葡萄园之歌

我要为我所爱的歌唱,唱一首有关他葡萄园的歌:

我所爱的在肥美的山冈上有一个葡萄园。
他松土,清除石头,
栽种了上好的葡萄,
在园中建了一座瞭望塔,
凿了榨酒池。
他期望收获好葡萄,
得到的却是坏葡萄。

他说,“耶路撒冷和犹大的居民啊,
请你们在我和葡萄园之间评评理。
我不遗余力地料理葡萄园,
希望得到好葡萄,
为什么得到的只是坏葡萄呢?

“现在,我告诉你们我会怎样处理这葡萄园,
我要除去篱笆,任它被毁坏;
我要拆毁围墙,任它被践踏。
我不再修剪,不再锄地,
也不再降雨,
任由它荒废,长满荆棘和蒺藜。”

万军之耶和华的葡萄园就是以色列,
祂所喜爱的葡萄树就是犹大人。
祂希望看到公平,
却只看见杀戮;
指望看到公义,
却只听见冤声。

以色列的罪恶

那些不断建房置田、占光土地、
独居其中的人有祸了!
我亲耳听到万军之耶和华说:
“许多富丽堂皇的房屋必荒废,无人居住。
10 三十亩葡萄园只产二十升酒,
二百公斤种子只产二十公斤粮食。”

11 那些从清早到深夜贪杯好酒,
喝到酩酊大醉的人有祸了!
12 席上,他们在琴、瑟、鼓、笛声中饮酒作乐,
却毫不理会耶和华的作为。

13 所以,我的子民必因无知而被掳。
他们的贵族无饼充饥,
民众无水解渴。
14 阴间必食欲膨胀,
张开大口吞噬耶路撒冷的首领、群众和宴乐之人。
15 世人遭贬,降为卑下,
狂妄者眼目低垂。
16 唯有万军之耶和华因祂的公正而受尊崇,
圣洁的上帝借公义彰显自己的圣洁。
17 那时,羊群在那里吃草,
如在自己的草场,
寄居者在富人的荒场上进食。

18 那些用虚假作绳子扯来罪恶,
用套绳拉来邪恶的人有祸了!
19 他们说:“让上帝快点完成祂的工作,
好让我们看看;
让以色列的圣者早点实现祂的计划,
好让我们知道。”
20 那些善恶不分、黑白颠倒、
甜苦不辨的人有祸了!
21 那些自以为聪明、睿智的人有祸了!
22 那些以豪饮称霸、善于调酒的人有祸了!
23 他们贪赃枉法,坑害无辜。

24 他们的根必朽烂,
花朵如飞尘飘落,
就像火焰吞灭禾秸,烧尽干草,
因为他们厌弃以色列之圣者的训诲,
藐视万军之耶和华的言语。
25 耶和华向祂的子民发怒,
伸手击打他们。
山岭震动,
他们横尸街头,犹如粪土。
然而,祂的怒气还没有止息,
祂降罚的手没有收回。
26 祂必竖起旗帜召集远方的国家,
吹哨叫来地极的人。
看啊,他们必飞速而来!
27 他们无人疲倦,无人踉跄,
无人打盹,无人睡觉,
都腰带紧束,鞋带未断。
28 他们的利箭上弦,引弓待发;
他们的马蹄坚如岩石,
车轮快如旋风。
29 他们吼叫如狮子,
像猛狮般咆哮着捕食,
将猎物叼走,无人能救。
30 那日,他们必向以色列咆哮,
如怒海澎湃。
人若观看大地,
只见黑暗和艰难,
光明被密云遮盖。

上帝呼召以赛亚

乌西雅王驾崩那年,我看见主坐在高高的宝座上,衣袍下垂,覆盖了圣殿。 在祂上方侍立着撒拉弗天使,他们各有三对翅膀:一对遮脸,一对遮脚,一对飞翔。 他们彼此呼喊:

“圣哉,圣哉,圣哉,
万军之耶和华!
祂的荣耀充满大地。”

