Ephesians 4 · Verse 6

Ephesians 4:6

One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4:6, King James Version

Ephesians 4:6 in other translations

BSBone God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
WEBone God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in us all.
ASVone God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.
YLTone God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in you all,
DARBYone God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all.
BBEOne God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.
WebsterOne God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

What does Ephesians 4:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
6. above--"over all." The "one God over all" (in His sovereignty and by His grace) is the grand source and crowning apex of unity (Ep 2:19, end). through all--by means of Christ "who filleth all things" (Ep 4:10; 2:20, 21), and is "a propitiation" for all men (1Jo 2:2). in you all--The oldest manuscripts omit "you." Many of the oldest versions and Fathers and old manuscripts read, "in us all." Whether the pronoun be read or not, it must be understood (either from the "ye," Ep 4:4, or from the "us," Ep 4:7); for other parts of Scripture prove that the Spirit is not "in all" men, but only in believers (Ro 8:9, 14). God is "Father" both by generation (as Creator) and regeneration (Ep 2:10; Jas 1:17, 18; 1Jo 5:1).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 6. One God. The same God; therefore there should be unity. Were there many gods to be worshipped, there could be no more hope of unity than there is among the worshippers of Mammon and Bacchus, and the various other idols that men set up. Men who have different pursuits, and different objects of supreme affection, can be expected to have no union. Men who worship many gods, cannot hope to be united. Their affections are directed to different objects, and there is no harmony or sympathy of feeling. But where there is one supreme object of attachment, there may be expected to be unity. The children of a family that are devoted to a parent will be united among themselves; and the fact, that all Christians have the same great object of worship, should constitute a strong bond of union among themselves--a chain always kept bright.

The Father of all. One God who is the Father of all; that is, who is a common Father to all who believe. That this refers to the Father, in contradistinction from the Son and the Holy Spirit, seems evident. The Spirit and the Son are mentioned in the previous verses. But the fact, that the "Father of all" is mentioned as "God," does not prove that the Spirit and the Son are not also endowed with Divine attributes. That question is to be determined by the attributes ascribed to the Son and the Holy Spirit in other places. All sincere Christians worship one God, and but one. But they suppose that this one God subsists as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, united in a mysterious manner, and constituting THE one God, and that there is no other God. That the Father is Divine they all hold, as Paul affirms here; that the Son and the Holy Spirit are also Divine they also hold. Jn 1:1; Heb 1:1; Php 2:6; Rom 9:5. The meaning here is, that God is the common Father of all his people--of the rich and the poor; the bond and the free; the learned and the unlearned. He is no respecter of persons. Nothing would tend more to overcome the prejudices of colour, rank, and wealth, than to feel that we all have one Father; and that we are all equally the objects of his favour. Comp. Acts 17:26.

Who is above all. Who is supreme; who presides over all things.

And through all. He pervades universal nature, and his agency is seen everywhere.

And in you all. There is no one in whose heart he does not dwell. You are his temple; and he abides in you. See Eph 2:22. 1Cor 6:19. The argument here is, that as the same God dwelt in every heart, they ought to be one. See this argument beautifully expressed in the Saviour's prayer, Jn 17:21. Comp. Jn 14:23.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 One God - The fountain of all being, self-existent and eternal; and Father of all, both Jews and Gentiles, because he is the Father of the spirits of all flesh. Who is above all - Ὁ επι παντων· Who is over all; as the King of kings, and Lord of lords. And through all - Pervading every thing; being present with every thing; providing for all creatures; and by his energy supporting all things. And in you all - By the energy of his Spirit, enlightening, quickening, purifying, and comforting; in a word, making your hearts the temples of the Holy Ghost. Some think the mystery of the blessed Trinity is contained in this verse: God is over all, as Father; through all, by the Logos or Word; and in all, by the Holy Spirit.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ephesians 4:1-6

Nothing is pressed more earnestly in the Scriptures, than to walk as becomes those called to Christ's kingdom and glory. By lowliness, understand humility, which is opposed to pride. By meekness, that excellent disposition of soul, which makes men unwilling to provoke, and not easily to be provoked or offended. We find much in ourselves for which we can hardly forgive ourselves; therefore we must not be surprised if…

Read the full comment on Ephesians 4:1-6 →

Ephesians 4:6 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

εἷςheisoneG1520
θεὸςtheosGodG2316
καὶkaiandG2532
πατὴρpatērFatherG3962
πάντων,pantōnof all,G3956
ὁhowho [is]G3588
ἐπὶepioverG1909
πάντωνpantōnallG3956
καὶkaiandG2532
διὰdiathroughG1223
πάντωνpantōnall [times]G3956
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐνeninG1722
πᾶσινpasinallG3956
ὑμῖν.huminin you.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ephesians 4:6

  • Romans 11:36

    For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

  • 1 Corinthians 8:6

    But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

  • Malachi 2:10

    Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

  • Galatians 3:26-28

    For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There 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.

  • Galatians 4:3-7

    Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. …

  • Revelation 4:8-11

    And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

  • John 20:17

    Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

  • 1 John 3:24

    And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

  • Matthew 6:9

    After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

  • 1 John 4:12-15

    No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:16

    And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:6

    And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
God.
6:23; Nu 16:22; Isa 63:16; Mal 2:10; Mt 6:9; Joh 20:17; 1Co 8:6; 12:6
Ga 3:26-28; 4:3-7; 1Jo 3:1-3
who.
1:21; Ge 14:19; 1Ch 29:11,12; Ps 95:3; Isa 40:11-17,21-23
Jer 10:10-13; Da 4:34,35; 5:18-23; Mt 6:13; Ro 11:36; Re 4:8-11
and in.
2:22; 3:17; Joh 14:23; 17:26; 2Co 6:16; 1Jo 3:24; 4:12-15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ephesians 4:5

    One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

  • Ephesians 4:6

    One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

  • Ephesians 4:7

    But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Read all of Ephesians 4

Ephesians 4:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Un Dios y Padre de todos, el cual es sobre todas las cosas, y por todas las cosas, y en todos vosotros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il y a un seul Dieu et Père de tous, qui est au-dessus de tout, et partout, et en nous tous.
German
Elberfelder 1871		ein Gott und Vater aller, der da ist über allen und durch alle und in uns allen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Unus Deus et Pater omnium, qui est super omnes, et per omnia, et in omnibus nobis.