EPH 4:15 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. ἀληθεύοντες
2. alētheuō
3. being truthful
4. truth
5. 2260
6. VPPA·NMP
7. being_truthful
8. being_truthful
9. -
10. Y64; R129220; R128863; R129373
11. 129439
1. δέ
2. de
3. but
4. -
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129440
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129441
1. ἀγάπῃ
2. agapē
3. love
4. -
5. 260
6. N····DFS
7. love
8. love
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129442
1. αὐξήσωμεν
2. auxaō
3. we may grow
4. we
5. 8370
6. VSAA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓may˒ grow
8. ˱we˲ ˓may˒ grow
9. -
10. Y64; R129220; R128863; R129373
11. 129443
1. εἰς
2. eis
3. into
4. -
5. 15190
6. P·······
7. into
8. into
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129444
1. αὐτόν
2. autos
3. him
4. him
5. 8460
6. R···3AMS
7. him
8. him
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129445
1. τά
2. ho
3. in the things
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····ANP
7. ˱in˲ the ‹things›
8. ˱in˲ the ‹things›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129446
1. παντᾶ
2. pas
3. all
4. -
5. 39560
6. E····ANP
7. all
8. all
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129447
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. R···3NMS
7. he
8. he
9. -
10. -
11. 129448
1. ὅς
2. hos
3. who
4. -
5. 37390
6. R····NMS
7. who
8. who
9. -
10. Y64; R129408; Person=Jesus
11. 129449
1. ἐστίν
2. eimi
3. is
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··S
7. is
8. is
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129450
1. ἡ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129451
1. κεφαλή
2. kefalē
3. head
4. head
5. 27760
6. N····NFS
7. head
8. head
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129452
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····NMS
7. ¬which
8. ¬which
9. -
10. -
11. 129453
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. -
11. 129454
1. Χριστός
2. χristos
3. chosen one messiah
4. messiah
5. 55470
6. N····NMS
7. chosen_one/messiah
8. Christ
9. WN
10. Y64; Person=Jesus; F129458
11. 129455
1. Χριστοῦ
2. χristos
3. -
4. -
5. 55470
6. N····GMS
7. ˱of˲ chosen_one/messiah
8. ˱of˲ Christ
9. WN
10. Person=Jesus
11. 129456

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:1–16: Believers are united in Christ

In the previous sections, Paul taught the important truths of the Christian faith. In this section, Paul showed how those truths should affect the way we live. He urged the Ephesian Christians to behave in the way that would keep their unity. He explained in detail the basis of this unity. He also explained that Christ gives believers power to do different tasks so that the church may become strong and mature. Mature believers should no longer be influenced by false teaching. Instead, they will proclaim the truth, and the church, with Christ as its head, will grow as it should and become strong.

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

Unity of the body of Christ

Christ’s gifts to the church

Live in unity, using God’s gifting to strengthen believers

Paul urges the Ephesians to live a life of unity in Christ

Believers in Christ should live in unity, strengthening each other

Paragraph 4:7–16

In 4:4–6 Paul talked about the things that unite Christians. These are things that we have in common. But in 4:7 he talked about special abilities that some Christians have and that others do not have. We all have the same Spirit, we all worship the same Lord, and so on. But to each of us, Christ has given different special abilities.

4:15a

Instead, speaking the truth in love,

Instead, by speaking the truth in a loving manner,
Rather, we should speak out the truth about God/Christ in a loving way,

Instead: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Instead indicates a contrast with 4:14. Instead of being like children who are deceived by lies, we need to speak the truth so that we will grow up and become mature.

speaking the truth in love: The clause speaking the truth means that we should tell others the true teaching about Christ. It implies more than speaking true words instead of lies. It implies speaking about Christ.

in love: This means we should speak the truth in a loving manner, or that we should speak the truth and show love to others. See how you translated in love in 4:2b. See love, meaning 2 in the Glossary for more information.