他们的声音震动圣殿的根基,圣殿里烟云弥漫。 那时我说:“我有祸了!我要灭亡了!因为我口出不洁之言,又住在口出不洁之言的人群中,并且亲眼看见了大君王——万军之耶和华。” 有个撒拉弗天使用火钳从祭坛上取了一块燃烧的炭,飞到我面前, 用炭碰我的嘴唇,说:“看啊,这炭碰了你的嘴唇,你的过犯已被除掉,你的罪恶已被赦免。” 然后,我听见主说:“我可以差遣谁呢?谁肯为我们去呢?”我说:“我在这里,请差遣我!” 祂说:“你去告诉以色列人,

“‘你们听了又听,却不明白;
看了又看,却不领悟。’
10 要让这些人心灵麻木,
耳朵发背,
眼睛昏花,
免得他们眼睛看见,
耳朵听见,
心里明白,
回心转意,就得到医治。”

11 我说:“主啊,这要到什么时候呢?”祂说:

“直到城邑荒凉,无人居住,房屋空置,
土地荒废的时候。
12 那时,我必把他们赶到远方,
他们的土地必荒芜。
13 即使境内只剩下十分之一的人,
也必被消灭。
然而,就像砍掉松树和橡树后必留下树墩,
这地方必有圣洁的苗裔存留下来。”

The Song of the Vineyard

I will sing for the one I love
    a song about his vineyard:(A)
My loved one had a vineyard
    on a fertile hillside.
He dug it up and cleared it of stones
    and planted it with the choicest vines.(B)
He built a watchtower(C) in it
    and cut out a winepress(D) as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
    but it yielded only bad fruit.(E)

“Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
    judge between me and my vineyard.(F)
What more could have been done for my vineyard
    than I have done for it?(G)
When I looked for good grapes,
    why did it yield only bad?(H)
Now I will tell you
    what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
    and it will be destroyed;(I)
I will break down its wall,(J)
    and it will be trampled.(K)
I will make it a wasteland,(L)
    neither pruned nor cultivated,
    and briers and thorns(M) will grow there.
I will command the clouds
    not to rain(N) on it.”

The vineyard(O) of the Lord Almighty
    is the nation of Israel,
and the people of Judah
    are the vines he delighted in.
And he looked for justice,(P) but saw bloodshed;
    for righteousness,(Q) but heard cries of distress.(R)

Woes and Judgments

Woe(S) to you who add house to house
    and join field to field(T)
till no space is left
    and you live alone in the land.

The Lord Almighty(U) has declared in my hearing:(V)

“Surely the great houses will become desolate,(W)
    the fine mansions left without occupants.
10 A ten-acre vineyard will produce only a bath[a] of wine;
    a homer[b] of seed will yield only an ephah[c] of grain.”(X)

11 Woe(Y) to those who rise early in the morning
    to run after their drinks,
who stay up late at night
    till they are inflamed with wine.(Z)
12 They have harps and lyres at their banquets,
    pipes(AA) and timbrels(AB) and wine,
but they have no regard(AC) for the deeds of the Lord,
    no respect for the work of his hands.(AD)
13 Therefore my people will go into exile(AE)
    for lack of understanding;(AF)
those of high rank(AG) will die of hunger
    and the common people will be parched with thirst.(AH)
14 Therefore Death(AI) expands its jaws,
    opening wide its mouth;(AJ)
into it will descend their nobles and masses
    with all their brawlers and revelers.(AK)
15 So people will be brought low(AL)
    and everyone humbled,(AM)
    the eyes of the arrogant(AN) humbled.
16 But the Lord Almighty will be exalted(AO) by his justice,(AP)
    and the holy God will be proved holy(AQ) by his righteous acts.
17 Then sheep will graze as in their own pasture;(AR)
    lambs will feed[d] among the ruins of the rich.

18 Woe(AS) to those who draw sin along with cords(AT) of deceit,
    and wickedness(AU) as with cart ropes,
19 to those who say, “Let God hurry;
    let him hasten(AV) his work
    so we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One(AW) of Israel—
    let it approach, let it come into view,
    so we may know it.”(AX)

20 Woe(AY) to those who call evil good(AZ)
    and good evil,(BA)
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,(BB)
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.(BC)

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes(BD)
    and clever in their own sight.

