Ephesians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:
To Christ’s People at Ephesus who are faithful to him, from Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God.
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Blessed is the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has blessed us on high with every spiritual blessing, in Christ.
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,
For he chose us in our union with Christ before the creation of the universe, that we might be holy and blameless in his sight, living in the spirit of love.
5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,
From the first he destined us, in his good-will towards us, to be adopted as Sons through Jesus Christ,
6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved.
and so to enhance that glorious manifestation of his loving-kindness which he gave us in The Beloved;
7 In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace
for in him, and through the shedding of his blood, we have found redemption in the pardon of our offences.
8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
All this accords with the loving-kindness which God lavished upon us, accompanied by countless gifts of wisdom and discernment,
9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
when he made known to us his hidden purpose. And it also accords with the good-will which God purposed to exhibit in Christ,
10 to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him.
in view of that Divine Order which was to mark the completion of the ages, when he should make everything, both in Heaven and on earth, centre in him.
11 We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will,
In him, I say, for by our union with him we became God’s Heritage, having from the first been destined for this in the intention of him who, in all that happens, is carrying out his own fixed purpose;
12 to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ.
that we should enhance his glory — we who have been the first to rest our hopes on the Christ.
13 In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
And you, too, by your union with him, after you had heard the Message of the Truth, the Good News of your Salvation — you believed in him and were sealed as his by receiving the holy Spirit, which he had promised.
14 who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
And the Spirit is a pledge of our future heritage, fore-shadowing the full redemption of God’s own People — to enhance his Glory.
15 For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you and the love which you have toward all the saints,
And therefore I, ever since I heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which prevails among you, and of your confidence in all Christ’s People,
16 don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,
have never omitted to thank God on your behalf, whenever I make mention of you in my prayers.
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,
My prayer is that the God of Jesus Christ our Lord, the all-glorious Father, may inspire you with wisdom and true insight through a fuller knowledge of himself;
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
that your minds may be so enlightened that you may realise the hope given by God’s Call, the wealth of the glory of his heritage among Christ’s People,
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
and the transcendent greatness of the power which he is able to exercise in dealing with us who believe in him.
20 which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
The same mighty power was exerted upon the Christ, when he raised the Christ from the dead and ‘caused him to sit at his right hand’ on high, exalting him above all Angels and Archangels of every rank,
21 far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. (aiōn g165)
and above every name that can be named, whether in the present age, or in the age to come. (aiōn g165)
22 He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,
And God placed ‘all things under Christ’s feet,’ and gave him to the Church as its supreme Head;
23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
for the Church is Christ’s Body, and is filled by him who fills all things everywhere with his presence.
