Spiritual Gifts

⁷ But ^(A)to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore He says:

^9 (C)(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also ^[a]first descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One ^(D)who ascended far above all the heavens, ^(E)that He might fill all things.)

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, ^(F)for the ^[b]edifying of ^(G)the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith ^(H)and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to ^(I)a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be ^(J)children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of ^(K)deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the ^(L)head—Christ— ^16 (M)from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

A Priest Forever

^5 (A)So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:

⁶ As He also says in another place:

⁷ who, in the days of His flesh, when He had ^(D)offered up prayers and supplications, ^(E)with vehement cries and tears to Him ^(F)who was able to save Him from death, and was heard ^(G)because of His godly fear, ⁸ though He was a Son, yet He learned ^(H)obedience by the things which He suffered. ⁹ And ^(I)having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, ¹⁰ called by God as High Priest ^(J)“according to the order of Melchizedek,” ¹¹ of whom ^(K)we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become ^(L)dull of hearing.

Spiritual Immaturity

¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the ^[a]oracles of God; and you have come to need ^(M)milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is ^(N)a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are ^[b]of full age, that is, those who by reason of ^[c]use have their senses exercised ^(O)to discern both good and evil.