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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Ephesians 4:4

You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Holy Spirit;   Hope;   Man;   The Topic Concordance - Baptism;   Body;   Calling;   Faith/faithfulness;   God;   Grace;   Holy Spirit;   Jesus Christ;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hope;   Trinity, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Church;   Holy spirit;   Paul;   Trinity;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Baptize, Baptism;   Body;   Call, Calling;   Grace;   Holy Spirit;   Union with Christ;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Christianity;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Calling;   Communion;   Ephesians, Epistle to;   Hope;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Baptism;   Church;   Colosse;   Ephesians, the Epistle to the;   Pentecost;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Baptism of the Holy Spirit;   Body;   Body of Christ;   Call, Calling;   Ephesians, Book of;   Future Hope;   God;   Humanity;   Trinity;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Creed;   Ephesians, Epistle to;   Hope;   Perfection;   Presbytery;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Atonement (2);   Call, Called, Calling;   Church;   Church (2);   Ephesians Epistle to the;   Fellowship (2);   Gifts;   Holy Spirit;   Hope ;   Oneness;   Perseverance;   Pre-Eminence ;   Sacraments;   Union;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Church;   Numbers as Symbols;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Garden;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Trinity;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Calling;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Paul;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Body;   Calling;   Church;   Common;   Ephesians, Epistle to the;   Hope;   Trine (Triune) Immersion;  

Devotionals:

- Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life - Devotion for January 27;   Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for November 13;   Every Day Light - Devotion for October 11;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling—
King James Version (1611)
There is one body, and one spirit, euen as yee are called in one hope of your calling.
King James Version
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
English Standard Version
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—
New American Standard Bible
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling;
New Century Version
There is one body and one Spirit, and God called you to have one hope.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
Legacy Standard Bible
There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
Berean Standard Bible
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;
Contemporary English Version
All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God's people.
Complete Jewish Bible
There is one body and one Spirit, just as when you were called you were called to one hope.
Darby Translation
[There is] one body and one Spirit, as ye have been also called in one hope of your calling;
Easy-to-Read Version
There is one body and one Spirit, and God chose you to have one hope.
Geneva Bible (1587)
There is one body, and one Spirit, euen as yee are called in one hope of your vocation.
George Lamsa Translation
That you may become one body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling;
Good News Translation
There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope to which God has called you.
Lexham English Bible
one body and one Spirit (just as also you were called with one hope of your calling),
Literal Translation
There is one body and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling;
Amplified Bible
There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]—
American Standard Version
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;
Bible in Basic English
There is one body and one Spirit, even as you have been marked out by God in the one hope of his purpose for you;
Hebrew Names Version
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling;
International Standard Version
There is one body and one Spirit. In the same way, you were called to the one hope of your calling.Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:4,11-13; Ephesians 1:18; 2:16;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
that you may be in one body and in one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling.
Murdock Translation
so that ye may become one body, and one Spirit; even as ye are called unto one hope of your calling.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
One body and one spirite, euen as ye are called in one hope of your calling.
English Revised Version
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;
World English Bible
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling;
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
There is one body and one Spirit, as ye are also called in one hope of your calling;
Weymouth's New Testament
There is but one body and but one Spirit, as also when you were called you had one and the same hope held out to you.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
O bodi and o spirit, as ye ben clepid in oon hope of youre cleping;
Update Bible Version
[There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
Webster's Bible Translation
[There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
New English Translation
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you too were called to the one hope of your calling,
New King James Version
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
New Living Translation
For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.
New Life Bible
There is one body and one Spirit. There is one hope in which you were called.
New Revised Standard
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
One body, and one spirit, even as ye were also called in one hope of your calling,
Douay-Rheims Bible
One body and one Spirit: as you are called in one hope of your calling.
Revised Standard Version
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
beynge one body and one sprete eve as ye are called in one hope of youre callynge.
Young's Literal Translation
one body and one Spirit, according as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
One body and one sprete, eue as ye are called in one hope of youre callynge.
Mace New Testament (1729)
Being one body, acted by one spirit, since you all have but one expectation in view;
Simplified Cowboy Version
There is just one body of Christ and one Spirit, there ain't no room for a show-off.

