²⁸ Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that ^(A)we may present everyone ^(B)mature in Christ.

¹⁵ “‘And ^(A)I will give you shepherds after my own heart, ^(B)who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

²⁷ so ^(A)that he might present the church to himself in splendor, ^(B)without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.^[a]

¹¹ And ^(A)he gave the ^(B)apostles, the prophets, the ^(C)evangelists, the ^(D)shepherds^[a] and teachers,^{[b] 12 (E)}to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for ^(F)building up ^(G)the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to ^(H)the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, ^(I)to mature manhood,^[c] to the measure of the stature of ^(J)the fullness of Christ,

²⁴ And ^(A)the Lord's servant^[a] must not be quarrelsome but ^(B)kind to everyone, ^(C)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents ^(D)with gentleness. God ^(E)may perhaps grant them repentance ^(F)leading to a knowledge of the truth,

Wisdom from the Spirit

⁶ Yet among ^(A)the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not ^(B)a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, ^(C)who are doomed to pass away.

Final Instructions and Benediction

¹² We ask you, brothers, ^(A)to respect those who labor among you and ^(B)are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. ^(C)Be at peace among yourselves. ¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers, admonish ^(D)the idle,^{[a] (E)}encourage the fainthearted, ^(F)help the weak, ^(G)be patient with them all.

²² he has now reconciled ^(A)in his body of flesh by his death, ^(B)in order to present you holy and blameless and ^(C)above reproach before him,

^48 (A)You therefore must be ^(B)perfect, ^(C)as your heavenly Father is perfect.