Ephesians 4:13

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

[This is to be done] until we all [eventually] arrive at unity of the faith and full knowledge of the Son of God; at complete [spiritual] maturity; at the [full] height of Christ’s [spiritual] stature.

Cross References

Matthew 11:27

“All things have been entrusted to me by my Father and no one [truly] knows the Son except the Father. And neither does anyone [truly] know the Father except the Son and that person to whom the Son wants to reveal Him.

John 1:16

For we have all received from His full richness one favor after another.

John 16:3

And they will do these things because they have not known [either] the Father or me.

John 17:21

[I pray] that all of them may be one, just as you, Father, are [one] in [fellowship with] me, and I [am one] in [fellowship with] you, so that they also may be [one] in [fellowship with] us in order that the world may [see it and] believe that you sent me.

John 17:3

And this is never ending life; that people may know you [as] the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One whom you have sent.

John 6:69

And we apostles have believed [in you] and know that you are God’s Holy One.”

Acts 4:32

So, the large number of believers was united in heart and soul [i.e., mind and spirit] and not one of them said that anything he owned [really] belonged to him, but they shared all things in common.

1 Corinthians 1:10

Now I urge you, brothers, through the name [i.e., by the authority] of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you should all agree in what you say, so that no divisions [continue] among you. Be restored [to unity] by having common thoughts and convictions [i.e., in spiritual matters]

1 Corinthians 14:20

Brothers, do not be children in the way you think, but be babies in wrongdoing; yet be mature in your thinking.

1 Corinthians 2:6

However, we speak [divine] wisdom among people who are [spiritually] mature, yet it is not the wisdom of this current age, nor of [its] current rulers, who are coming to nothing.

2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who said [Gen. 1:3], “Light will shine out of darkness,” has [also] shone in our hearts to provide [us with] the light of the knowledge of God’s splendor [as it shines] on the face of Christ. [Note: This allusion to “splendor shining on Christ’s face” may be a continuation of the analogy used in 3:13].

Galatians 4:19

My little children [i.e., dear ones], I am again deeply pained [as a woman in childbirth] over your [spiritual] condition, until [the life of] Christ becomes formed in your character.

Ephesians 1:17

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you a spirit [i.e., a disposition] of wisdom and revelation [or, “give you the spiritual gifts of wisdom and revelation”], so you can have full knowledge of God.

Ephesians 1:23

which is His [spiritual] body. The church is completely filled by Christ [or, “Christ is completely filled by God”], who completely fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 2:15

by abolishing in His fleshly body the [entire Jewish] law of commandments contained in decrees. [This was] so that He could create in [unity with] Himself one new person [i.e., the church] out of the two peoples [i.e., Jews and Gentiles], thereby bringing about peace [between them].

Ephesians 4:12

for the purpose of equipping the saints [i.e., God’s holy people] for the work of serving [others], in order to build up the [spiritual] body of Christ [i.e., the church].

Ephesians 4:3

Eagerly try to maintain the unity produced by the Holy Spirit by being bound together in peace.

Ephesians 4:5

[There is] one Lord [i.e., Jesus], one faith [i.e., one body of teaching], one immersion [i.e., in water for the forgiveness of sins],

Philippians 3:10

I want to know Christ [as Savior] and to experience the power [produced] by His resurrection, and to share in His sufferings and become like Him in His death,

Philippians 3:8

What is more, I consider everything to be a loss compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus [as] my Lord, for whose sake I have suffered the loss of all things. [I now] consider [all of] them to be trash, in order to gain Christ

Colossians 1:28

We proclaim Him, warning and teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person [to God] complete in [their fellowship with] Christ.

Colossians 2:2

[I do this] so that their hearts will be encouraged [while] being united in [mutual] love, [and] so that they will have the wealth of a fully assured understanding, in order to fully know about God’s hidden secret, [which is] Christ.

Hebrews 5:14

But “solid food” is for mature people, who because of using their [spiritual] senses have become able to distinguish right living from evil.

2 Peter 1:4

By these [blessings] He has given to us the precious and tremendous promises, so that you people may share in His divine nature, [after] having escaped the world’s corruption, caused by evil desires.

2 Peter 3:18

But grow in the unearned favor and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May He be honored both now and forever. May it be so.

1 John 5:20

And [in addition], we know that the Son of God has come [in a physical body, See 4:2] and has given us understanding, so that we can know the True One [i.e., God], and that we are in [fellowship with] the True One, even His Son Jesus Christ. This Son is the true God and eternal life.