Ephesians 2:20

Ephesians 2:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
• New International Version (NIV)built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
• English Standard Version (ESV)built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
• New King James Version (NKJV)having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

Context of Ephesians 2:20

18For it is through Him that we both have a [direct] way of approach in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens [outsiders without rights of citizenship], but you are fellow citizens with the saints (God’s people), and are [members] of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the [chief] Cornerstone, 21in whom the whole structure is joined together, and it continues [to increase] growing into a holy temple in the Lord [a sanctuary dedicated, set apart, and sacred to the presence of the Lord]. 22In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:20 word by word

ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Χριστοῦ ἸησοῦRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And are builtἐποικοδομέωepoikodomeō · to build up/uponG2026
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the foundationὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the foundationθεμέλιοςthemelios · foundationG2310
• of the apostlesἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• prophetsπροφήτηςprophētēs · prophetG4396
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• himselfαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• beingεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the chief cornerἀκρογωνιαῖοςakrogōniaios · cornerstoneG204

Cross-references for Ephesians 2:20

• Ephesians 4:12[and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church];
• 1 Peter 2:4Come to Him [the risen Lord] as to a living Stone which men rejected and threw away, but which is choice and precious in the sight of God.
• Ephesians 4:11And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct],
• Isaiah 28:16Therefore the Lord God says this, “Listen carefully, I am laying in Zion a Stone, a tested Stone, A precious Cornerstone for the [secure] foundation, firmly placed. He who believes [who trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone] will not be disturbed or give way [in sudden panic].
• Matthew 16:18And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ].
• 1 Corinthians 3:9For we are God’s fellow workers [His servants working together]; you are God’s cultivated field [His garden, His vineyard], God’s building.
• 1 Corinthians 12:28So God has appointed and placed in the church [for His own use]: first apostles [chosen by Christ], second prophets [those who foretell the future, those who speak a new message from God to the people], third teachers, then those who work miracles, then those with the gifts of healings, the helpers, the administrators, and speakers in various kinds of [unknown] tongues.
• Galatians 2:9And recognizing the grace [that God had] bestowed on me, James and Cephas (Peter) and John, who were reputed to be pillars [of the Jerusalem church], gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we could go to the Gentiles [with their blessing] and they to the circumcised (Jews).
• Revelation 21:14And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Christ).
• Psalms 118:22The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.
• Matthew 21:42Jesus asked them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The [very] Stone which the builders rejected and threw away, Has become the chief Cornerstone; This is the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous and wonderful in our eyes’?
• Mark 12:10Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders regarded as unworthy and rejected, This [very stone] has become the chief Cornerstone
• Luke 20:17But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is [the meaning of] this that is written: ‘The [very] Stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief Cornerstone’?
• Acts 4:11This Jesus is the stone which was despised and rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief Cornerstone.
• 1 Peter 2:7This precious value, then, is for you who believe [in Him as God’s only Son—the Source of salvation]; but for those who disbelieve, “The [very] stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief Cornerstone,”

Commentaries on Ephesians 2:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20And are built upon the foundation - Following the same metaphor, comparing the Church of Christ to a city, and to the temple, the believing Ephesians are represented as parts of that building; the living stones out of which it is principally formed, 1 Peter 2:4, 1 Peter 2:5, having for foundation - the ground plan, specification, and principle on which it was builded, the doctrine taught by the prophets in the Old Testament, and the apostles in the New…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20And are built upon the foundation - The comparison of the church with a building, is common in the Scriptures: compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 3:9-10. The comparison was probably taken from the temple, and as that was an edifice of great beauty, expense, and sacredness, it was natural to compare the church with it. Besides, the temple was the sacred place where God dwelt on the earth; and as the church was the place where he delighted now to abide, it…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-22Verses 19-22 The church is compared to a city, and every converted sinner is free of it. It is also compared to a house, and every converted sinner is one of the family; a servant, and a child in God's house. The church is also compared to a building, founded on the doctrine of Christ; delivered by the prophets of the Old Testament, and the apostles of the New. God dwells in all believers now; they become the temple of God through the working of the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20Apostles are missionary evangelists sent by God. They travel to share the good news about Jesus with others. Here, the prophets seem to be from the New Testament, not the Old Testament (see 3:5; 4:11; see also 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28–29; 14:1–5, 22–24, 29–32, 39; compare Acts 13:1; 19:6; 21:9–10). In both the Old and New Testaments, prophets do not primarily predict the future. Instead, they are empowered to speak a message from God (see 1 Corinthians…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Translate as Greek, "Built up upon," &c. (participle; having been built up upon; omit, therefore, "and are"). Compare 1Co 3:11, 12. The same image in Ep 3:18, recurs in his address to the Ephesian elders (Ac 20:32), and in his Epistle to Timothy at Ephesus (1Ti 3:15; 2Ti 2:19), naturally suggested by the splendid architecture of Diana's temple; the glory of the Christian temple is eternal and real, not mere idolatrous gaud. The image of a building is…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 2:20

• Church
• Cornerstone
• Fellowship
• House
• Jesus Continued
• Righteous
• Stones

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Corner-Stone
• Jesus Christ
• Afar
• Alien
• Church
• Corner

Commentaries on Ephesians 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings