For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Parallel translations
- WEB For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition,
- BSB For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility
- 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, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
- Col 3:15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
- Col 3:11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
- Eph 2:15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
- 1 Cor 12:12–13For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
- Col 1:20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
- Isa 9:6–7For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
- Col 2:10–14And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
- Rom 5:1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
- Col 2:20Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
- Acts 10:36The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
- Luke 2:14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
- Heb 13:20Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
- Acts 10:28And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
- Mic 5:5And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
- Ezek 34:24–25And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.
- John 16:33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
- John 10:16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
- Luke 1:79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
- Zech 6:13Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
- Eph 4:16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
- Ezek 37:19–20Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
- Isa 19:24–25In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:
- Eph 3:15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
- Esth 3:8And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.
- Heb 7:2To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
- John 11:52And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
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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.
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Original language
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