Ephesians 4:3

Ephesians 4:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
• New International Version (NIV)Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
• English Standard Version (ESV)eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
• New King James Version (NKJV)endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Context of Ephesians 4:3

1Because I serve the Lord, I am here in prison. I really want you to live as God's own people should live. God has called you to come to him. He has chosen you to be his own people. 2Do not think that you are better than other people. Always be kind and patient with each other. Love one another, so that you do not quickly become angry with each other. Do your best to let God's Spirit keep you united. You belong together so live in peace with each other. 4As God's people, you are like one body. There is one Spirit that gives you life. God has chosen you to be his own people. So you all expect to receive the same great things from God. 5There is one Lord. There is one true message that we must believe. There is one baptism.

Ephesians 4:3 word by word

σπουδάζοντες τηρεῖν τὴν ἑνότητα τοῦ πνεύματος ἐν τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Endeavouringσπουδάζωspoudazō · be eagerG4704
• to keepτηρέωtēreō · to keep: protectG5083
• the unityὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the unityἑνότηςhenotēs · unityG1775
• of the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the bondσύνδεσμοςsundesmos · bond(age)G4886
• of peaceεἰρήνηeirēnē · peaceG1515

Cross-references for Ephesians 4:3

• Ephesians 4:4As God's people, you are like one body. There is one Spirit that gives you life. God has chosen you to be his own people. So you all expect to receive the same great things from God.
• John 13:34I give a new rule to you. Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you.
• John 17:21I pray that all of them will become united. You, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they also will be united in us. Then the world's people will believe that you sent me.
• Romans 14:17We belong to God's people and he is our King. The things that we eat and drink are not really important to him. This is important: We should do what is right. We should have peace in our minds. And we should be truly happy. God's Holy Spirit helps us to live like that.
• 1 Corinthians 1:10My Christian friends, I tell you this with the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘Please agree with each other. Do not become separate groups. Be united and think about things in the same way.’
• 1 Corinthians 12:12Each person has only one body, but that body has many parts. All those different parts make only one body. It is like that with Christ too.
• 2 Corinthians 13:11Now I say ‘goodbye’ to you, my Christian friends. Do only what is right. Let my message make you strong. Agree with each other. Live together in peace. I pray that God will be with you. He is the one who loves us and gives us peace in our minds.
• Colossians 3:13Do not become angry with each other. If you think that someone has done something wrong against you, forgive them. Remember that the Lord has forgiven you. So you should also forgive other people.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:13Show them how valuable they are to you. And love them very much because of the work that they do. Live at peace among yourselves.
• Hebrews 12:14Do everything that you can to live in peace with other people. Make yourself separate from bad things. Nobody will see the Lord unless their life is good and clean.
• James 3:17But if God makes you really wise, you will live in a completely good way. That is the most important thing. Also, you will live in a way that brings peace. You will be kind to other people so that they become your friends. You will listen to them and not argue. You will forgive them and do many good things to help them. You will not choose between people. And you will not be a hypocrite.

Commentaries on Ephesians 4:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace - There can be no doubt that the Church at Ephesus was composed partly of converted Jews, as well as Gentiles. Now, from the different manner in which they had been brought up, there might be frequent causes of altercation. Indeed, the Jews, though converted, might be envious that the Gentiles were admitted to the same glorious privileges with themselves, without being initiated into them…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The unity of the Spirit - A united spirit, or oneness of spirit. This does not refer to the fact that there is one Holy Spirit; but it refers to unity of affection, of confidence, of love. It means that Christians should be united in temper and affection, and not be split up into factions and parties. It may be implied here, as is undoubtedly true, that such a unity would be produced only by the Holy Spirit; and that, as there was but one Spirit which had…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3through the bond of peace: Paul emphasizes that God accepts both Gentiles and Jews (2:11–3:6). This acceptance should guide behavior. Jews and Gentiles should accept each other in the church (see Colossians 3:14–15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-32-3. lowliness--In classic Greek, the meaning is meanness of spirit: the Gospel has elevated the word to express a Christian grace, namely, the esteeming of ourselves small, inasmuch as we are so; the thinking truly, and because truly, therefore lowlily, of ourselves [Trench]. meekness--that spirit in which we accept God's dealings with us without disputing and resisting; and also the accepting patiently of the injuries done us by men, out of the thought…Read the comment

Topics related to Ephesians 4:3

• Commandments
• Communion
• Holy Spirit
• Peace
• Unity

In the dictionaries

• Bands
• Bitterness
• Bond
• Communion
• Compact
• Dark
• Ephesians, Epistle to
• Forbear
• Grieve
• Lasciviousness

Commentaries on Ephesians 4

• 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
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• 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