Every part builds the body

7But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Messiah’s gift.

8Therefore it says, “Having ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.”

9What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

10The one who descended is himself also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.

11And he himself gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers,

12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Messiah,

13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah,

14so that we may no longer be children, tossed by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching, by human trickery, by craftiness in the scheming of error,

15but speaking truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head, Messiah,

16from whom the whole body, being joined together and held together through every supporting joint, according to the working in measure of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for building itself up in love.