Ephesians 4:14 (KJV)

What does Ephesians 4:14 mean?

Ephesians 4:14 describes the danger of being easily led by changing teachings and by people who use deception. The verse presents steadiness and maturity as the alternative to being vulnerable to those influences.

The picture is of a small vessel rocked by waves and driven in different directions by the wind. Following the description of maturity in verse 13, Paul uses that image to show what he means by being “no more children.”

The Greek behind Ephesians 4:14

• “children” — νήπιοι (nēpioi): The Greek word refers to young children or infants. Here it pictures people at an early stage of growth, rather than naming an age group.
• “sleight” — κυβείᾳ (kybeia): The word carries the sense of dice-playing and can suggest trickery. It adds the picture of people manipulating a game to their own advantage.
• “wait” — μεθοδείαν (methodeian): The Greek carries the sense of a planned method or scheme. The phrase “lie in wait to deceive” portrays deception as something deliberately arranged.

Why Ephesians 4:14 matters

• The verse draws attention to the people behind some teachings, not just to the teachings themselves. “Sleight of men” and “cunning craftiness” describe human conduct as part of the danger.
• The passage sets the image of a child alongside the goal of growing up. Verse 13 speaks of reaching maturity, and verse 15 continues with the picture of growing up into Christ.
• Paul pairs deception with a contrasting way of speaking. After the warning about those who “lie in wait to deceive,” verse 15 speaks of “speaking the truth in love.”