004:007 Yet to each of us individually grace was given, measured out
with the munificence of Christ.
004:008 For this reason Scripture says: "He re-ascended on high,
He led captive a host of captives, and gave gifts to men."
004:009 (Now this "re-ascended"--what does it mean but that He had
first descended into the lower regions of the earth?
004:010 He who descended is the same as He who ascended again far
above all the Heavens in order to fill the universe.)
004:011 And He Himself appointed some to be Apostles, some to be Prophets,
some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers,
004:012 in order fully to equip His people for the work of serving--
for the building up of Christ's body--
004:013 till we all of us arrive at oneness in faith and in the knowledge
of the Son of God, and at mature manhood and the stature
of full-grown men in Christ.
004:014 So we shall no longer be babes nor shall we resemble mariners
tossed on the waves and carried about with every changing wind
of doctrine according to men's cleverness and unscrupulous cunning,
making use of every shifting device to mislead.
004:015 But we shall lovingly hold to the truth, and shall in all respects
grow up into union with Him who is our Head, even Christ.
004:016 Dependent on Him, the whole body--its various parts closely
fitting and firmly adhering to one another--grows by the aid
of every contributory link, with power proportioned to
the need of each individual part, so as to build itself up
in a spirit of love.
004:017 Therefore I warn you, and I implore you in the name of the Master,
no longer to live as the Gentiles in their perverseness live,
004:018 with darkened understandings, having by reason of the ignorance
which is deep-seated in them and the insensibility of their