Ephesians 2:13
in Ephesians 2But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But now in Christ Jesus ye that once were far off are made nigh in the blood of Christ.
KJV
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
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This verse in Ephesians 2
Commentary
4 notes on this verseAnd everywhere, when [referring to] the passion of our Lord, and to His human nature, and His subjection to death, he employs the name of Christ, as in that passage: "Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died." And again: "But now, in Christ, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." And again: "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth upon a tree."
This site's exposition
made nigh by the blood of Christ
Far off and made nigh is the synagogue's own language for the Gentile brought in; the rabbis spoke of making a proselyte nigh under the wings of the Shekinah, and Isaiah 57:19, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near, stands behind the verse and will be quoted at verse 17. What brings near is neither circumcision nor the proselyte's bath but the blood of Christ. The verse is the letter's atonement in one line.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
But now, in Christ Jesus - By the coming and atonement of the Lord Jesus, and by the gospel which he preached. Ye who sometimes were afar off - Who were “formerly” - ποτὲ pote Tyndale translates it, “a whyle agoo.” The phrase “afar off” - μακρὰν makran - means that they were formerly far off from God and his people. The expression is derived from the custom of speaking among the Hebrews. God was supposed to reside in the temple. It was a privilege to be near the temple.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Far off from God and from the people of God (Eph 2:17; Ac 2:39). are--Greek, "have been." by--Greek, "in." Thus "the blood of Christ" is made the seal of a covenant IN which their nearness to God consists. In Eph 1:7, where the blood is more directly spoken of as the instrument, it is "through His blood" [ALFORD].
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| νυνὶ | nuni | Now | G3570 → | |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Χριστῷ | christo | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| ὑμεῖς | humeis | you yourselves | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| οἵ | oi | the [ones] | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ποτε | pote | once | G4218 → | 54 times |
| ὄντες | ontes | being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| μακρὰν | makran | far off | G3112 → | |
| ἐγενήθητε | egenethete | have become | G1096 → | 667 times |
| ἐγγὺς | engus | near | G1451 → | |
| ἐν | en | by | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἵματι | aimati | blood | G129 → | 97 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Χριστοῦ. | christou | of Christ. | G5547 → | 523 times |
νυνὶNow
nuniG3570 →
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ΧριστῷChrist
christoG5547 →523 times
ἸησοῦJesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
ὑμεῖςyou yourselves
humeisG4771 →2973 times
οἵthe [ones]
oiG3739 →1405 times
ποτεonce
poteG4218 →54 times
ὄντεςbeing
ontesG1510 →2333 times
μακρὰνfar off
makranG3112 →
ἐγενήθητεhave become
egenetheteG1096 →667 times
ἐγγὺςnear
engusG1451 →
ἐνby
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
αἵματιblood
aimatiG129 →97 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
Χριστοῦ.of Christ.
christouG5547 →523 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 6:11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
- Colossians 3:5–7
Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.
- 1 Corinthians 1:2
To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their…
- Romans 6:17–19
But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed.
- Acts 22:16
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’
- 1 Corinthians 1:30
Through
Acts 2:39This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and currents on the dry ground. I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
- Romans 8:30
And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
- Genesis 17:7–8
I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
- Isaiah 44:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
On this verse
About Ephesians

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book III and Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible.
