³² It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around its edge, like the opening in a garment,^[a] so that it may not be torn.

³ making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: ⁴ there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,^{(A) 5} one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.^[a]

⁷ But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift.^{(B) 8} Therefore it is said,

⁹ (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended^[c] into the lower parts of the earth?^{[d] 10} He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) ¹¹ He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers^{(D) 12} to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,^{(E) 13} until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity,^[e] to the measure of the full stature of Christ.^{(F) 14} We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming;^{(G) 15} but speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,^{(H) 16} from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.

²³ When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. ²⁴ So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill what the scripture says,

¹⁶ From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armor, and the leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah

¹⁴ Uzziah provided for all the army the shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging.

²⁸ and the turban of fine linen, and the headdresses of fine linen, and the linen undergarments of fine twisted linen,