Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.
and edify one another: The metaphor of house building is used here. The words spoken in public assemblies and in private conversations should have as their goal the building up of the church. Christians are construction engineers, not a demolition crew. The responsibility is mutual. Each Christian can contribute something toward the "increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:16).