Ephesians 4:7-16 - Gifted Leaders Bring The Church To Maturity

⁷ But each one of us has been given mercy in Christ's generous measure. ⁸ So it says, "When he went up on high, he led a host of captives, And gave gifts to mankind."

⁹ What does "he went up" mean, except that he had first gone down to the under parts of the earth? ¹⁰ It is he who went down who has also gone up above all the heavens, to fill the universe. ¹¹ And he has given us some men as apostles, some as prophets, some as missionaries, some as pastors and teachers, ¹² in order to fit his people for the work of service, for building the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain unity in faith, and in the knowledge of the Son of God, and reach mature manhood, and that full measure of development found in Christ. ¹⁴ We must not be babies any longer, blown about and swung around by every wind of doctrine through the trickery of men with their ingenuity in inventing error. ¹⁵ We must lovingly hold to the truth and grow up into perfect union with him who is the head??hrist himself. ¹⁶ For it is under his control that the whole system, adjusted and united by each ligament of its equipment, develops in proportion to the functioning of each particular part, and so builds itself up through love.