Ephesians 2:15 — Greek interlinear

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strong's
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. τόν
2. ὁ
3. the
4. -
5. G3588 ↗
6. E-····AMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128725
1. νόμον
2. νόμος
3. law
4. -
5. G3551 ↗
6. N-····AMS
7. law
8. law
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128726
1. τῶν
2. ὁ
3. of the
4. -
5. G3588 ↗
6. E-····GFP
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128727
1. ἐντολῶν
2. ἐντολή
3. commands
4. commands
5. G1785 ↗
6. N-····GFP
7. commands
8. commandments
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128728
1. ἐν
2. ἐν
3. in
4. -
5. G1722 ↗
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128729
1. δόγμασιν
2. δόγμα
3. decrees
4. -
5. G1378 ↗
6. N-····DNP
7. decrees
8. decrees
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128730
1. καταργήσας
2. καταργέω
3. having nullified
4. having
5. G2673 ↗
6. V-PAA·NMS
7. ˓having˒ nullified
8. ˓having˒ nullified
9. -
10. Y64; R128701; Person=Jesus
11. 128731
1. ἵνα
2. ἵνα
3. in order that
4. that
5. G2443 ↗
6. C-·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128732
1. τούς
2. ὁ
3. the
4. -
5. G3588 ↗
6. E-····AMP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128733
1. δύο
2. δύο
3. two
4. -
5. G1417 ↗
6. S-····AMP
7. two
8. two
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128734
1. κτίσῃ
2. κτίζω
3. he may create
4. -
5. G2936 ↗
6. V-SAA3··S
7. ˱he˲ ˓may˒ create
8. ˱he˲ ˓may˒ create
9. -
10. Y64; R128701; Person=Jesus
11. 128735
1. ἐν
2. ἐν
3. in
4. -
5. G1722 ↗
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128736
1. αὐτῷ
2. αὐτός
3. himself
4. -
5. G846 ↗
6. R-···3DMS
7. himself
8. himself
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128737
1. ἑαυτῷ
2. ἑαυτοῦ
3. -
4. -
5. G1438 ↗
6. R-···3DMS
7. himself
8. himself
9. -
10. -
11. 128738
1. εἰς
2. εἰς
3. into
4. -
5. G1519 ↗
6. P-·······
7. into
8. into
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128739
1. ἕνα
2. εἷς
3. one
4. -
5. G1520 ↗
6. E-····AMS
7. one
8. one
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128740
1. κοινόν
2. κοινός
3. -
4. -
5. G2839 ↗
6. A-····AMS
7. common
8. common
9. -
10. -
11. 128741
1. καινόν
2. καινός
3. new
4. -
5. G2537 ↗
6. A-····AMS
7. new
8. new
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128742
1. ἄνθρωπον
2. ἄνθρωπος
3. man
4. -
5. G444 ↗
6. N-····AMS
7. man
8. man
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128743
1. ποιῶν
2. ποιέω
3. making
4. -
5. G4160 ↗
6. V-PPA·NMS
7. making
8. making
9. -
10. Y64; R128701; Person=Jesus
11. 128744
1. εἰρήνην
2. εἰρήνη
3. peace
4. peaceably
5. G1515 ↗
6. N-····AFS
7. peace
8. peace
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128745

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:11–22: God has united Jews and non-Jews through Christ

In 2:11–22, Paul described another aspect of God’s salvation. Previously Jews and Gentiles were enemies. But Christ, by his death on the cross, has made peace between both groups of people and God. Because of this, there is peace between the two groups also. So the Gentile Christians now belong to the family of God just like Jewish Christians do.

Here are some other examples for a heading for this section:

Christ has united all people

All people are one in Christ

Paragraph 2:14–18

In order to unite Jews and Gentiles, Christ had to remove two things: the hatred between them and the Jewish law. He did this through his death on the cross. He died for both groups. So he united them and made peace between them. So now all believers of whatever race can come near to God.

2:15a

by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees.

The law of the Jews had many rules, but Christ cancelled the rules by his death,
He did this by dying and ending the rules and regulations in the law.

by abolishing: The word that the BSB translates as abolishing means to “destroy, cancel, or end.” In this context, Christ abolished the law in the sense that he removed the law as the way to achieve salvation. This means that people do not have to follow the law in order to be saved.

Here are some other ways this word has been translated:

ending (NLT)

brought an end to (GW)

The law Paul referred to includes the ceremonial laws concerning sacrifices and festivals. These ceremonial laws separated the Jews and the Gentiles, because the Gentiles did not follow these ceremonies. The law was a barrier between Jews and Gentiles. Christ, by his death, removed this barrier. One possible way to translate this is:

he made it so that we do not have to follow all the rules and commands of the Jewish religion in order to be acceptable to God

in His flesh: The phrase in His flesh refers to Christ’s death. However, there are different views regarding which part of the verse in His flesh is connected.

The three main views are:

It is connected to the verb abolished/ended in 2:15a. For example:
^15aBy his death he ended the whole system of Jewish law… (NLT96) (BSB, NIV, RSV, NASB, KJV, CEV, NLT96, JBP, NJB)
It is connected to the clause destroyed/broke the wall in 2:14b. For example:
^14bWith his own body he broke down the wall that separated them and kept them enemies. (GNT) (GNT, NET, REB, NCV)
It is connected to the clause made the two one in 2:14b. For example:
^14bin his flesh he has made both groups into one (NRSV) (NRSV, GW)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and the majority of English versions.

flesh: Here flesh means Christ’s body. Most commentators believe that it refers to Christ’s crucified body.

