Ephesians 2:16

THE MESSAGE

Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Through the cross Christ ended the hate between the two groups. And after they became one body, he wanted to bring them both back to God. He did this with his death on the cross.

Revised Standard Version
and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and to recocile both vnto god in one body thorow his crosse and slewe hatred therby:

Hebrew Names Version
and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby.

New American Standard Bible
and that He might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the hostility.

New Century Version
It was also Christ's purpose to end the hatred between the two groups, to make them into one body, and to bring them back to God. Christ did all this with his death on the cross.

Update Bible Version
and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Webster's Bible Translation
And that he might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, having by it slain the enmity:

English Standard Version
and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

World English Bible
and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

Weymouth's New Testament
thus effecting peace, and to reconcile Jews and Gentiles in one body to God, by means of His cross--slaying by it their mutual enmity.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
makynge pees, to recounsele bothe in o bodi to God bi the cros, sleynge the enemytees in hym silf.

English Revised Version
and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Berean Standard Bible
and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He extinguished their hostility.

Contemporary English Version
On the cross Christ did away with our hatred for each other. He also made peace between us and God by uniting Jews and Gentiles in one body.

Amplified Bible
And [that He] might reconcile them both [Jew and Gentile, united] in one body to God through the cross, thereby putting to death the hostility.

American Standard Version
and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Bible in Basic English
And that the two might come into agreement with God in one body through the cross, so putting an end to that division.

Complete Jewish Bible
and in order to reconcile to God both in a single body by being executed on a stake as a criminal and thus in himself killing that enmity.

Darby Translation
and might reconcile both in one body to God by the cross, having by it slain the enmity;

International Standard Version
and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, on which he killed the hostility.Romans 6:6; 8:3; Colossians 1:20-22; 2:14;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
and hath reconciled the two in one body with Aloha, and by his cross hath slain the enmity.

Murdock Translation
and hath reconciled both with God, in one body, and hath slain the enmity by his cross.

King James Version (1611)
And that he might reconcile both vnto God in one body by the crosse, hauing slaine the enmitie thereby,

New Living Translation
Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

New Life Bible
He brought both groups together to God. Christ finished the fighting between them by His death on the cross.

New Revised Standard
and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And that he might reconcile both vnto God in one body by his crosse, and slay hatred thereby,

George Lamsa Translation
And he reconciled both in one body with God, and with his cross he destroyed the enmity:

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And might fully reconcile them both, in one body, through means of the cross, - slaying the enmity thereby; -

Douay-Rheims Bible
And might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, killing the enmities in himself.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And that he myght reconcile both vnto God in one body through [his] crosse, and slewe hatred thereby.

Good News Translation
By his death on the cross Christ destroyed their enmity; by means of the cross he united both races into one body and brought them back to God.

Christian Standard Bible®
He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.

King James Version
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Lexham English Bible
and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in himself.

Literal Translation
and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, slaying the enmity in Himself.

Young's Literal Translation
and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity in it,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and to reconcyle both vnto God in one body thorow the crosse, and so he slewe ye hatred thorow his owne selfe,

Mace New Testament (1729)
that he might reconcile both in one body unto God by the cross, wherefore he destroyed the enmity that was between them:

New English Translation
and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed.

New King James Version
and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus's death on the cross made us right with God and allowed two enemies to ride for one brand.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

Legacy Standard Bible
and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having in Himself put to death the enmity.

Contextual Overview

¹⁴The Messiah has made things up between us so that we're now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody. ¹⁶Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father. ¹⁹That's plain enough, isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He's using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

reconcile: Romans 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Colossians 1:21-22

having: Ephesians 2:15, Romans 6:6, Romans 8:3, Romans 8:7, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 2:14, 1 Peter 4:1, 1 Peter 4:2

thereby: or, in himself

Reciprocal: Leviticus 8:15 - to make Numbers 35:25 - abide in it Deuteronomy 27:7 - peace offerings Deuteronomy 30:8 - General Job 25:2 - he maketh Isaiah 27:5 - and he Isaiah 45:20 - escaped Ezekiel 45:15 - to make Zechariah 3:9 - remove 1 Corinthians 10:17 - we being Ephesians 1:23 - his Ephesians 2:13 - are Ephesians 4:4 - one body Colossians 1:22 - the body Colossians 3:15 - to the Hebrews 2:17 - to make Hebrews 12:2 - endured 1 Peter 3:18 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 2:1
Heaven and Earth were finished, down to the last detail.

