¹¹ So Christ himself gave^(A) the apostles,^(B) the prophets,^(C) the evangelists,^(D) the pastors and teachers,^{(E) 12} to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ^(F) may be built up^{(G) 13} until we all reach unity^(H) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God^(I) and become mature,^(J) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.^(K)

³ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.^[a]”^(A)

²⁰ Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.^(A) In regard to evil be infants,^(B) but in your thinking be adults.

¹⁵ Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;^(A) what counts is the new creation.^(B)

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace,^(A) who has made the two groups one^(B) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh^(C) the law with its commands and regulations.^(D) His purpose was to create in himself one^(E) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,^(F) by which he put to death their hostility.

²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing^(A) and teaching everyone with all wisdom,^(B) so that we may present everyone fully mature^(C) in Christ.

¹⁸ He chose to give us birth^(A) through the word of truth,^(B) that we might be a kind of firstfruits^(C) of all he created.