Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

As a prisoner(A) for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy(B) of the calling(C) you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another(D) in love.(E) Make every effort to keep the unity(F) of the Spirit through the bond of peace.(G) There is one body(H) and one Spirit,(I) just as you were called to one hope when you were called(J); one Lord,(K) one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all,(L) who is over all and through all and in all.(M)

But to each one of us(N) grace(O) has been given(P) as Christ apportioned it. This is why it[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives(Q)
    and gave gifts to his people.”[b](R)

(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended(S) higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)(T) 11 So Christ himself gave(U) the apostles,(V) the prophets,(W) the evangelists,(X) the pastors and teachers,(Y) 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ(Z) may be built up(AA) 13 until we all reach unity(AB) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God(AC) and become mature,(AD) attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.(AE)

14 Then we will no longer be infants,(AF) tossed back and forth by the waves,(AG) and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.(AH) 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love,(AI) we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,(AJ) that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows(AK) and builds itself up(AL) in love,(AM) as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer(AN) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.(AO) 18 They are darkened in their understanding(AP) and separated from the life of God(AQ) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.(AR) 19 Having lost all sensitivity,(AS) they have given themselves over(AT) to sensuality(AU) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off(AV) your old self,(AW) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;(AX) 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;(AY) 24 and to put on(AZ) the new self,(BA) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.(BB)

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully(BC) to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.(BD) 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]:(BE) Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.(BF) 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work,(BG) doing something useful with their own hands,(BH) that they may have something to share with those in need.(BI)

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,(BJ) but only what is helpful for building others up(BK) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,(BL) with whom you were sealed(BM) for the day of redemption.(BN) 31 Get rid of(BO) all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.(BP) 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,(BQ) forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.(BR)

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 4:8 Or God
  2. Ephesians 4:8 Psalm 68:18
  3. Ephesians 4:9 Or the depths of the earth
  4. Ephesians 4:26 Psalm 4:4 (see Septuagint)

Israel’s Sons(A)

These were the sons of Israel:

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

Judah(B)

To Hezron’s Sons

The sons of Judah:(C)

Er, Onan and Shelah.(D) These three were born to him by a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua.(E) Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death.(F) Judah’s daughter-in-law(G) Tamar(H) bore Perez(I) and Zerah to Judah. He had five sons in all.

The sons of Perez:(J)

Hezron(K) and Hamul.

The sons of Zerah:

Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Kalkol and Darda[a]—five in all.

The son of Karmi:

Achar,[b](L) who brought trouble on Israel by violating the ban on taking devoted things.[c](M)

The son of Ethan:

Azariah.

The sons born to Hezron(N) were:

Jerahmeel, Ram and Caleb.[d]

From Ram Son of Hezron

10 Ram(O) was the father of

Amminadab(P), and Amminadab the father of Nahshon,(Q) the leader of the people of Judah. 11 Nahshon was the father of Salmon,[e] Salmon the father of Boaz, 12 Boaz(R) the father of Obed and Obed the father of Jesse.(S)

13 Jesse(T) was the father of

Eliab(U) his firstborn; the second son was Abinadab, the third Shimea, 14 the fourth Nethanel, the fifth Raddai, 15 the sixth Ozem and the seventh David. 16 Their sisters were Zeruiah(V) and Abigail. Zeruiah’s(W) three sons were Abishai, Joab(X) and Asahel. 17 Abigail was the mother of Amasa,(Y) whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.

Caleb Son of Hezron

18 Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah (and by Jerioth). These were her sons: Jesher, Shobab and Ardon. 19 When Azubah died, Caleb(Z) married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. 20 Hur was the father of Uri, and Uri the father of Bezalel.(AA)

21 Later, Hezron, when he was sixty years old, married the daughter of Makir the father of Gilead.(AB) He made love to her, and she bore him Segub. 22 Segub was the father of Jair, who controlled twenty-three towns in Gilead. 23 (But Geshur and Aram captured Havvoth Jair,[f](AC) as well as Kenath(AD) with its surrounding settlements—sixty towns.) All these were descendants of Makir the father of Gilead.

24 After Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, Abijah the wife of Hezron bore him Ashhur(AE) the father[g] of Tekoa.

Jerahmeel Son of Hezron

25 The sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron:

Ram his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem and[h] Ahijah. 26 Jerahmeel had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.

27 The sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel:

Maaz, Jamin and Eker.

28 The sons of Onam:

Shammai and Jada.

The sons of Shammai:

Nadab and Abishur.

29 Abishur’s wife was named Abihail, who bore him Ahban and Molid.

30 The sons of Nadab:

Seled and Appaim. Seled died without children.

31 The son of Appaim:

Ishi, who was the father of Sheshan.

Sheshan was the father of Ahlai.

32 The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother:

Jether and Jonathan. Jether died without children.

33 The sons of Jonathan:

Peleth and Zaza.

These were the descendants of Jerahmeel.

34 Sheshan had no sons—only daughters.

He had an Egyptian servant named Jarha. 35 Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his servant Jarha, and she bore him Attai.

36 Attai was the father of Nathan,

Nathan the father of Zabad,(AF)

37 Zabad the father of Ephlal,

Ephlal the father of Obed,

38 Obed the father of Jehu,

Jehu the father of Azariah,

39 Azariah the father of Helez,

Helez the father of Eleasah,

40 Eleasah the father of Sismai,

Sismai the father of Shallum,

41 Shallum the father of Jekamiah,

and Jekamiah the father of Elishama.