Genesis 2:2
By the seventh day God had finished his work. On the seventh day he rested from all his work. God blessed the seventh day. He made it a Holy Day Because on that day he rested from his work, all the creating God had done. This is the story of how it all started, of Heaven and Earth when they were created.

1 Samuel 15:22
Then Samuel said, Do you think all God wants are sacrifices— empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult. Getting self-important around God is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors. Because you said No to God 's command, he says No to your kingship.

1 Timothy 6:17
Tell those rich in this world's wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they'll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And that he might reconcile both unto God,.... This is another end of the abrogation of the ceremonial law: the Jews had run up a long score against the ceremonial law, as well as against the moral law; and Christ by fulfilling it for them, and thereby abrogating it, reconciled them; and the Gentiles could not be reconciled together with them, without the abrogation of it: and this reconciliation of them is made to God, who was the person offended; and who yet first set on foot a reconciliation, in which his glory is greatly concerned; and reconciliation with others depends upon reconciliation with him: and this is made

in one body by the cross; by which "body" is meant, the human body of Christ, which the Father prepared for him, and he assumed, and that in order to make reconciliation for his people; and is said to be "one" body, because it was in one and the same body, which he reconciled both Jews and Gentiles unto God, and in or by one sacrifice of that body; reconciliation being so effectually made by it that there is no need of a reiteration: or the sense is, he reconciled them into "one body"; into one mystical body, the church, of which he is head; and this he did "by the cross", that is, by his blood shed on the cross, or by his suffering the death of the cross; which shows that reconciliation is made in a way of satisfaction to the law and justice of God, by Christ's bearing the penalty of the law, and suffering the strokes of justice on the cross; and expresses the efficacy of his blood and sacrifice, and the greatness of his condescension and love:

having slain the enmity thereby; the ceremonial law, as before; and the slaying it is the same with abolishing it; unless the enmity between God and man is meant, which was slain by removing the cause of it, sin; and which laid a foundation for the slaying of it in the hearts of his people in regeneration, when sin is made odious to them, and they are reconciled to God's way of salvation; hence being slain in both senses, peace with God can never be broken.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And that he might reconcile both unto God - This was another of the effects of the work of redemption, and indeed the main effect. It was not merely to make them harmonious, but it was that both, who had been alienated from God, should be reconciled to “him.” This was a different effect from that of producing peace between themselves, though in some sense the one grew out of the other. They who are reconciled to God will be at peace with each other. They will feel that they are of the same family, and are all brethren. On the subject of reconciliation, see the notes on 2 Corinthians 5:18.

In one body - One spiritual personage - the church; see the notes at Ephesians 1:23.

By the cross - By the atonement which he made on the cross; see Colossians 1:20; compare the notes at Romans 3:25. It is by the atonement only that men ever become reconciled to God.

Having slain the enmity - Not only the enmity between Jews and Gentiles, but the enmity between the sinner and God. He has by that death removed all the obstacles to reconciliation on the part of God and on the part of man. It is made efficacious in removing the enmity of the sinner against God, and producing peace.

Thereby - Margin, “in himself.” The meaning is, in his cross, or by means of his cross.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 16. That he might reconcile both - in one body — That the Jews and Gentiles, believing on the Lord Jesus, might lay aside all their causes of contention, and become one spiritual body, or society of men, influenced by the Spirit, and acting according to the precepts of the Gospel.

Having slain the enmity thereby — Having, by his death upon the cross, made reconciliation between God and man, and by his Spirit in their hearts removed the enmity of their fallen, sinful nature. Dr. Macknight thinks that abolishing the enmity is spoken of the removal of the hatred which the Jews and Gentiles mutually bore to each other, because of the difference of their respective religious worship; and that slaying the enmity refers to the removal of evil lusts and affections from the heart of man, by the power of Divine grace. This is nearly the sense given above.