Bible Strands
Ephesians 1:23
which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul, writing to the Ephesian church, closes his doxology (vv. 3–14) by identifying what the church is in relation to Christ.
The words — plērōma (πλήρωμα) is more than "completeness"; in Paul it denotes the full measure of divine reality, as in Col 2:9 where the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.
The thread — Col 1:18 pairs "head of the body, the church" with "fullness" (v. 19); John 1:16 uses the same plērōma for what believers receive from Christ.
Why it lands — The verse fixes the church's identity: it is not an institution Paul is describing but the very body of the One who fills all in all, so the reader's place is inside that fullness, not outside it.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Cross-references
- Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.
- John 1:16 From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
- Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.
- Ephesians 4:12 to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ,
- Ephesians 3:19 of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
- Ephesians 4:10 He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.
- 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all.
- Colossians 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, which is the church.
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ.
- Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.