Contextual Overview

4You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. 7But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. The text for this is, He climbed the high mountain, He captured the enemy and seized the booty, He handed it all out in gifts to the people. Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth? And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. 14No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

one body: Ephesians 2:16, Ephesians 5:30, Romans 12:4, Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 10:17, 1 Corinthians 12:12, 1 Corinthians 12:13, 1 Corinthians 12:20, Colossians 3:15

one Spirit: Ephesians 2:18, Ephesians 2:22, Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 2 Corinthians 11:4

as: Ephesians 4:1, Ephesians 1:18, Jeremiah 14:8, Jeremiah 17:7, Acts 15:11, Colossians 1:5, 2 Thessalonians 2:16, 1 Timothy 1:1, Titus 1:2, Titus 2:13, Titus 3:7, Hebrews 6:18, Hebrews 6:19, 1 Peter 1:3, 1 Peter 1:4, 1 Peter 1:21, 1 John 3:3

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 18:31 - twelve stones Psalms 122:3 - builded Psalms 122:8 - General Ezekiel 37:24 - one John 17:11 - that Acts 2:39 - as many Romans 8:30 - Moreover 1 Corinthians 6:17 - General Galatians 3:28 - for Ephesians 1:23 - his Ephesians 4:3 - General Ephesians 4:12 - the body Philippians 2:1 - if any fellowship Hebrews 3:1 - the heavenly 2 Peter 1:3 - called

Cross-References

Genesis 4:16
Cain left the presence of God and lived in No-Man's-Land, east of Eden.
Genesis 4:17
Cain slept with his wife. She conceived and had Enoch. He then built a city and named it after his son, Enoch. Enoch had Irad, Irad had Mehujael, Mehujael had Methushael, Methushael had Lamech.
Genesis 4:19
Lamech married two wives, Adah and Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal, the ancestor of all who live in tents and herd cattle. His brother's name was Jubal, the ancestor of all who play the lyre and flute. Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain, who worked at the forge making bronze and iron tools. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
Genesis 15:17
When the sun was down and it was dark, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch moved between the split carcasses. That's when God made a covenant with Abram: "I'm giving this land to your children, from the Nile River in Egypt to the River Euphrates in Assyria—the country of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites."
Numbers 16:35
Then God sent lightning. The fire cremated the 250 men who were offering the incense.
Numbers 18:17
"On the other hand, you don't redeem a firstborn ox, sheep, or goat—they are holy. Instead splash their blood on the Altar and burn their fat as a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God . But you get the meat, just as you get the breast from the Wave-Offering and the right thigh. All the holy offerings that the People of Israel set aside for God , I'm turning over to you and your children. That's the standard rule and includes both you and your children—a Covenant-of-Salt, eternal and unchangeable before God ."
Judges 6:21
The angel of God stretched out the tip of the stick he was holding and touched the meat and the bread. Fire broke out of the rock and burned up the meat and bread while the angel of God slipped away out of sight. And Gideon knew it was the angel of God! Gideon said, "Oh no! Master, God ! I have seen the angel of God face-to-face!"
1 Kings 18:38
Immediately the fire of God fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.
2 Chronicles 7:1
When Solomon finished praying, a bolt of lightning out of heaven struck the Whole-Burnt-Offering and sacrifices and the Glory of God filled The Temple. The Glory was so dense that the priests couldn't get in— God so filled The Temple that there was no room for the priests! When all Israel saw the fire fall from heaven and the Glory of God fill The Temple, they fell on their knees, bowed their heads, and worshiped, thanking God : Yes! God is good! His love never quits!
Hebrews 11:4
By an act of faith, Abel brought a better sacrifice to God than Cain. It was what he believed, not what he brought, that made the difference. That's what God noticed and approved as righteous. After all these centuries, that belief continues to catch our notice.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

There is one body,.... The church; in what sense that is a body, and compared to one, :-. It is called "one" with relation to Jews and Gentiles, who are of the same body, and are reconciled in one body by Christ, and are baptized into it by the Spirit; and with respect to saints above and saints below, who make up one general assembly; and with regard to separate societies; for though there are several particular congregations, yet there is but one church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven; and saints of different ages, places, states, and conditions, are all one in Christ Jesus, who is the one, and only head of this body: and this is an argument to excite the saints to unity of Spirit; since they are, as one natural body is, members one of another, and therefore should not bite and devour one another; they are one political body, one kingdom, over which Christ is sole King and lawgiver, and a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand; they are one economical body, one family, they are all brethren, and should not fall out by the way.

