Ephesians 4:7-13

7But God has been kind to all of us. Each of us has received a special gift, just as Christ has decided to give us.

8This is what it says about him: ‘When he went up to the highest place, he led many prisoners with him. Then he gave gifts to his people.’

9It says: ‘He went up.’ That must mean that Christ had also come down. He came down to a lower place, the earth.

10So the man who came down is also the man who went up, high above all the heavens. He did that so that he would fill everything everywhere.

11It was Christ who chose to give different gifts to his people. He chose some to be apostles. He chose some to speak messages from God. He chose some to tell God's good news to many people. He chose some to take care of his people, and to teach them.

12He gave all these gifts to help God's people to serve him in different ways. As a result, the church, which is like Christ's body, would become strong.

13In that way, all of us will become united, like one person. We will all believe in Jesus as the Son of God. We will all know him. We will become like a man who has grown up well. We will be completely as God wants us to be, just like Christ himself.