The Bond of Peace NKJV


Ephesians 4:1-10  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing, with one another in love,

endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace.                                                                                                    

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;

one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Therefore He says; "When he ascended on High, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."

(Now this, "He ascended"-- what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

1 Thessalonians 2:8-20 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;

as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and changed every one of you, as a father does his own children,

that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of god, which also effectively works in you who believe.

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as the did from the Judeans,

who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men,

forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.

But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoring more eagerly to see your face with great desire.

Therefore we wanted to come to you-- even I, Paul, time and again-- but Satan hindered us.

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? I sit not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

For you are our glory and joy.

Romans 12:3-8  For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,

so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another;

having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them; if prophesy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;

or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;

he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.