The Clans of Caleb

42 The sons of Caleb(AG) the brother of Jerahmeel:

Mesha his firstborn, who was the father of Ziph, and his son Mareshah,[i] who was the father of Hebron.

43 The sons of Hebron:

Korah, Tappuah, Rekem and Shema. 44 Shema was the father of Raham, and Raham the father of Jorkeam. Rekem was the father of Shammai. 45 The son of Shammai was Maon(AH), and Maon was the father of Beth Zur.(AI)

46 Caleb’s concubine Ephah was the mother of Haran, Moza and Gazez. Haran was the father of Gazez.

47 The sons of Jahdai:

Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah and Shaaph.

48 Caleb’s concubine Maakah was the mother of Sheber and Tirhanah. 49 She also gave birth to Shaaph the father of Madmannah(AJ) and to Sheva the father of Makbenah and Gibea. Caleb’s daughter was Aksah.(AK) 50 These were the descendants of Caleb.

The sons of Hur(AL) the firstborn of Ephrathah:

Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim,(AM) 51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth Gader.

52 The descendants of Shobal the father of Kiriath Jearim were:

Haroeh, half the Manahathites, 53 and the clans of Kiriath Jearim: the Ithrites,(AN) Puthites, Shumathites and Mishraites. From these descended the Zorathites and Eshtaolites.

54 The descendants of Salma:

Bethlehem, the Netophathites,(AO) Atroth Beth Joab, half the Manahathites, the Zorites, 55 and the clans of scribes[j] who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, Shimeathites and Sucathites. These are the Kenites(AP) who came from Hammath,(AQ) the father of the Rekabites.[k](AR)

The Sons of David(AS)(AT)

These were the sons of David(AU) born to him in Hebron:

The firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam(AV) of Jezreel;(AW)

the second, Daniel the son of Abigail(AX) of Carmel;

the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

the fourth, Adonijah(AY) the son of Haggith;

the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

and the sixth, Ithream, by his wife Eglah.

These six were born to David in Hebron,(AZ) where he reigned seven years and six months.(BA)

David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years, and these were the children born to him there:

Shammua,[l] Shobab, Nathan and Solomon. These four were by Bathsheba[m](BB) daughter of Ammiel. There were also Ibhar, Elishua,[n] Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet—nine in all. All these were the sons of David, besides his sons by his concubines. And Tamar(BC) was their sister.(BD)

The Kings of Judah

10 Solomon’s son was Rehoboam,(BE)

Abijah(BF) his son,

Asa(BG) his son,

Jehoshaphat(BH) his son,

11 Jehoram[o](BI) his son,

Ahaziah(BJ) his son,

Joash(BK) his son,

12 Amaziah(BL) his son,

Azariah(BM) his son,

Jotham(BN) his son,

13 Ahaz(BO) his son,

Hezekiah(BP) his son,

Manasseh(BQ) his son,

14 Amon(BR) his son,

Josiah(BS) his son.

15 The sons of Josiah:

Johanan the firstborn,

Jehoiakim(BT) the second son,

Zedekiah(BU) the third,

Shallum(BV) the fourth.

16 The successors of Jehoiakim:

Jehoiachin[p](BW) his son,

and Zedekiah.(BX)

The Royal Line After the Exile

17 The descendants of Jehoiachin the captive:

Shealtiel(BY) his son, 18 Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar,(BZ) Jekamiah, Hoshama and Nedabiah.(CA)

19 The sons of Pedaiah:

Zerubbabel(CB) and Shimei.

The sons of Zerubbabel:

Meshullam and Hananiah.

Shelomith was their sister.

20 There were also five others:

Hashubah, Ohel, Berekiah, Hasadiah and Jushab-Hesed.

21 The descendants of Hananiah:

Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, and the sons of Rephaiah, of Arnan, of Obadiah and of Shekaniah.

22 The descendants of Shekaniah:

Shemaiah and his sons:

Hattush,(CC) Igal, Bariah, Neariah and Shaphat—six in all.

23 The sons of Neariah:

Elioenai, Hizkiah and Azrikam—three in all.

24 The sons of Elioenai:

Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah and Anani—seven in all.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 2:6 Many Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 1 Kings 4:31); most Hebrew manuscripts Dara
  2. 1 Chronicles 2:7 Achar means trouble; Achar is called Achan in Joshua.
  3. 1 Chronicles 2:7 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  4. 1 Chronicles 2:9 Hebrew Kelubai, a variant of Caleb
  5. 1 Chronicles 2:11 Septuagint (see also Ruth 4:21); Hebrew Salma
  6. 1 Chronicles 2:23 Or captured the settlements of Jair
  7. 1 Chronicles 2:24 Father may mean civic leader or military leader; also in verses 42, 45, 49-52 and possibly elsewhere.
  8. 1 Chronicles 2:25 Or Oren and Ozem, by
  9. 1 Chronicles 2:42 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  10. 1 Chronicles 2:55 Or of the Sopherites
  11. 1 Chronicles 2:55 Or father of Beth Rekab
  12. 1 Chronicles 3:5 Hebrew Shimea, a variant of Shammua
  13. 1 Chronicles 3:5 One Hebrew manuscript and Vulgate (see also Septuagint and 2 Samuel 11:3); most Hebrew manuscripts Bathshua
  14. 1 Chronicles 3:6 Two Hebrew manuscripts (see also 2 Samuel 5:15 and 1 Chron. 14:5); most Hebrew manuscripts Elishama
  15. 1 Chronicles 3:11 Hebrew Joram, a variant of Jehoram
  16. 1 Chronicles 3:16 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin; also in verse 17

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