2
Corinthians 3 English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)
Ministers
of the New Covenant
3
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters
of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of
recommendation, written on our[a] hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And
you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with
ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on
tablets of human hearts.[b]
4 Such is the confidence
that we have through Christ towards God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in
ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,
6 who has made us competent[c] to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the
letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory
that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which
was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even
more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the
ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case,
what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that
surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much
more will what is permanent have glory.
12
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a
veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what
was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day,
when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only
through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a
veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one[d] turns to the Lord, the veil is
removed. 17 Now the Lord[e] is the
Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding
the glory of the Lord,[f] are being transformed into the same image from one
degree of glory to another For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
The
IVP New Testament Commentary Series
Qualifications
for Ministry (3:4-6)
It
is all too easy to be overly impressed with a list of credentials and to lose
sight of the fact that inward change, not outward achievement, is what
validates someone in God's eyes. Such a misplaced emphasis often follows from
the need for some kind of objective standard by which to evaluate a person's
competence. Paul faced this problem as well. So he tries to give the
Corinthians an objective standard by which to judge his competency as a
minister of the gospel (5:12). But he also recognizes that competency in the
ministry is something that is God-given rather than humanly achieved—a fact that
is often forgotten in a twentieth-century culture that is oriented toward such
overt signs of approval as applause and kudos.
Paul
fears that his claim to possess divine references could be construed as
overconfidence. To forestall such an allegation he interjects a series of
disclaimers. His first disclaimer is that such confidence as he exhibits before
God is his only through Christ (v. 4). Before God is better rendered
"toward God" (see note). Through Christ (dia tou Christou) defines
the basis for his confidence. Paul is probably thinking of his commissioning by
Christ on the road to Damascus as apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15-19;
26:12-18). It was a commissioning uniquely his, yet not because of any
competency that he himself possessed. Indeed, Paul freely admits elsewhere that
he is the "least of the apostles" (1 Cor 15:9) and the "worst of
sinners" (1 Tim 1:15). Here he merely states, as a second disclaimer, that
he does not possess any competency in and of himself (v. 5). The Greek is
literally "not that we are competent to reckon anything as of
ourselves" (ouch hoti . . . hikanoi esmen logisasthai ti hos ex heauton).
The Greek verb for to reckon means "to credit to one's own
abilities." "There is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we
are capable of doing this work" (TEV) catches the gist of Paul's
statement. Competency in our society is largely determined by whether we are
able "to get the job done." Ministerial competency, by contrast,
issues not from self but from God, who has made us competent as ministers of a
new covenant—Paul's third and final disclaimer (vv. 5-6).
Verse
6 functions as a transition to an extended treatment of the superiority of the
new covenant or Spirit ministry over the old covenant or letter ministry. The
emphasis throughout is on ministry. The terms diakonia (ministry) and diakonos
(minister) occur five times in verses 6-11. In fact, close to 40 percent of all
Pauline uses of both nominal and verbal forms appear in 2 Corinthians. Paul's
point is that competence as a minister lies in the competency of the ministry
represented. Paul's competence stems from being a minister of a new covenant.
Diathekh should be translated covenant, not "testament" (KJV;
corrected in the NKJV), and it should not be capitalized. There were no Old and
New Testaments in Paul's day, only "the Scriptures." "New
Testament" applies to the Christian writings that were given canonical
status alongside the Jewish Scriptures. The process of canonization was a long
one. Clement of Alexandria (c. 215) and Origen (c. 250) are the earliest church
fathers to distinguish between "old" and "new testament"
writings. Canon 59, which was issued by the Synod of Laodicea in A.D. 363, is
the first church document to use the phrase "new testament" of a
distinct body of literature. The actual phrase "canon of the new
testament" does not appear until about A.D. 400 in Macarius Magnes's
Apocriticus 4.10 (Belleville 1994:375-76).
