For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility
Parallel translations
- WEB For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition,
- KJV For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
- NKJV For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
- NASB For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
- NLT For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
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
Christ himself is our peace, who united Jew and Gentile by breaking down the dividing wall. It presents Christ as the one who reconciles divided peoples.
Overview
Paul declares 'he is our peace' — Christ does not merely make peace but is peace in person. He 'made both one' and 'broke down the middle wall of partition,' an image likely evoking the temple barrier separating Gentiles. In Christ the deepest human division is overcome, and a single new people is formed.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 27
- Gal 3:28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
- Col 3:15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.
- Col 3:11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
- Eph 2:15by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace
- 1 Cor 12:12–13The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ.
- Col 1:20and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.
- Isa 9:6–7For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Col 2:10–14And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
- Rom 5:1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Col 2:20If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations:
- Acts 10:36He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
- Luke 2:14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”
- Heb 13:20Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
- Acts 10:28He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
- Mic 5:5And He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and tramples our citadels. We will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.
- Ezek 34:24–25I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken.
- John 16:33I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
- John 10:16I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.
- Luke 1:79to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
- Zech 6:13Yes, He will build the temple of the LORD; He will be clothed in splendor and will sit on His throne and rule. And He will be a priest on His throne, and there will be peaceful counsel between the two.’
- Eph 4:16From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.
- Ezek 37:19–20you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and I will put them together with the stick of Judah. I will make them into a single stick, and they will become one in My hand.’
- Isa 19:24–25In that day Israel will join a three-party alliance with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing upon the earth.
- Eph 3:15from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
- Esth 3:8Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
- Heb 7:2and Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness.” Then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”
- John 11:52and not only for the nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to gather them together into one.
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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 2:14 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
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