7. Christ gave each one of us a special gift. Each one received what Christ wanted to give him.
8. That is why it says in the Scriptures,“When he went up to the heights,he led a parade of captives.And he gave gifts to people.” Psalm 68:18
9. When it says, “He went up,” what does it mean? It means that he first came down to the earth.
10. So Jesus came down, and he is the same One who went up. He went up above all the heavens. Christ did that to fill everything with himself.
11. And Christ gave gifts to men—he made some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to go and tell the Good News, and some to have the work of caring for and teaching God’s people.
12. Christ gave those gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving. He gave those gifts to make the body of Christ stronger.
13. This work must continue until we are all joined together in the same faith and in the same knowledge about the Son of God. We must become like a mature person—we must grow until we become like Christ and have all his perfection.