For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

For the body is not one member, but many.

And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

But now are they many members, yet but one body.

Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:

And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.