The
language of new covenant comes from Jeremiah 31:31-34, the only place in the
Old Testament where this phrase occurs: " `The time is coming,' declares
the LORD, `when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with
the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their
forefathers.'"
A
covenant, simply put, is an agreement into which too parties enter. It can be a
bilateral agreement between equals or a unilateral arrangement where the terms
are dictated by one, superior party. God's covenants with his people are of the
latter kind.
The
word new (kainos) denotes that which is qualitatively better as compared with
what has existed until now (Haarbeck, Link and Brown 1976:670). This is borne
out in how Paul describes the new as opposed to the old arrangement between God
and his people. The character of the old covenant is that it is of letter
(grammatos) and kills. The new covenant, on the other hand, is of Spirit
(pneumatos) and gives life. Both nouns are in the genitive case and lack the
article. Letter and Spirit are therefore descriptive terms, setting forth the
quality or nature of their respective covenants. What is qualitatively better
about the new covenant is that it is not a letter covenant—that is, an external
code—but a Spirit covenant—that is, an internal power. A covenant that is letter in nature kills
because it makes external demands without giving the inward power for
obedience, while a covenant that is Spirit in character gives life because it
works internally to produce a change of nature. Paul describes this change of
nature elsewhere as a "new self" created "to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness" (Eph 4:24).
The
Superiority of the New Covenant Minister (3:12-18)
At
verse 12 Paul turns from a consideration of the merits of the old and new
covenants to what it means to be a minister of each. What most likely prompts
this discussion is the fact that rival missionaries at Corinth were looking to
Moses as the consummate minister. Only in this way can Paul's contrast in
verses 12-18 between Moses and the new covenant minister be explained. An
additional reason Paul pursues what he does in these verses is the evangelistic
conundrum that existed both then and now. One of the most difficult audiences
to reach with the gospel today is a Jewish one. This is an amazing fact
considering that the gospel is the good news of God's fulfillment through Jesus
of his promises to his people Israel. The Jewishness of the gospel is reflected
in the early Christian preaching that Jesus is the Messiah of Jewish
expectation and in the attempt to prove from the Scriptures that the Messiah
had to suffer and rise from the dead (Acts 2:22-36; 13:26-39; 17:2-3; 18:4-5).
No one struggled with this conundrum more than Paul. His own success rate among
his people was so low that it caused him "great sorrow and unceasing
anguish" (Rom 9:1-3). The "why" of this state of affairs was
something that constantly preyed on his mind. 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 is a brief
version of Paul's lengthier reflections in Romans 9—11.
The
Bible Panorama
2
Corinthians 3
V 1–3: SELF-COMMENDATION Paul refers to letters
of introduction, often used to assure new churches that those coming to them
are authentic Christians. Initially, the false apostles commended themselves.
Paul says he needs no letter of commendation when coming to the Corinthian
church, because they themselves are his letter of commendation. They are saved
because he has been there with the gospel.
V 4–6:
SPIRIT’S CONFIDENCE He quickly adds that his confidence is not based on
self-effort, but on what the Holy Spirit has done. His confidence comes because
of God’s action through Christ.
V 7–11: STRIKING
COMPARISON
He then compares the fading glory on Moses’ face after the Ten Commandments
were given, with the surpassing lasting glory through the gospel. The Ten
Commandments condemn men, but the gospel saves them.
V 12–18: SUPERIOR
COVENANT
The Old Testament covenant can never unveil a person’s spiritual blindness.
That only happens through God the Holy Spirit, when He gives understanding,
transforming power, and glory through faith in Christ.
Give me a man of God—one
man,
Whose faith is master of
his mind,
And I will right all
wrongs
And bless the name of
all mankind.
Give me a man of God—one
man,
Whose tongue is touched
with heaven’s fire,
And I will flame the
darkest hearts
With high resolve and
clean desire.
Give me a man of God—one
man,
One mighty prophet of
the Lord,
And I will give you
peace on earth,
Bought with a prayer and
not a sword.