Here are some other ways this phrase has been translated:

by his death (NLT96)

Christ gave his own body (CEV)

See flesh, Meaning 1 in the Glossary for more information.

the law of commandments and decrees: The two words commandments and decrees are a doublet. They refer to the Jewish religious laws found in the law of Moses. Some ways of translating this entire phrase are:

the whole system of Jewish law (NLT)

the Jewish law with all its rules

the law containing rules about things which people must do and rules about things which they must not do

You should translate this phrase in a way that is natural in your language.

2:15b

He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two,

so that he might join Jews and Gentiles to himself and so make one new person/group.
His/Christ’s purpose in doing that was so that he could cause the two separate groups to become one new group that is joined to him.

to create in Himself one new man out of the two: One reason Christ abolished the law was so that he could unite both Jews and Gentiles to himself and, in this way, make one new group. This new group is the group of Christians, or the church.

one new man: The phrase one new man means “one new group.” It refers to the “one” in 2:14b.

Here are some ways to translate this phrase:

one new group of people

one new community

out of the two: The phrase the two refers to the Jews and Gentiles. See how you translated the two in 2:14b.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

from the two opposing groups

out from among the Jews and Gentiles/non-Jews

2:15c

thus making peace

In doing this, he made peace between them.
This is the way he made the Jews and non-Jews to no longer be hostile/hateful towards each other.

thus making peace: Christ united the Jews and Gentiles, and this made peace between them.

Here are some other ways this phrase has been translated:

so they are no longer hostile/hateful towards each other

so they now relate to each other in peaceful ways

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τόν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας ἵνα τούς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινόν ἄνθρωπον ποιῶν εἰρήνην)

Paul assumes that his readers will understand that Jesus’ blood satisfies the law of Moses so that both the Jews and Gentiles can live at peace in God. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [He took away the requirements in the law of Moses]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

ἵνα

in_order_that

The connecting phrase so that introduces a goal relationship. The goal or purpose of Christ in abolishing the law was to join the Jews and the Gentiles together into one group.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον

one (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τόν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας ἵνα τούς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινόν ἄνθρωπον ποιῶν εἰρήνην)

Paul talks about the unity of Jews and Gentiles as if they had become one person. Alternate translation: [a single new people]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν αὑτῷ

in in (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τόν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας ἵνα τούς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινόν ἄνθρωπον ποιῶν εἰρήνην)

Being joined to Christ is what makes reconciliation possible between Jews and Gentiles. Paul describes this relationship as though Christ surrounded all of us. Alternate translation: [because he made it possible]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strong's
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. having nullified
2. having
3. G2673 ↗
4. καταργήσας
5. καταργέω
6. V-PAA·NMS
7. ˓having˒ nullified
8. ˓having˒ nullified
9. -
10. Y64; R128701; Person=Jesus
11. 128731
1. the
2. -
3. G3588 ↗
4. τόν
5. ὁ
6. E-····AMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128725
1. law
2. -
3. G3551 ↗
4. νόμον
5. νόμος
6. N-····AMS
7. law
8. law
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128726
1. of the
2. -
3. G3588 ↗
4. τῶν
5. ὁ
6. E-····GFP
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128727
1. commands
2. commands
3. G1785 ↗
4. ἐντολῶν
5. ἐντολή
6. N-····GFP
7. commands
8. commandments
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128728
1. in
2. -
3. G1722 ↗
4. ἐν
5. ἐν
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128729
1. decrees
2. -
3. G1378 ↗
4. δόγμασιν
5. δόγμα
6. N-····DNP
7. decrees
8. decrees
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128730
1. in order that
2. that
3. G2443 ↗
4. ἵνα
5. ἵνα
6. C-·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128732
1. the
2. -
3. G3588 ↗
4. τούς
5. ὁ
6. E-····AMP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128733
1. two
2. -
3. G1417 ↗
4. δύο
5. δύο
6. S-····AMP
7. two
8. two
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128734
1. he may create
2. -
3. G2936 ↗
4. κτίσῃ
5. κτίζω
6. V-SAA3··S
7. ˱he˲ ˓may˒ create
8. ˱he˲ ˓may˒ create
9. -
10. Y64; R128701; Person=Jesus
11. 128735
1. in
2. -
3. G1722 ↗
4. ἐν
5. ἐν
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128736
1. himself
2. -
3. G846 ↗
4. αὐτῷ
5. αὐτός
6. R-···3DMS
7. himself
8. himself
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128737
1. into
2. -
3. G1519 ↗
4. εἰς
5. εἰς
6. P-·······
7. into
8. into
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128739
1. one
2. -
3. G1520 ↗
4. ἕνα
5. εἷς
6. E-····AMS
7. one
8. one
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128740
1. new
2. -
3. G2537 ↗
4. καινόν
5. καινός
6. A-····AMS
7. new
8. new
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128742
1. man
2. -
3. G444 ↗
4. ἄνθρωπον
5. ἄνθρωπος
6. N-····AMS
7. man
8. man
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128743
1. making
2. -
3. G4160 ↗
4. ποιῶν
5. ποιέω
6. V-PPA·NMS
7. making
8. making
9. -
10. Y64; R128701; Person=Jesus
11. 128744
1. peace
2. peaceably
3. G1515 ↗
4. εἰρήνην
5. εἰρήνη
6. N-····AFS
7. peace
8. peace
9. -
10. Y64
11. 128745

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.