¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power^(A) is the same as the mighty strength^{(B) 20} he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead^(C) and seated him at his right hand^(D) in the heavenly realms,^{(E) 21} far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,^(F) and every name^(G) that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.^{(H) 22} And God placed all things under his feet^(I) and appointed him to be head^(J) over everything for the church, ²³ which is his body,^(K) the fullness of him^(L) who fills everything in every way.^(M)

¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love,^(A) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,^(B) that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows^(C) and builds itself up^(D) in love,^(E) as each part does its work.

Unity and Diversity in the Body

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,^(A) so it is with Christ.^{(B) 13} For we were all baptized^(C) by^[a] one Spirit^(D) so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free^(E)—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.^{(F) 14} Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.^(G)

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed^(H) the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.^{(I) 19} If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.^(J)

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ,^(K) and each one of you is a part of it.^(L)