Ephesians 3-6

English Standard Version

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

3 For this reason I, Paul, ^(A)a prisoner of Christ Jesus ^(B)on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of ^(C)the stewardship of ^(D)God's grace that was given to me for you, ^3 (E)how the mystery was made known to me ^(F)by revelation, ^(G)as I have written briefly. ^4 (H)When you read this, you can perceive my insight into ^(I)the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. ⁶ This mystery is^[a] that the Gentiles are ^(J)fellow heirs, ^(K)members of the same body, and ^(L)partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

^7 (M)Of this gospel I was made ^(N)a minister according to the gift of ^(O)God's grace, which was given me ^(P)by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, ^(Q)though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, ^(R)to preach to the Gentiles the ^(S)unsearchable ^(T)riches of Christ, ⁹ and ^(U)to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery ^(V)hidden for ages in^[b] God, ^(W)who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold ^(X)wisdom of God ^(Y)might now be made known to ^(Z)the rulers and authorities ^(AA)in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was ^(AB)according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have ^(AC)boldness and ^(AD)access with ^(AE)confidence through our ^(AF)faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering ^(AG)for you, ^(AH)which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom ^(AI)every family^[c] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to ^(AJ)the riches of his glory ^(AK)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit ^(AL)in your inner being, ^17 (AM)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being ^(AN)rooted and ^(AO)grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to ^(AP)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and ^(AQ)height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ ^(AR)that surpasses knowledge, that ^(AS)you may be filled with all ^(AT)the fullness of God.

^20 (AU)Now to ^(AV)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, ^(AW)according to the power at work within us, ^21 (AX)to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Unity in the Body of Christ

4 I therefore, ^(AY)a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to ^(AZ)walk in a manner worthy of ^(BA)the calling to which you have been called, ² with all ^(BB)humility and ^(BC)gentleness, with ^(BD)patience, ^(BE)bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in ^(BF)the bond of peace. ⁴ There is ^(BG)one body and ^(BH)one Spirit—just as you were called to the one ^(BI)hope that belongs to your call— ^5 (BJ)one Lord, ^(BK)one faith, ^(BL)one baptism, ^6 (BM)one God and Father of all, ^(BN)who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷ But ^(BO)grace was given ^(BP)to each one of us ^(BQ)according to the measure of Christ's gift. ⁸ Therefore it says,

⁹ (^(BT)In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into ^(BU)the lower regions, the earth?^{[e] 10} He who descended is the one who also ^(BV)ascended ^(BW)far above all the heavens, that he might ^(BX)fill all things.) ¹¹ And ^(BY)he gave the ^(BZ)apostles, the prophets, the ^(CA)evangelists, the ^(CB)shepherds^[f] and teachers,^{[g] 12 (CC)}to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for ^(CD)building up ^(CE)the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to ^(CF)the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, ^(CG)to mature manhood,^[h] to the measure of the stature of ^(CH)the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, ^(CI)tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in ^(CJ)deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, ^(CK)speaking the truth in love, we are to ^(CL)grow up in every way into him who is ^(CM)the head, into Christ, ^16 (CN)from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, ^(CO)when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

The New Life

¹⁷ Now this I say and ^(CP)testify in the Lord, ^(CQ)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, ^(CR)in the futility of their minds. ¹⁸ They ^(CS)are darkened in their understanding, ^(CT)alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to ^(CU)their hardness of heart. ¹⁹ They ^(CV)have become callous and ^(CW)have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. ²⁰ But that is not the way you ^(CX)learned Christ!— ²¹ assuming that ^(CY)you have heard about him and ^(CZ)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²² to ^(DA)put off ^(DB)your old self,^[i] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through ^(DC)deceitful desires, ²³ and ^(DD)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on ^(DE)the new self, ^(DF)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵ Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you ^(DG)speak the truth with his neighbor, for ^(DH)we are members one of another. ^26 (DI)Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and ^(DJ)give no opportunity to the devil. ²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal, but rather ^(DK)let him labor, ^(DL)doing honest work with his own hands, so ^(DM)that he may have something to share with anyone in need. ^29 (DN)Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give ^(DO)grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And ^(DP)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^(DQ)by whom you were sealed for the day of ^(DR)redemption. ^31 (DS)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. ^32 (DT)Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ^(DU)forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Walk in Love

5 ^(DV)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And ^(DW)walk in love, ^(DX)as Christ loved us and ^(DY)gave himself up for us, a ^(DZ)fragrant ^(EA)offering and sacrifice to God.

