But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Parallel translations
- WEB but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ;
- BSB Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
- NKJV but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
- NASB but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ,
- NLT Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
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
Instead of being deceived, believers are to speak truth in love and so grow up into Christ, the head. Truth and love together produce genuine maturity.
Overview
Over against the deceit of false teachers, Paul calls the church to truthfulness joined with love. This combination, neither truth without love nor love without truth, is the means of healthy growth 'into him, who is the head, Christ.' All Christian maturity is movement toward greater conformity to Christ, the church's head and life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- 1 Jn 3:18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
- Eph 4:25Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
- Zech 8:16These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:
- 1 Pet 1:22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
- 2 Pet 3:18But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
- 1 Pet 2:2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
- Eph 1:22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
- Rom 12:9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
- Eph 2:21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
- Ps 32:2Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
- John 1:47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
- 2 Cor 4:2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
- Eph 5:23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
- Col 1:18–19And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
- Judg 16:15And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.
- Mal 4:2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
- 2 Cor 8:8I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
- Hos 14:5–7I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
- Jas 2:15–16If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
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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 4:15 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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