Give me a man of
God—…one man,
True to the vision that
he sees,
And I will build your
broken shrines
And bring the nations to
their knees.
- George Liddell
Suppose God tells you to do something that is
an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you
do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something
physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit
through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again
you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back
at the true point of testing, until you are determined to abandon yourself to
God in total surrender. Yet we tend to say, “Yes, but— suppose I do obey God in
this matter, what about . . . ?” Or we say, “Yes, I will obey God if what He
asks of me doesn’t go against my common sense, but don’t ask me to take a step
in the dark.”
Oswald Chambers
Dictionary
of Bible Themes
7944
ministry, qualifications for
God,
who calls his people to minister, also equips his people. The chief
qualifications are a response to God’s call, faithfulness, godliness and
Christlikeness.
God
calls people to minister
Qualification
is by call, not gifting or achievement Dt 7:7-8 See also Dt 9:4-5
God
calls those who the world regards as weak or foolish 1Co 1:27-29
Feelings
of inadequacy to God’s call are common Ex 3:11 Moses; Jdg 6:15 Gideon; 1Sa 9:21
Saul; 1Sa 18:18 David; 1Ki 3:7 Solomon; Isa 6:5 Isaiah; Jer 1:6 Jeremiah
Responding
to God’s call to minister
Readiness
and availability 1Sa 3:10; Isa 6:8
Faith,
rather than natural talent or moral perfection, is required Heb 11:1-2 See also
Ge 27:19-24 Jacob was a deceiver; Nu 27:12-14 Moses and Aaron disobeyed God.
David committed adultery and murder: 2Sa 11:4,14-15
1Ki
11:9-13 Solomon disobeyed God’s command.
NT
ministers are recognised by call rather than their achievement
The
Twelve Mt 10:1-4 pp Mk 3:14-19 pp Lk 6:12-16 The Twelve, including Peter and
Judas, failed Jesus Christ at critical times.
Paul
Ac 9:15; Ac 26:6; 2Co 4:7-12; 2Co 12:7 Though greatly gifted, Paul was kept
humble by his sense of unworthiness, difficulties and disappointments and his
“thorn in the flesh”; 1Ti 1:16
Ministry
in the NT is described as service
Serving
God Ro 1:9; Jas 1:1
Serving
Jesus Christ Ro 1:1; Jude 1; Rev 1:1
Serving
the gospel Eph 3:7; Col 1:23
Serving
the church Ro 15:31; Ro 16:1; 1Co 16:15; 2Co 9:1; Eph 6:21; Col 1:7,25
Ministry
is described in terms of its source, content or nature
Its
source It is of the Spirit: 2Co 3:6,8
2Co
4:1 It is from God.
Its
content Ac 6:2-4 the word of God; 2Co 5:18 reconciliation
Its
nature Apostolic: Ac 1:25; Gal 2:8
Ro
15:16 priestly
Various
ministries are equally linked by qualifications of character
Ac
1:21 the replacement for Judas; Ac 6:3 the Seven Overseers: 1Ti 3:2-7; Tit
1:7-9
1Ti
3:8-13 deacons; 1Ti 6:11 Timothy
The
personal qualifications for ministry
Faithfulness
1Ti 6:11-14 Timothy; 2Ti 4:7 Paul’s claim for his own ministry “faithful” is
the sole description of the ministries of Epaphras and Tychicus: Col 1:7; Col
4:7
Godliness
Ac 8:21 Simon was not right with God. Timothy: 1Ti 6:11,20-21
Christlikeness
Ac 1:21-22 The replacement apostle for Judas had to have been with Jesus Christ
from the beginning.
Encyclopedia
of The Bible
MINISTRY.
B.
NT terms. When we turn to the NT, we are struck immediately by the obliteration
of the OT distinction between professional and non-professional religious
service, for here sacerdotalism has yielded to a universal priesthood
constituted by Christ and shared alike by all who are united to Him in the
bonds of a living faith (Phil 2:17; 1 Pet 2:5, 9; Rev 1:5, 6; 5:10; 20:6).