4:15b

we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.

we should mature in every way to become like Christ who is the head.
so that we will become mature and more like Christ in everything we do. He is our head/chief,

we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself: The phrase in all things here means “in every way.” So, many English versions translate it that way (GNT, RSV, NLT, CEV, NCV, ESV).

grow up into Christ Himself: To grow up into Christ Himself refers to our becoming mature and becoming like Christ in our behavior.

Here is another way to translate these words:

we will grow in every way and be more like Christ (CEV)

“Speaking the truth in love” (4:15a) is the means or way in which we grow up into Christ. Some English versions make this explicit. For example:

Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ (GNT)

Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ (GW)

grow: The form of this verb in Greek shows that Paul wants his readers to grow. For example:

we should grow up into Christ

let us grow up into Christ

we must grow up… (GNT)

Here are some other ways to translate this:

let us become more and more like Christ

We must develop into very mature people like he/Christ is

who is the head: Paul used the word head in a metaphorical sense to mean that Christ is our chief or leader.

You may want to translate this as a separate sentence. For example:

Christ is the head of his followers.

Christ is the chief of all his people/believers.

See how you translated head in 1:22b.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

δὲ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀληθεύοντες δέ ἐν ἀγάπῃ αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτόν τά παντᾶ ὅς ἐστίν ἡ κεφαλή Χριστός)

The connecting word Instead introduces a contrast relationship. Following every changing teaching is in contrast to becoming mature in Christ and building up his body. Use a word in your language that indicates contrast.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἀληθεύοντες

being_truthful

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind the word truth, you could express the same idea with a verbal form. Alternate translation: [speaking truthfully]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐν ἀγάπῃ

in love

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind the word love, you could express the same idea with a verbal form. Alternate translation: [as the members love one another]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

εἰς αὐτὸν & ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή

into (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀληθεύοντες δέ ἐν ἀγάπῃ αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτόν τά παντᾶ ὅς ἐστίν ἡ κεφαλή Χριστός)

Paul uses a metaphor of the human body to describe how Christ causes believers to work together in harmony as the head of a body causes the body parts to work together to grow in a healthy way.

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

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
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. but
2. -
3. 11610
5. de
6. C-·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129440
1. being truthful
2. truth
3. 2260
5. alētheuō
6. V-PPA·NMP
7. being_truthful
8. being_truthful
9. -
10. Y64; R129220; R128863; R129373
11. 129439
1. in
2. -
3. 17220
5. en
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129441
1. love
2. -
3. 260
5. agapē
6. N-····DFS
7. love
8. love
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129442
1. we may grow
2. we
3. 8370
5. auxaō
6. V-SAA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓may˒ grow
8. ˱we˲ ˓may˒ grow
9. -
10. Y64; R129220; R128863; R129373
11. 129443
1. into
2. -
3. 15190
5. eis
6. P-·······
7. into
8. into
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129444
1. him
2. him
3. 8460
5. autos
6. R-···3AMS
7. him
8. him
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129445
1. in
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. R-····ANP
7. ˱in˲ the ‹things›
8. ˱in˲ the ‹things›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129446
1. all
2. -
3. 39560
5. pas
6. E-····ANP
7. all
8. all
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129447
1. the things
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. R-····ANP
7. ˱in˲ the ‹things›
8. ˱in˲ the ‹things›
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129446
1. who
2. -
3. 37390
5. hos
6. R-····NMS
7. who
8. who
9. -
10. Y64; R129408; Person=Jesus
11. 129449
1. is
2. -
3. 15100
5. eimi
6. V-IPA3··S
7. is
8. is
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129450
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····NFS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129451
1. head
2. head
3. 27760
5. kefalē
6. N-····NFS
7. head
8. head
9. -
10. Y64
11. 129452
1. chosen one messiah
2. messiah
3. 55470
4. WN
5. χristos
6. N-····NMS
7. chosen_one/messiah
8. Christ
9. WN
10. Y64; Person=Jesus; F129458
11. 129455

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.

OET interlinear EPH 4:15

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 4:1–16: Believers are united in Christ

Paragraph 4:7–16

4:15a

4:15b

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