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which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
Ephesians 1:20 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
  • KJV Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
  • BSB which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms,
  • NKJV which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
  • NLT that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God's power was supremely displayed in raising Christ and seating him at his right hand. It points to the resurrection and exaltation as the measure of God's power for us.

Overview

Paul defines God's power by its greatest act: raising Jesus from the dead and exalting him to the place of supreme honor and authority, 'his right hand in the heavenly places.' This same power now works in believers (v. 19). The risen, enthroned Christ is the assurance and pattern of the believer's own resurrection life.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 31

  • Heb 10:12but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;
  • Mark 16:19So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
  • Ps 110:1A Psalm by David. Yahweh says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”
  • Acts 2:24–36whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.
  • Matt 22:43–45He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,
  • Heb 1:3His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
  • Matt 28:18Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
  • Col 3:1If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
  • Phil 3:10that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;
  • John 17:1–5Jesus said these things, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you;
  • Matt 26:64Jesus said to him, “You have said it. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky.”
  • Rom 8:34Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
  • Acts 5:31God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
  • Rev 5:11–14I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands;
  • Mark 14:62Jesus said, “I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky.”
  • Eph 2:5–6even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
  • Rev 1:17When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last,
  • Rom 1:4who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
  • Acts 7:55–56But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
  • Acts 10:40God raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed,
  • Eph 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ;
  • 1 Pet 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
  • Eph 4:8–10Therefore he says, “When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”
  • Heb 2:9But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.
  • John 10:30I and the Father are one.”
  • Ps 16:9–11Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.
  • Acts 4:10be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here before you whole.
  • Acts 26:8Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?
  • Heb 13:20Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus,
  • Rom 6:5–11For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection;
  • John 10:18No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Ephesians videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Ephesians 1:20YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on EphesiansMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Every spiritual blessing is 'in Christ,' the head over all things for the church, in whom Jew and Gentile are made one new man by his blood.

How Ephesians 1:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.