Since there is no longer any elite priestly caste, but ministry is essentially
and equally the privileged vocation of all, priestly language generally is
applied to the body of believers as a whole.
The
NT employs a variety of terms in connection with differing types and functions
of ministry, both general and particular. Although each term has its own
special shade of meaning, there is considerable overlapping in usage, so that
even from a single point of view any number of these terms may be used to
designate a particular ministration, or the one who performs it.
1.
The most common NT term for ministry is διακονεῖν with its correlates. Originally
signifying the service of a table waiter (cf. Luke 12:37; 17:8; John 12:2), in
classical Gr. the word generally has a menial connotation. In the NT, however,
where the root idea is supplying beneficial service, διακονεῖν is dignified by the highest
associations and employed with a wide range of application. Christian apostles
are ministers of Christ (1 Cor 3:5; 1 Tim 1:12), while even heathen magistrates
are ministers of God (Rom 13:4). Angels are ministering spirits sent forth to
serve the heirs of salvation (Heb 1:14). Paul says that Christ became a
minister to the circumcised (Rom 15:8), while Jesus described Himself as “one
who serves” (Luke 22:27). By contrast with the old ministry of the law which
was a ministry of condemnation, a new ministry of the Spirit has now been
inaugurated as a ministry of righteousness (2 Cor 3:7-9).
In
relation to the Christian community διακονεῖν is used to denote: (1) discipleship in
general (John 12:26); (2) the full sweep of ministrations and activities by
means of which Christ’s work is carried on in the Church and in the world (Acts
21:19; 1 Cor 16:15; Eph 4:11; Col 4:17; 2 Tim 4:5); (3) the preaching and
teaching of the Word (Acts 6:4); (4) a special divine “gift” for various
spiritual and temporal services (Rom 12:7; 1 Cor 12:5); (5) specific benevolent
ministries such as the distribution of welfare assistance in the church at
Jerusalem (Acts 6:1), and contributions from Gentile churches for impoverished
believers at Jerusalem (2 Cor 8:4); (6) personal services like those which
Tychicus rendered to Paul (Eph 6:21); (7) the office of deacon (Phil 1:1; 1 Tim
3:8, 12).
III.
The nature and purpose of ministry
A.
Ministry as mission. All ministry, whether of Christ or the Church, is divine
in its origin and sanction. In the fourth gospel Jesus characteristically
refers to Himself as having been sent by God, thereby claiming both a general
divine commission and specific divine authority for utterances and actions
which sometimes outraged the religious scruples of His contemporaries (John
5:36, 37; 6:29ff.; 7:28, 29, etc.; cf. Matt 15:24; Mark 9:37; Luke 9:48;
10:16). He employs the same language when commissioning His disciples to carry
on His ministry after His Ascension (John 20:21). The Church’s ministry is a
mission, and in rendering its service to the world the Church demonstrates its
obedience to the command of its Lord (Matt 28:18-20).
B.
Ministry as service. To describe the Church’s ministry, the NT writers chose
out of various possibilities the word διακονία, G1355, a familiar term for lowly service,
which they apply indiscriminately to the service of all believers alike. The
comprehensiveness of this term is brought out by its wealth of association in
the NT. Apostles and their co-workers are διάκονοι of God (2 Cor 6:4; 1 Thess 3:2), of Christ (2
Cor 11:23; Col 1:7; 1 Tim 4:6), of a new covenant (2 Cor 3:6), of the Gospel
(Eph 3:7; Col 1:23), of the Church (1:24, 25), or in an absolute sense (1 Cor
3:5; Eph 6:21; Col 4:7). Ministry likewise is a διακονία, G1355, of apostleship
(Acts 1:17, 25), of the Word (Acts 6:4), of the Spirit (2 Cor 3:8), of
righteousness (3:9), of reconciliation (5:18), of serving tables (Acts 6:2),
and of financial aid for fellow believers in distress (2 Cor 8:4; cf. 8:19,
20). It is received from the Lord (Col 4:17), who calls all His followers to
participate in it (Eph 4:12). It should be noted that Christian ministry is not
exclusively oriented to the spiritual, but encompasses the physical dimensions
of life as well (cf. Rom 15:25).
