until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything,

Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;

We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;

And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete.

Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head.

The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

“I thought age should speak,
And increased years should teach wisdom.

but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,

for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.

And this we will do, if God permits.

Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

In the womb he took his brother by the heel,
And in his maturity he contended with God.

so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;

from thirty years and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

“We have a little sister,
And she has no breasts;
What shall we do for our sister
On the day when she is spoken for?

My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him

For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.

I made you numerous like plants of the field. Then you grew up, became tall and reached the age for fine ornaments; your breasts were formed and your hair had grown. Yet you were naked and bare.

however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.