and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Ephesians 2:16
What does Ephesians 2:16 mean?
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Ephesians 2:16
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The verse highlights that through the cross, Christ didn't just mend the division between Jews and Gentiles; he killed the hostility itself, making reconciliation with God possible in a unified body. This implies that the cross deals a death blow not only to the earthly conflicts between people but also to the deeper spiritual enmity separating humanity from God.
and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is explaining how Christ's death bridges the gap between Jewish and Gentile believers, making them one. Before this, the hostility between these groups, stemming from their differing religious and cultural backgrounds and amplified by the Mosaic Law, kept them separated from God and each other. Christ's sacrifice on the cross is presented as the means by which this deep-seated hostility is destroyed, enabling both groups to be reconciled to God and united in one spiritual body.
We often talk about Jesus bringing peace between people, but this verse points to something even deeper. What is the ultimate goal of Christ's work?
Ephesians 2:16 highlights that Jesus' death on the cross achieves more than just harmony between groups. The primary focus is on reconciling both Jews and Gentiles to God. This isn't just about reducing conflict; it's about restoring a broken relationship with the Creator Himself. Think of it like a deep family rift being healed, not just a surface-level disagreement smoothed over. The hostility was ultimately directed towards God, and Christ's sacrifice is the divine solution.
The cross didn't just broker peace; it actively 'killed' something. What was this hostility, and how did the cross destroy it?
The phrase 'killing the hostility' is powerful. It refers to the deep-seated enmity that separated humanity from God, and also the division between Jews and Gentiles. The cross, through Christ's sacrificial death, didn't just lessen this hostility; it slayed it. This means it put an end to its power and reign. It was through the death of Christ, in His body, that these barriers were demolished. This act removed the obstacles that stood between us and a holy God, making a new relationship possible.
Reconciliation wasn't meant to lead to scattered individuals, but to a unified whole. What does it mean to be 'in one body'?
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The ultimate purpose of this reconciliation is expressed in the phrase 'in one body.' This points to the Church – the community of believers, made up of both Jews and Gentiles. Christ's work on the cross didn't just save individuals; it created a new, unified humanity. This 'one body' signifies a radical unity that transcends former divisions of ethnicity, culture, or religion. It's in this shared identity, united by Christ's sacrifice, that both groups are brought back to God.
Understand the original words
apokatallassō · Greek Verb
To bring back into harmony, restore to favor, or mend a broken relationship, specifically between God and humanity or between estranged groups. It implies a change from a state of enmity to a state of peace through the intervention of a mediator.
stauros · Greek Noun
The instrument of Christ's death; a symbol of both the ultimate penalty for sin and the mechanism of divine atonement. It signifies the place where God's justice and love met, resulting in the justification of believers.
echthra · Greek Noun
Deep-seated enmity, opposition, or antagonism. In a biblical context, it refers to the state of broken relationship caused by sin, whether between God and humans or between different groups of people.
Ephesians 2:16 speaks of Christ reconciling 'both' (Jew and Gentile) to God through the cross. This act fundamentally dealt with the deep-seated hostility between humanity and God, and also the strife between Jews and Gentiles, which was a major barrier in the early church.
c. 33 AD— this verse
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
Jesus is crucified, an event that scholars understand as the central act of atonement and reconciliation for humanity's sins.
c. 33 - 60 AD
Early Spread of Christianity
The Gospel message begins to spread from Jerusalem, reaching both Jewish and Gentile communities throughout the Roman Empire.
c. 50 AD
Council of Jerusalem
A pivotal gathering where early church leaders debated and decided that Gentile converts did not need to follow all Mosaic laws, easing tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers.
c. 62 AD
Writing of Ephesians
The Apostle Paul, likely imprisoned in Rome, writes the Epistle to the Ephesians, addressing themes of unity and reconciliation within the church.
This passage describes God reconciling all things to himself through Christ's blood on the cross, echoing the idea of cosmic reconciliation through Christ's sacrifice found in Ephesians 2:16.
Romans 5:10It states that believers were reconciled to God by the death of his Son while still enemies, highlighting the propitiatory work of Christ that makes reconciliation possible, as mentioned in Ephesians 2:16.
2 Corinthians 5:18This verse speaks of God giving to believers the ministry of reconciliation, showing that reconciliation with God is a central theme of the gospel that Christ's work on the cross accomplishes.
Galatians 3:28This verse declares that in Christ there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, highlighting the unity in Christ that is a result of the reconciliation described in Ephesians 2:16.
Isaiah 57:19This Old Testament prophecy speaks of peace to the far and near, indicating God's desire for reconciliation and peace for all peoples, a theme fulfilled in Christ's work in Ephesians 2:16.
vincentEphesians 2:16: "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:"
Might reconcile (ἀποκαταλλάξῃ)Only here and Colossians 1:20, Colossians 1:21. See on Colossians 1:20. The new man precedes the reconciling in Paul's statement, though, as a fact, the order is the reverse. The verb contains a hint of restoration to a primal unity. See on Ephesians 2:12.Thereby (ἐν αὐτῷ)Or upon it - the cross.
meyerEphesians 2:16: "And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:"
Ephesians 2:16 . Continuation of the sentence expressive of the design. Christ has by His death done away with the law, in order to make the Jew and the Gentile into one new man ( Ephesians 2:15 ), and (and consequently) so to accomplish the reconciliation of both with God, that they should as one body be reconciled with God through the cross, after He has slain thereon the enm…
The verse highlights that through the cross, Christ didn't just mend the division between Jews and Gentiles; he killed the hostility itself, making reconciliation with God possible in a unified body. This implies that the cross deals a death blow not only to the earthly conflicts between people but also to the deeper spiritual enmity separating humanity from God.
Paul is explaining how Christ's death bridges the gap between Jewish and Gentile believers, making them one. Before this, the hostility between these groups, stemming from their differing religious and cultural backgrounds and amplified by the Mosaic Law, kept them separated from God and each other. Christ's sacrifice on the cross is presented as the means by which this deep-seated hostility is destroyed, enabling both groups to be reconciled to God and united in one spiritual body.
Paul is explaining how Christ's death bridges the gap between Jewish and Gentile believers, making them one. Before this, the hostility between these groups, stemming from their differing religious and cultural backgrounds and amplified by the Mosaic Law, kept them separated from God and each other. Christ's sacrifice on the cross is presented as the means by which this deep-seated hostility is destroyed, enabling both groups to be reconciled to God and united in one spiritual body.
"and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility." — The verse highlights that through the cross, Christ didn't just mend the division between Jews and Gentiles; he killed the hostility itself, making reconciliation with God possible in a unified bod…
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Last reviewed October 2026