Ephesians 1-3 (English Standard Version)

Ephesians 1

Greeting

 ¹Paul,^(A) an apostle of Christ Jesus^(B) by the will of God,

   

   To the saints who are in Ephesus, and^(C) are faithful^[a] in Christ Jesus:

 ^2(D) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

 ^3(E) Blessed be^(F) the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing^(G) in the heavenly places, ^4(H) even as he^(I) chose us in him^(J) before the foundation of the world, that we should be^(K) holy and blameless before him. In love ^5(L) he predestined us^[b] for^(M) adoption as sons through Jesus Christ,^(N) according to the purpose of his will, ^6(O) to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in^(P) the Beloved. ^7(Q) In him we have^(R) redemption^(S) through his blood,^(T) the forgiveness of our trespasses,^(U) according to the riches of his grace, ⁸which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ^9(V) making known^[c] to us the mystery of his will,^(W) according to his purpose, which he^(X) set forth in Christ ¹⁰as a plan for^(Y) the fullness of time,^(Z) to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

 ¹¹In him we have obtained^(AA) an inheritance,^(AB) having been predestined^(AC) according to the purpose of him who works all things according to^(AD) the counsel of his will, ¹²so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be^(AE) to the praise of his glory. ¹³In him you also, when you heard^(AF) the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him,^(AG) were sealed with the^(AH) promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is^(AI) the guarantee^[d] of our^(AJ) inheritance until^(AK) we acquire^(AL) possession of it,^[e](AM) to the praise of his glory.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

 ¹⁵For this reason,^(AN) because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love^[f] toward all the saints, ¹⁶I^(AO) do not cease to give thanks for you,^(AP) remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷that^(AQ) the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,^(AR) may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ^18(AS) having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is^(AT) the hope to which he has called you, what are^(AU) the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,^(AV) according to the working of^(AW) his great might ²⁰that he worked in Christ^(AX) when he raised him from the dead and^(AY) seated him at his right hand^(AZ) in the heavenly places, ^21(BA) far above^(BB) all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above^(BC) every name that is named, not only in^(BD) this age but also in the one to come. ²²And^(BE) he put all things under his feet and gave him as^(BF) head over all things to the church, ^23(BG) which is his body,^(BH) the fullness of him^(BI) who fills^(BJ) all in all.

Ephesians 2

By Grace Through Faith

 ^1(BK) And you were^(BL) dead in the trespasses and sins ^2(BM) in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following^(BN) the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in^(BO) the sons of disobedience— ³among whom we all once lived in^(BP) the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body^[g] and the mind, and^(BQ) were by nature^(BR) children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴But^[h] God, being^(BS) rich in mercy,^(BT) because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵even^(BU) when we were dead in our trespasses,^(BV) made us alive together with Christ—^(BW) by grace you have been saved— ⁶and raised us up with him and^(BX) seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable^(BY) riches of his grace in^(BZ) kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For^(CA) by grace you have been saved^(CB) through faith. And this is^(CC) not your own doing;^(CD) it is the gift of God, ^9(CE) not a result of works,^(CF) so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For^(CG) we are his workmanship,^(CH) created in Christ Jesus^(CI) for good works,^(CJ) which God prepared beforehand,^(CK) that we should walk in them.

One in Christ

 ¹¹Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called^(CL) the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— ¹²remember^(CM) that you were at that time separated from Christ,^(CN) alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to^(CO) the covenants of promise,^(CP) having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were^(CQ) far off have been brought near^(CR) by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴For^(CS) he himself is our peace,^(CT) who has made us both one and has broken down^(CU) in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in^(CV) ordinances, that he might create in himself one^(CW) new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶and might^(CX) reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷And he came and^(CY) preached peace to you who were^(CZ) far off and peace to those who were^(DA) near. ¹⁸For^(DB) through him we both have^(DC) access in^(DD) one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹So then you are no longer^(DE) strangers and aliens,^[i] but you are^(DF) fellow citizens with the saints and^(DG) members of the household of God, ^20(DH) built on the foundation of the^(DI) apostles and prophets,^(DJ) Christ Jesus himself being^(DK) the cornerstone, ^21(DL) in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into^(DM) a holy temple in the Lord. ²²In him^(DN) you also are being built together^(DO) into a dwelling place for God by^[j] the Spirit.

Ephesians 3

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

 ¹For this reason I, Paul,^(DP) a prisoner for Christ Jesus^(DQ) on behalf of you Gentiles— ²assuming that you have heard of^(DR) the stewardship of^(DS) God’s grace that was given to me for you, ^3(DT) how the mystery was made known to me^(DU) by revelation,^(DV) as I have written briefly. ^4(DW) When you read this, you can perceive my insight into^(DX) the mystery of Christ, ⁵which 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. ⁶This mystery is^[k] that the Gentiles are^(DY) fellow heirs,^(DZ) members of the same body, and^(EA) partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

 ^7(EB) Of this gospel I was made^(EC) a minister according to the gift of^(ED) God’s grace, which was given me^(EE) by the working of his power. ⁸To me,^(EF) though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given,^(EG) to preach to the Gentiles the^(EH) unsearchable^(EI) riches of Christ, ⁹and^(EJ) to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery^(EK) hidden for ages in^[l] God^(EL) who created all things, ¹⁰so that through the church the manifold^(EM) wisdom of God^(EN) might now be made known to^(EO) the rulers and authorities^(EP) in the heavenly places. ¹¹This was^(EQ) according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹²in whom we have^(ER) boldness and^(ES) access with^(ET) confidence through our^(EU) faith in him. ¹³So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering^(EV) for you,^(EW) which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

 ¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵from whom^(EX) every family^[m] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶that according to^(EY) the riches of his glory^(EZ) he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit^(FA) in your inner being, ^17(FB) so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being^(FC) rooted and^(FD) grounded in love, ¹⁸may have strength to^(FE) comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and^(FF) height and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of Christ^(FG) that surpasses knowledge, that^(FH) you may be filled with all^(FI) the fullness of God.

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