The
spirit of humility which animates Christian ministry, already evident in the
term διακονία, G1355, is intensified
when believers are called “slaves”
of Christ and of God (Acts 4:29; 1 Cor 7:22; 1 Pet 2:16; cf. Rom 12:11; 1 Thess
1:9). No ground for human vanity and pride remains when even apostles bear the
name of slave (Rom 1:1; James 1:1; Jude 1). Yet where gratitude reigns in
hearts redeemed by the Lord who took the lowest place of service in love (Phil
2:7, 8), offering His life as a ransom for His own (Mark 10:45), even the
calling to be His slave is gladly embraced as the noblest, most privileged
vocation of all.
B.
The charismatic character of ministry. The NT identifies all forms of ministry
as divine “gifts” (χάρισμα, G5922, “grace-gift”)
of the ascended Lord who bestows them on the Church through His Spirit (Eph
4:7-12). These gifts, which are wholly of grace—the same grace which is the
source of the believer’s justification
1.
Necessity. Possession of a supernatural endowment of the Spirit is
indispensable for effective ministry. The NT envisions no possibility of service
whatever apart from the Spirit’s gifts. It is misleading, therefore, to
distinguish between so-called “charismatic ministries” (prophecy, tongues,
miracles, etc.) and “non-charismatic” ministerial orders (elder and deacon).
All of the essential functions associated with ministerial orders in the NT are
included in the Pauline catalogues of spiritual gifts (Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor
12:4-11, 28-31; 14:1ff.; Eph 4:11, 12). The same apostle further regarded
elders, who presumably held their office by some manner of human selection and
ordination, as appointed by the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:28). Since the apostolic
Church required satisfactory evidence that a person was filled with the Holy
Spirit before entrusting him with the most ordinary service (6:3), one may assume
that candidates for official ministerial orders were chosen from among those
persons in whom the Spirit’s gifts were most conspicuous. In any event, all
ministry is charismatic, so that it is the Spirit’s gifts which decisively
qualify men for service.
2.
Diversity. All gifts originate with the same Spirit; however, they display a
diversity which accords with the division of labor within the body of Christ (1
Cor 12:4-11). The grace of the Spirit assumes many varieties of forms and flows
through many different channels. Although useful in their own right, not all
gifts are of equal value. Paul regarded tongues, for example, as inferior to
prophecy (1 Cor 14:1-5), while esteeming love as the highest gift of all (1 Cor
13, which follows without interruption the detailed discussion of gifts in ch.
12).
3.
Universality. Just as every organ in the human body performs its own unique
function, so every member of the body of Christ has his special contribution to
make to the well-being and usefulness of the whole (1 Cor 12:7; Eph 4:7, 16; 1
Pet 4:10). The NT is entirely innocent of the common distinction between clergy
and laity, which regards the clergy as “ministers” and the laity as mere
spectators. Laity (λαός, G3295) means “the
people of God” and embraces all members of Christ’s body,
while all members are His servants. In sovereign freedom the Spirit distributes
to individual believers the gifts that render their service possible (1 Cor
12:11). While the same believer may possess multiple endowments (2 Tim 1:11),
there is no monopoly of the Spirit’s gifts. Every believer has one gift or
more, held in trust for the common good.
4.
Sufficiency. All ministry is designed to build up the body of Christ in living
union with its Head (1 Cor 14:3ff.; Eph 4:11, 12). Determined in accordance
with this purpose, the Spirit’s gifts are by their very nature and bestowal the
pledge and guarantee of its fulfillment. Nothing else is needed. Drawing on its
vast wealth of spiritual resources the ministering Church advances toward its
completeness in Christ.
