EPH 4:15 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Instead, by lovingly speaking the truth, we will grow up into every aspect of him—the messiah who is the head

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Instead, speaking truth in love, let us grow up in all things into him who is the head, even Christ,

UST Rather than that, as we lovingly speak to each other what is true, let us become more and more like the Messiah in every way as he directs us, just like a person’s head directs the person’s body.

BLB But speaking the truth in love, we should grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ,

AICNT but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into him who is the head, Christ,

OEB but holding the truth in a spirit of love, we will grow into complete union with him who is our head – Christ himself.

WEBBE but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ,

WMBB but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Messiah,

NET But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.

LSV and [speaking] truth in love, we may increase to Him [in] all things, who is the head—the Christ;

FBV instead by speaking the truth in love we ought to grow up in everything into Christ, who is our head.

TCNT Rather, speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, that is, Christ.

T4T Instead, by loving others as we behave as God’s truth requires (OR, speak in a loving manner what is true), we will become more and more like Christ in every way. He is the one who controls/guides all his people [MET], just like a person’s head controls/guides his body.

LEB But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow into him with reference to all things, who is the head, Christ,

BBE But saying true words in love, may come to full growth in him, who is the head, even Christ;

Moff we are to hold by the truth, and by our love to grow up wholly into Him. For He, Christ, is the head, and under him,

Wymth But we shall lovingly hold to the truth, and shall in all respects grow up into union with Him who is our Head, even Christ.

ASV but speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ;

DRA But doing the truth in charity, we may in all things grow up in him who is the head, even Christ:

YLT and, being true in love, we may increase to Him [in] all things, who is the head — the Christ;

Drby but, holding the truth in love, we may grow up to him in all things, who is the head, the Christ:

RV but speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, which is the head, even Christ;

SLT And speaking the truth in love, let us grow up into him in all things, who is the head, Christ:

Wbstr But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ:

KJB-1769 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

KJB-1611 But [fn]speaking the trueth in loue, may grow vp into him in all things which is the head, euen Christ:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

4:15 Or, being sincere.

Bshps But folowyng trueth in loue, let vs growe vp into him in all thynges whiche is the head, Christ:
(But following truth in love, let us grow up into him in all things which is the head, Christ:)

Gnva But let vs folowe the truth in loue, and in all things, grow vp into him, which is the head, that is, Christ.
(But let us follow the truth in love, and in all things, grow up into him, which is the head, that is, Christ. )

Cvdl But let vs folowe the trueth in loue, and in all thinges growe in him, which is the heade, euen Christ,
(But let us follow the truth in love, and in all things grow in him, which is the head, even Christ,)

TNT But let vs folowe the trueth in loue and in all thynges growe in him which is the heed that ys to saye Christ
(But let us follow the truth in love and in all things grow in him which is the head that is to say Christ )

Wycl But do we treuthe in charite, and wexe in him by alle thingis, that is Crist oure heed;
(But do we truth in charity, and wax/grow in him by all things, that is Christ our heed;)

Luth Lasset uns aber rechtschaffen sein in der Liebe und wachsen in allen Stücken an dem, der das Haupt ist, Christus,
(Let us/to_us/ourselves but righteous be in the/of_the love(n) and grown in all/everyone pieces at/to to_him, the/of_the the head is, Christ,)

ClVg Veritatem autem facientes in caritate, crescamus in illo per omnia, qui est caput Christus:[fn]
(Veritatem however they_will_does in/into/on caritate, crescamus in/into/on that/there through everything, who/which it_is the_head Christ/Messiah: )

4.15 Christus. Unctus dicitur. Et in Veteri Testamento reges ungebantur.

4.15 Christ/Messiah. Unctus it_is_said. And in/into/on Veteri Testamento kings they_anointedur.

UGNT ἀληθεύοντες δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ, αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή Χριστός;
(alaʸtheuontes de en agapaʸ, auxaʸsōmen eis auton ta panta, hos estin haʸ kefalaʸ Ⱪristos;)

SBL-GNT ἀληθεύοντες δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή, ⸀Χριστός,
(alaʸtheuontes de en agapaʸ auxaʸsōmen eis auton ta panta, hos estin haʸ kefalaʸ, ⸀Ⱪristos,)

RP-GNT ἀληθεύοντες δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή, ὁ χριστός,
(alaʸtheuontes de en agapaʸ auxaʸsōmen eis auton ta panta, hos estin haʸ kefalaʸ, ho ⱪristos,)

TC-GNT ἀληθεύοντες δὲ ἐν ἀγάπῃ αὐξήσωμεν εἰς αὐτὸν τὰ πάντα, ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή, [fn]ὁ Χριστός,
(alaʸtheuontes de en agapaʸ auxaʸsōmen eis auton ta panta, hos estin haʸ kefalaʸ, ho Ⱪristos, )

4:15 ο ¦ — CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN 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.

UTN 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.

Parallel EPH 4:15

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

Paragraph 4:7–16

4:15a

4:15b