Devine Scripture

Ephesians 4:14

What does Ephesians 4:14 mean?

A plain-English look at Ephesians 4:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Ephesians 4:14 means

Maturity protects against gullibility. Without growth, believers remain children—easily tossed like a boat by waves or spun by shifting winds of teaching. False teachings vary, but their effect is the same: instability. Behind them are cunning people who use trickery and craftiness, deploying error with attractive wiles. The antidote is not cynicism but growth in sound doctrine and discernment. Churches grounded in truth and trained by faithful leaders are steadied. Paul wants believers to move from spiritual childhood to adulthood, able to distinguish truth from error and resist manipulation. Christ’s gifts (verses 11–12) are given precisely so that the body will not be prey to deceit.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

So that we may be no longer children, sent this way and that, turned about by every wind of teaching, by the twisting and tricks of men, by the deceits of error;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

that we may no more be babes, tossed and borne about by every wind of the teaching, in the sleight of men, in craftiness, unto the artifice of leading astray,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

That henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the wickedness of men, by cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

in order that we may be no longer babes, tossed and carried about by every wind of that teaching [which is] in the sleight of men, in unprincipled cunning with a view to systematized error;

Context

After stating the goal of maturity (verse 13), Paul warns of the stakes: without it, the church is vulnerable to doctrinal storms and deceptive teachers. This negative picture sets up the positive approach in verse 15—speaking truth in love—and the organic growth imagery in verse 16. The argument remains cohesive: Christ gives leaders to equip; equipping produces maturity; maturity guards against error and fosters a loving, truthful community that grows up into Christ.

v.13till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

v.14This passage

v.15but speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ;

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • 1 Corinthians 3:1

    And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ.

  • Matthew 24:11

    And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray.

  • Hebrews 5:12

    For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:3

    But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:9

    even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

  • 1 John 2:19

    They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us.

Related questions readers ask

Keep reading

Want to dig deeper? Explore Ephesians 4

Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Ephesians 4.

Keep exploring

Follow this verse across Scripture

Topics, devotionals, original-language word studies, and figures connected to Ephesians 4:14.

Browse every hub

BibleTopicsBible answersDevotionalsFamous passagesWord studiesPeoplePlacesVerses for…Reading plansCommentary