Ephesians 3:17

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

so that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. [I pray] that you will be rooted and grounded in [your] love,

Cross References

Matthew 13:6

But when the sun came up these tender sprouts were scorched and, since they had such tiny roots, they [quickly] withered away.

Luke 6:48

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep to lay the foundation on rock. And when a flood came the river pounded against that house, but could not shake it because it had been well built.

John 14:17

He is the Holy Spirit of truth [i.e., who reveals truth], whom the world cannot receive, for it does not see Him or know Him. [But] you know Him, for He lives with you, and will be within you.

John 14:23

Jesus answered him, “If a person loves me, he will obey my teaching, and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him [i.e., in the person of the indwelling Holy Spirit].

John 17:23

I in them, and you in me, so that they may be completely one. [This is] so the world will know that you sent me and that you love them just as you love me.

John 6:56

The person who eats my physical body and drinks my blood lives in me and I [live] in him.

Romans 5:5

For while we were still helpless, at [just] the proper time, Christ died for ungodly people.

1 Corinthians 3:6

I [Paul] planted [i.e., preached God’s word], Apollos watered [it], but God made it grow.

1 Corinthians 8:1

I now want to reply to the matter of idolatrous sacrifices [which you wrote to me about]. We know that we all possess knowledge. [Note: This may be a statement posed to Paul by the Corinthians, who seemed quite preoccupied with “knowledge”]. Knowledge [only] makes people arrogant, while love builds them up [spiritually].

2 Corinthians 13:5

Put yourselves to a test; see if you are [really] in the faith [i.e., see if you are genuine Christians]; examine yourselves! Or, do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in your hearts, unless [of course] you fail the test [i.e., unless you are counterfeit Christians].

2 Corinthians 6:16

And what agreement is there between a temple of God and idols? For we are a temple of the living God, just as God said [Lev. 26:12], “I will live in them and walk among them [i.e., among His people]; and I will be their God and they will be my people.”

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified [i.e., died] with Christ, and so I am not the one who lives [anymore] but rather, it is Christ who lives in my heart. And [now] my entire life is being lived by trusting in the Son of God [to save and keep me], because He loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Galatians 5:6

For in [our relationship with] Christ neither the practice of circumcision nor refraining from its practice matters in any way; but [all that really matters is having a genuine] faith [in Christ] that causes us to work [for Him] out of a genuine love [for Him and others].

Colossians 1:23

[This will happen] if you continue in the faith [Note: This means either “continue to observe God’s teaching” or, “continue to believe”], firmly grounded and established, and not moved away from the hope offered by the Gospel message, which you have heard and which was preached to people throughout the entire created world under heaven. I, Paul, was made a minister of this Gospel.

Colossians 1:27

He was pleased to make known to these people the wealth of His splendor among the Gentiles; this hidden secret, which is Christ among you, [is] the hope of being honored [i.e., in heaven].

Colossians 2:7

rooted and built up in [your relationship to] Him, established by your faith [or, “in the faith”], just as you were taught, overflowing with thanksgiving.

1 John 4:16

And we have known [with certainty] and have believed [with assurance] that God has truly loved us. God’s [very nature] is love and the person who [continually] loves [Him and others] lives in [fellowship with] God [continually], and God [continually] lives in that person’s heart.

1 John 4:4

[But], you people are [followers] of God, little children [i.e., dear ones], and you have overcome them [i.e., these false teachers] because He who is in your lives [i.e., the Holy Spirit, See 3:24] is greater [i.e., more powerful] than he who is in [i.e., dominates] the world [i.e., Satan. See II Cor. 4:4].

Revelation 3:20

Look, I am standing at [your] door and knocking; if anyone hears my voice [i.e., the sound of my knocking], and opens the door, I will [surely] come in to him and eat with him and he [will eat] with me.