C.
Varieties of spiritual gifts. Of the several passages in which Paul catalogues
the Spirit’s gifts three deserve special notice. Romans 12:6-8 lists prophecy,
service (διακονία, G1355), teaching,
exhortation, liberality, giving of aid (“rule,”
KJV, or “management”), and acts of mercy. 1
Corinthians 12:28-31 mentions apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of
miracles, healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in tongues, and
interpreters of tongues. Ephesians 4:11, 12 specifies apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors and teachers.
4.
Teachers and Pastors. That persons who had the gift of teaching were highly
esteemed in the apostolic Church is evident from their association with
apostles and prophets (Acts 13:1; 1 Cor 14:28; cf. 1 Tim 2:7; 2 Tim 1:11).
Including women in their number (Titus 2:3-5), they gave instruction in matters
of Christian faith and ethical duty. In the Gentile churches esp. they trained
converts from paganism in the knowledge and interpretation of the OT, while
they also expounded the words of Jesus and the apostolic doctrine contained in
the growing body of tradition. They sometimes actively participated in the
services of worship (1 Cor 14:26), but much of their ministry was conducted
more informally among groups of believers. In Ephesians 4:11 teachers are also
called “pastors” (ποιμήν, G4478, “shepherd”),
a term which suggests general oversight of a local congregation, as well as
instruction.
SOVEREIGN
GOD,
Thy
cause, not my own, engages my heart,
and I appeal to thee with greatest
freedom
to set up thy kingdom in every place
where Satan reigns;
Glorify
thyself and I shall rejoice,
for to bring honour to thy name is my sole
desire.
I
adore thee that thou art God,
and long that others should know it, feel it,
and rejoice in it.
O
that all men might love and praise thee,
that thou mightest have all glory
from the intelligent world!
Let
sinners be brought to thee for thy dear name!
To
the eye of reason everything respecting
the conversion of others is as dark as
midnight,
But
thou canst accomplish great things;
the cause is thine,
and it is to thy glory that men should be
saved.
Lord,
use me as thou wilt,
do with me what thou wilt;
but, O, promote thy cause,
let thy kingdom come,
let thy blessed interest be advanced
in this world!
O
do thou bring in great numbers to Jesus!
let me see that glorious day,
and give me to grasp for multitudes of souls;
let me be willing to die to that end;
and while I live let me labour for thee
to the utmost of my strength,
spending time profitably in this work,
both in health and in weakness.
It
is thy cause and kingdom I long for,
not my own.
Valley
of Vision, Banner of Truth
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who
will go for Us?" —Isaiah 6:8
When we talk about the call of God, we often forget the most important
thing, namely, the nature of Him who calls. There are many things calling each
of us today. Some of these calls will be answered, and others will not even be
heard. The call is the expression of the nature of the One who calls, and we
can only recognize the call if that same nature is in us. The call of God is
the expression of God’s nature, not ours. God providentially weaves the threads
of His call through our lives, and only we can distinguish them. It is the
threading of God’s voice directly to us over a certain concern, and it is
useless to seek another person’s opinion of it. Our dealings over the call of
God should be kept exclusively between ourselves and Him.
The call of God is not a reflection of my nature; my personal desires
and temperament are of no consideration. As long as I dwell on my own qualities
and traits and think about what I am suited for, I will never hear the call of
God. But when God brings me into the right relationship with Himself, I will be
in the same condition Isaiah was. Isaiah was so attuned to God, because of the
great crisis he had just endured, that the call of God penetrated his soul. The
majority of us cannot hear anything but ourselves. And we cannot hear anything
God says. But to be brought to the place where we can hear the call of God is
to be profoundly changed.
Ephesians
4:11-16English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)
11
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[a] and
teachers,[b] 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up
the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,[c] to the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children,
tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by
human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the
truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into
Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint
with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body
grow so that it builds itself up in love.
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