Ephesians 4:16 Cross References - Goodspeed

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.

⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches. Anyone who remains united to me, with me united to him, will be very fruitful, for you cannot do anything apart from me.

¹ About food that has been offered to idols, it is true, as you say, that we all have some knowledge on that matter. Knowledge gives people airs; love is what builds up character.

¹² For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, many as they are, form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we have all—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free men—been baptized in one spirit to form one body, and we have all been saturated with one Spirit. ¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one part but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, "As I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, "As I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If all the body were eye, how would we hear? If it were all ear, how could we have a sense of smell? ¹⁸ As it is, God has arranged the parts, every one of them in the body as he wished them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you," or the head to the feet, "I do not need you." ²² On the contrary, the parts of the body that are considered most delicate are indispensable, ²³ and the parts of it that we think common, we dress with especial care, and our unpresentable parts receive especial attention ²⁴ which our presentable parts do not need. God has so adjusted the body and given such especial distinction to its inferior parts ²⁵ that there is no clash in the body, but its parts all alike care for one another. ²⁶ If one part suffers, all the parts share its sufferings. If a part has honor done it, all the parts enjoy it too. ²⁷ Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it. ²⁸ And God has placed people in the church, first as apostles, second as inspired preachers, third as teachers, then wonder-workers; then come ability to cure the sick, helpfulness, administration, ecstatic speaking.

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not envious or boastful. It does not put on airs. ⁵ It is not rude. It does not insist on its rights. It does not become angry. It is not resentful. ⁶ It is not happy over injustice, it is only happy with truth. ⁷ It will bear anything, believe anything, hope for anything, endure anything. ⁸ Love will never die out. If there is inspired preaching, it will pass away. If there is ecstatic speaking, it will cease. If there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For our knowledge is imperfect and our preaching is imperfect.

¹³ So faith, hope, and love endure. These are the great three, and the greatest of them is love.

⁶ For in union with Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor the want of it counts for anything, but only faith acting through love.

¹³ For you, brothers, have been called to freedom; only do not make your freedom an excuse for the physical, but in love be slaves to one another. ¹⁴ For the whole Law is summed up in one saying: "You must love your neighbor as you do yourself."

²² But what the Spirit produces is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

⁴ Through him he chose us out before the creation of the world, to be consecrated and above reproach in his sight in love.

⁷ for which I became a worker by virtue of the gift of God's mercy which by the exercise of his power he has given me.

¹⁷ and through your faith to let Christ in his love make his home in your hearts. Your roots must be deep and your foundations strong,

¹² in order to fit his people for the work of service, for building the body of Christ,

¹⁵ We must lovingly hold to the truth and grow up into perfect union with him who is the head—Christ himself.

⁹ And it is my prayer that your love may grow richer and richer in knowledge and perfect insight,

² that your hearts may be cheered. I want you to be united by love, and to have all the benefit of assured knowledge in coming to know Christ—

¹⁹ Such people lose their connection with the head, from which the whole body through its ligaments and sinews must be governed and united if it is to grow in the divine way.

³ for we can never forget before our God and Father your energetic faith, your loving service, and your unwavering expectation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹³ We for our part constantly thank God for another reason too—because when you received God's message from our lips, you welcomed it not as the message of men but as the message of God, as it really is, which does its work in the hearts of you believers.

¹² May the Lord make your love for one another and for all men wide and full like my love for you,

⁹ You do not need to have anyone write to you about brotherly love, for you have yourselves been taught by God to love one another, ¹⁰ and you are doing it to all the brothers all over Macedonia. But we do entreat you, brothers, to surpass yourselves

³ We always have to thank God for you, brothers, as it is right that we should, because your faith is growing so wonderfully and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

⁵ The aim of your instruction must be love that springs from a pure heart and from a good conscience and from a sincere faith.

²² Now that by obeying the truth you have purified your souls for sincere love of the brotherhood, you must love one another intensely and heartily,

¹⁶ So we know and believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever continues to love keeps in union with God, and God with him.