And one Spirit; the Holy Spirit of God, who animates, quickens, and actuates the body: there is but one Spirit, who convinces of sin, enlightens, regenerates, and makes alive; who incorporates into the body, the church; who comforts the saints; helps them in their access to God through Christ; makes known the things of Christ to them, is a spirit of adoption, and the seal and earnest of the heavenly glory; and the consideration of this should engage to unity, because a contrary conduct must be grieving to the Spirit of God, unsuitable to his genuine fruits, and very unlike the true spirit of a Christian: and by one spirit may be meant the spirit of themselves, who, as the first Christians were, should be of one heart, and of one soul, of the same mind, and having the same affections for one another; which sense is favoured by the Syriac and Arabic versions; the former rendering the words, "that ye may be one body and one spirit", making this to be the issue and effect of their endeavours after union and peace; and the latter reads them as an exhortation, "be ye one body and one spirit"; that is, be ye cordially and heartily united in your affections to one another:

even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; that is, the glory hoped for, and which is laid up in heaven, and will be enjoyed there, to which the saints are called in the effectual calling, is one and the same: there are no degrees in it; it will be equally possessed by them all; for they are all loved with the same love, chosen in the same head, and secured in the same covenant; they are bought with the same price of Christ's blood, and are justified by the same righteousness; they are all equally the sons of God, and so heirs of the same heavenly inheritance; and are all made kings and priests unto God, and there is but one kingdom, one crown, one inheritance for them all; and the holiness and beatific vision of the saints in heaven will be alike; and therefore they should be heartily affected to one another here on earth, who are to be partners together in glory to all eternity. So the Jews say p, that in the world of souls, all, small and great, stand before the Lord; and they have a standing alike; for in the affairs of the soul, it is fit that they should be all שוים, "equal", as it is said Exodus 30:15, "the rich shall not give more".

p Tzeror Hammor, fol. 154. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There is one body - One church - for so the word “body” means here - denoting the body of Christ; see the notes on Romans 12:5; compare notes on Ephesians 1:23. The meaning here is, that as there is really but one church on earth, there ought to be unity. The church is, at present, divided into many denominations. It has different forms of worship, and different rites and ceremonies. It embraces those of different complexions and ranks in life, and it cannot be denied that there are often unhappy contentions and jealousies in different parts of that church. Still, there is but one - “one holy, catholic (i. e., universal) church;” and that church should feel that it is one. Christ did not come to redeem and save different churches, and to give them a different place in heaven. He did not come to save the Episcopal communion merely or the Presbyterian or the Methodist communions only; nor did he leave the world to fit up for them different mansions in heaven. He did not come to save merely the black man, or the red, or the white man; nor did he leave the world to set up for them separate mansions in the skies. He came that he might collect into one community a multitude of every complexion, and from every land, and unite them in one great brotherhood on earth, and ultimately assemble them in the same heaven. The church is one. Every sincere Christian is a brother in that church, and has an equal right with all others to its privileges. Being one by the design of the Saviour they should be one in feeling; and every Christian, no matter what his rank, should be ready to hail every other Christian as a fellow-heir of heaven.

One Spirit - The Holy Spirit. There is one and the self-same Spirit that dwells in the church The same Spirit has awakened all enlightened all; convicted all; converted all. Wherever they may be, and whoever, yet there has been substantially the same work of the Spirit on the heart of every Christian. There are circumstantial differences arising from diversities of temperament, disposition, and education; there may be a difference in the depth and power of his operations on the soul; there may be a difference in the degree of conviction for sin and in the evidence of conversion, but still there are the same operations on the heart essentially produced by the same Spirit; see the notes on 1 Corinthians 12:6-11. All the gifts of prayer, and of preaching; all the zeal, the ardor, the love, the self-denial in the church, are produced by the same Spirit. There should be, therefore, unity. The church is united in the agency by which it is saved; it should be united in the feelings which influence its members.

Even as ye are called - see Ephesians 4:1. The sense is, “there is one body and one spirit, in like manner as there is one hope resulting from your calling.” The same notion of oneness is found in relation to each of these things.

In one hope of your calling - In one hope “resulting from” your being called into his kingdom. On the meaning of the word “hope,” see notes on Ephesians 2:12. The meaning here is, that Christians have the same hope, and they should therefore be one. They are looking forward to the same heaven; they hope for the same happiness beyond the grave. It is not as on earth among the people of the world, where, there is a variety of hopes - where one hopes for pleasure, and another for honor, and another for gain; but there is the prospect of the same inexhaustible joy. This “hope” is suited to promote union. There is no rivalry - for there is enough for all. “Hope” on earth does not always produce union and harmony. Two men hope to obtain the same office; two students hope to obtain the same honor in college; two rivals hope to obtain the same hand in marriage - and the consequence is jealousy, contention, and strife. The reason is, that but one can obtain the object. Not so with the crown of life - with the rewards of heaven. All may obtain “that” crown; all may share those rewards. How “can” Christians contend in an angry manner with each other, when the hope of dwelling in the same heaven swells their bosoms and animates their hearts?

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ephesians 4:4. There is one body — Viz. of Christ, which is his Church.

One Spirit — The Holy Ghost, who animates this body.

One hope — Of everlasting glory, to which glory ye have been called by the preaching of the Gospel; through which ye have become the body of Christ, instinct with the energy of the Holy Ghost.


 
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