³ But ^(EB)sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness ^(EC)must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. ⁴ Let there be ^(ED)no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, ^(EE)which are out of place, but instead ^(EF)let there be thanksgiving. ⁵ For you may be sure of this, that ^(EG)everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (^(EH)that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ^6 (EI)Let no one ^(EJ)deceive you with empty words, for because of these things ^(EK)the wrath of God comes upon ^(EL)the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore ^(EM)do not become partners with them; ⁸ for ^(EN)at one time you were ^(EO)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. ^(EP)Walk as children of light ⁹ (for ^(EQ)the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and ^(ER)try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ^11 (ES)Take no part in the ^(ET)unfruitful ^(EU)works of darkness, but instead ^(EV)expose them. ¹² For ^(EW)it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. ¹³ But when ^(EX)anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, ¹⁴ for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

^15 (FB)Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ^16 (FC)making the best use of the time, because ^(FD)the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what ^(FE)the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And ^(FF)do not get drunk with wine, for that is ^(FG)debauchery, but ^(FH)be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in ^(FI)psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ^20 (FJ)giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father ^(FK)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^21 (FL)submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives and Husbands

^22 (FM)Wives, ^(FN)submit to your own husbands, ^(FO)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(FP)the husband is the head of the wife even as ^(FQ)Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is ^(FR)himself its Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit ^(FS)in everything to their husbands.

^25 (FT)Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and ^(FU)gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by ^(FV)the washing of water ^(FW)with the word, ²⁷ so ^(FX)that he might present the church to himself in splendor, ^(FY)without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.^{[j] 28} In the same way ^(FZ)husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because ^(GA)we are members of his body. ^31 (GB)“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and ^(GC)the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. ³³ However, ^(GD)let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she ^(GE)respects her husband.

Children and Parents

6 ^(GF)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ^2 (GG)“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), ³ “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” ⁴ Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, ^(GH)but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Bondservants and Masters

^5 (GI)Bondservants,^[k] obey your earthly masters^[l] with fear and trembling, ^(GJ)with a sincere heart, ^(GK)as you would Christ, ⁶ not by the way of eye-service, as ^(GL)people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷ rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, ^8 (GM)knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, ^(GN)whether he is a bondservant or is free. ⁹ Masters, do the same to them, ^(GO)and stop your threatening, knowing that ^(GP)he who is both their Master^[m] and yours is in heaven, and that ^(GQ)there is no partiality with him.

The Whole Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, ^(GR)be strong in the Lord and in ^(GS)the strength of his might. ^11 (GT)Put on ^(GU)the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against ^(GV)the schemes of the devil. ¹² For ^(GW)we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against ^(GX)the rulers, against the authorities, against ^(GY)the cosmic powers over ^(GZ)this present darkness, against ^(HA)the spiritual forces of evil ^(HB)in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore ^(HC)take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in ^(HD)the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, ^(HE)having fastened on the belt of truth, and ^(HF)having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, ^(HG)as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up ^(HH)the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all ^(HI)the flaming darts of ^(HJ)the evil one; ¹⁷ and take ^(HK)the helmet of salvation, and ^(HL)the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying ^(HM)at all times ^(HN)in the Spirit, ^(HO)with all prayer and supplication. To that end, ^(HP)keep alert with all perseverance, making ^(HQ)supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹ and ^(HR)also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth ^(HS)boldly to proclaim ^(HT)the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I ^(HU)am an ambassador ^(HV)in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Final Greetings

^21 (HW)So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, ^(HX)Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. ²² I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may ^(HY)encourage your hearts.

^23 (HZ)Peace be to the brothers,^[n] and ^(IA)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Grace be with all who ^(IB)love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.