22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine(BE)
    and champions at mixing drinks,(BF)
23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe,(BG)
    but deny justice(BH) to the innocent.(BI)
24 Therefore, as tongues of fire(BJ) lick up straw(BK)
    and as dry grass sinks down in the flames,
so their roots will decay(BL)
    and their flowers blow away like dust;(BM)
for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty
    and spurned the word(BN) of the Holy One(BO) of Israel.
25 Therefore the Lord’s anger(BP) burns against his people;
    his hand is raised and he strikes them down.
The mountains shake,(BQ)
    and the dead bodies(BR) are like refuse(BS) in the streets.(BT)

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,(BU)
    his hand is still upraised.(BV)

26 He lifts up a banner(BW) for the distant nations,
    he whistles(BX) for those at the ends of the earth.(BY)
Here they come,
    swiftly and speedily!
27 Not one of them grows tired(BZ) or stumbles,
    not one slumbers or sleeps;
not a belt(CA) is loosened at the waist,(CB)
    not a sandal strap is broken.(CC)
28 Their arrows are sharp,(CD)
    all their bows(CE) are strung;
their horses’ hooves(CF) seem like flint,
    their chariot wheels like a whirlwind.(CG)
29 Their roar is like that of the lion,(CH)
    they roar like young lions;
they growl as they seize(CI) their prey
    and carry it off with no one to rescue.(CJ)
30 In that day(CK) they will roar over it
    like the roaring of the sea.(CL)
And if one looks at the land,
    there is only darkness(CM) and distress;(CN)
    even the sun will be darkened(CO) by clouds.

Isaiah’s Commission

In the year that King Uzziah(CP) died,(CQ) I saw the Lord,(CR) high and exalted,(CS) seated on a throne;(CT) and the train of his robe(CU) filled the temple. Above him were seraphim,(CV) each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet,(CW) and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy(CX), holy is the Lord Almighty;(CY)
    the whole earth(CZ) is full of his glory.”(DA)

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.(DB)

“Woe(DC) to me!” I cried. “I am ruined!(DD) For I am a man of unclean lips,(DE) and I live among a people of unclean lips,(DF) and my eyes have seen(DG) the King,(DH) the Lord Almighty.”(DI)

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal(DJ) in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips;(DK) your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.(DL)

Then I heard the voice(DM) of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?(DN) And who will go for us?(DO)

And I said, “Here am I.(DP) Send me!”

He said, “Go(DQ) and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
    be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’(DR)
10 Make the heart of this people calloused;(DS)
    make their ears dull
    and close their eyes.[e](DT)
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,(DU)
    understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”(DV)

11 Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”(DW)

And he answered:

“Until the cities lie ruined(DX)
    and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted(DY)
    and the fields ruined and ravaged,(DZ)
12 until the Lord has sent everyone far away(EA)
    and the land is utterly forsaken.(EB)
13 And though a tenth remains(EC) in the land,
    it will again be laid waste.(ED)
But as the terebinth and oak
    leave stumps(EE) when they are cut down,
    so the holy(EF) seed will be the stump in the land.”(EG)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 5:10 That is, about 6 gallons or about 22 liters
  2. Isaiah 5:10 That is, probably about 360 pounds or about 160 kilograms
  3. Isaiah 5:10 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
  4. Isaiah 5:17 Septuagint; Hebrew / strangers will eat
  5. Isaiah 6:10 Hebrew; Septuagint ‘You will be ever hearing, but never understanding; / you will be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / 10 This people’s heart has become calloused; / they hardly hear with their ears, / and they have closed their eyes

Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

In mine ears said the Lord of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant.

10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.

11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.

13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.

14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:

16 But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.

17 Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.

18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:

19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!

20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:

23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

25 Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:

27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:

28 Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:

29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.

30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

12 And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

我是奉上帝旨意做基督耶稣使徒的保罗,写信给以弗所忠于基督耶稣的众圣徒。

愿我们的父上帝和主耶稣基督赐给你们恩典和平安!

