s gifts produce in the body?
Trace the movement from equipping and serving to unity, maturity, truth in love, and the body building itself up.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Ephesians 4:1–16
1I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,
2with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
3being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4There is one body and one Spirit, even as you also were 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, the grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.”
9Now this, “He ascended”, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
11He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
12for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ,
13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
14that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
15but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ,
16from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.