Greeting

Paul,(A) an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:(B)

To the faithful saints(C) in Christ Jesus[a] at Ephesus.[b](D)

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

God’s Rich Blessings

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.(E) For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.[c](F) He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace(G) that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.(H)

In him we have redemption(I) through his blood, the forgiveness(J) of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.[d] He made known to us the mystery of his will,(K) according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ(L) 10 as a plan for the right time[e]—to bring everything together in Christ,(M) both things in heaven and things on earth(N) in him.(O)

11 In him we have also received an inheritance,[f] because we were predestined(P) according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope(Q) in Christ might bring praise to his glory.(R)

13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit(S) when you heard the word of truth,(T) the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment(U) of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Insight

15 This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,[g] would give you the Spirit[h](V) of wisdom and revelation(W) in the knowledge of him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope(X) of his calling,(Y) what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power(Z) toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.

God’s Power in Christ

20 He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand(AA) in the heavens(AB) 21 far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given,[i](AC) not only in this age but also in the one to come.(AD) 22 And he subjected everything under his feet[j](AE) and appointed him[k] as head(AF) over everything for the church, 23 which is his body,(AG) the fullness(AH) of the one who fills all things(AI) in every way.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 Or to the saints, the believers in Christ Jesus
  2. 1:1 Other mss omit at Ephesus
  3. 1:4 Or in his sight. In love
  4. 1:8 Or on us. With all wisdom and understanding
  5. 1:10 Or the fulfillment of times
  6. 1:11 Or In him we are also an inheritance,
  7. 1:17 Or the Father of glory
  8. 1:17 Or a spirit
  9. 1:21 Lit every name named
  10. 1:22 Ps 8:6
  11. 1:22 Lit gave him

Greeting

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus[a] and faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise to God for Spiritual Blessings

Blessed is[b] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love,[c] having predestined us to adoption through Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace that he bestowed on us in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, that he caused to abound to us in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in him, 10 for the administration of the fullness of times, to bring together all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him 11 in whom also we were chosen, having been predestined according to the purpose of the One who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 that we who hoped beforehand in Christ should be for the praise of his glory, 13 in whom also you, when you heard[d] the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also when you believed you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

15 Because of this I also, hearing of your faith[e] in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father[f],[g] may give you a spirit of wisdom[h] and revelation in the knowledge of him 18 (the eyes of your hearts having been enlightened), so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his mighty strength 20 which he has worked[i] in Christ, raising[j] him from the dead and seating him[k] at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 above all rule and authority and power and lordship and every name named, not only in this age but also in the coming one, 22 and he subjected all things under his feet[l] and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:1 A number of the earliest and most important manuscripts omit “in Ephesus,” though it is hard to make sense of the line without this phrase (cf. rsv, “to the saints who are also faithful”)
  2. Ephesians 1:3 Or “blessed be
  3. Ephesians 1:4 Or “before him, having predestined us in love” (the phrase “in love” could go either with v. 4 or v. 5)
  4. Ephesians 1:13 This participle (“hearing”) and the following one (“believing”) are understood as temporal
  5. Ephesians 1:15 Literally “the according to you faith”
  6. Ephesians 1:17 Literally “the Father of glory”
  7. Ephesians 1:17 *Here “glorious” is an attributive genitive
  8. Ephesians 1:17 Or “spiritual wisdom” (with “wisdom” is an attributive genitive)
  9. Ephesians 1:20 Some manuscripts have “he worked”
  10. Ephesians 1:20 These participles are either means (“by raising … and seating”) or temporal (“when he raised … and seated”)
  11. Ephesians 1:20 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  12. Ephesians 1:22 An allusion to Ps 8:6

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