基督徒的属灵恩福

赞美我们主耶稣基督的父上帝!祂在基督里赐给了我们天上各样属灵的恩福。 早在创造世界以前,祂已经在基督里拣选了我们,使我们在祂眼中成为圣洁无瑕的人。

上帝因为爱我们,就按照祂自己美好的旨意,预定我们借着耶稣基督得到做祂儿女的名分。 我们赞美祂奇妙无比的恩典,这恩典是上帝借着祂的爱子赐给我们的。 我们借着祂爱子的血蒙救赎,过犯得到赦免,这都是出于祂的洪恩。 上帝用各种智慧和聪明把这恩典丰丰富富地赐给我们, 照着祂在基督里所定的美好计划叫我们知道祂旨意的奥秘, 10 等所定的时候一到,叫天地万物一同归在基督的名下。

11 我们也在基督里被拣选成为祂的子民。这都是按自己旨意行万事的上帝预先定下的计划, 12 好让我们这些首先在基督里得到盼望的人都来颂赞祂的荣耀。

13 你们听过真理之道,就是那使你们得救的福音,而且也信了基督。你们既然信祂,就领受了上帝应许赐下的圣灵为印记。 14 圣灵是我们领受产业的担保,直到上帝的子民得到救赎,使祂的荣耀受到颂赞。

保罗的祷告

15 我听到你们对主耶稣的信心和对众圣徒的爱心后, 16 不断地为你们感谢上帝,祷告的时候常常提到你们。 17 我求我们主耶稣基督的上帝——荣耀的父把赐智慧和启示的灵给你们,好使你们更深地认识祂。 18 我也求上帝照亮你们心中的眼睛,使你们知道祂的呼召给你们带来了何等的盼望,祂应许赐给众圣徒的产业有何等丰富的荣耀, 19 并且祂在我们这些信的人身上所运行的能力是何等浩大。 20 上帝曾用这大能使基督从死里复活,使基督在天上坐在自己右边, 21 远远超越今生永世所有执政的、掌权的、有能力的、做主宰的和一切的权势。 22 祂又使万物降服在基督脚下,使基督为教会做万物的元首。 23 教会是基督的身体,蕴涵着那无所不在、充满万物者的丰盛。

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

To God’s holy people(C) in Ephesus,[a](D) the faithful(E) in Christ Jesus:

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

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,(G) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms(H) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us(I) in him before the creation of the world(J) to be holy and blameless(K) in his sight. In love(L) he[b] predestined(M) us for adoption to sonship[c](N) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure(O) and will— to the praise of his glorious grace,(P) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.(Q) In him we have redemption(R) through his blood,(S) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches(T) of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he[d] made known to us the mystery(U) of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed(V) in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment(W)—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.(X)

11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined(Y) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose(Z) of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.(AA) 13 And you also were included in Christ(AB) when you heard the message of truth,(AC) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,(AD) the promised Holy Spirit,(AE) 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance(AF) until the redemption(AG) of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.(AH)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus(AI) and your love for all God’s people,(AJ) 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you,(AK) remembering you in my prayers.(AL) 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,(AM) may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom(AN) and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened(AO) in order that you may know the hope to which he has called(AP) you, the riches(AQ) of his glorious inheritance(AR) in his holy people,(AS) 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power(AT) is the same as the mighty strength(AU) 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead(AV) and seated him at his right hand(AW) in the heavenly realms,(AX) 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,(AY) and every name(AZ) that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.(BA) 22 And God placed all things under his feet(BB) and appointed him to be head(BC) over everything for the church, 23 which is his body,(BD) the fullness of him(BE) who fills everything in every way.(BF)

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:1 Some early manuscripts do not have in Ephesus.
  2. Ephesians 1:5 Or sight in love. He
  3. Ephesians 1:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
  4. Ephesians 1:9 Or us with all wisdom and understanding. And he
  5. Ephesians 1:11 Or were made heirs
  6. Ephesians 1:17 Or a spirit

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.