Ephesians 1:3-2:10

Holman Christian Standard Bible

God’s Rich Blessings

³ Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.^{(A) 4} For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.^[a](B) In love^{[b] 5} He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, ⁶ to the praise of His glorious grace^(C) that He favored us with in the Beloved.^(D)

⁷ We have redemption in Him^(E) through His blood, the forgiveness^(F) of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace ⁸ that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹ He made known to us the mystery of His will,^(G) according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him^{(H) 10} for the administration^[c] of the days of fulfillment^[d]—to bring everything together in the Messiah,^(I) both things in heaven and things on earth^(J) in Him.^(K)

¹¹ We have also received an inheritance^[e] in Him, predestined^(L) according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, ¹² so that we who had already put our hope^(M) in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory.^(N)

¹³ When you heard the message of truth,^(O) the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.^{(P) 14} He is the down payment^(Q) of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession,^[f] 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 a spirit^[h](R) of wisdom and revelation^(S) in the knowledge of Him. ¹⁸ I pray that the perception of your mind^[i] may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope^(T) of His calling,^(U) what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power^(V) to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.

God’s Power in Christ

²⁰ He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand^(W) in the heavens^(X)— ²¹ far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given,^[j](Y) not only in this age but also in the one to come.^{(Z) 22} And He put everything under His feet^(AA)[k] and appointed Him as head^(AB) over everything for the church, ²³ which is His body,^(AC) the fullness^(AD) of the One who fills all things^(AE) in every way.

From Death to Life

2 And you were dead^(AF) in your trespasses and sins ² in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world,^(AG) according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens,^[l](AH) the spirit^(AI) now working in the disobedient.^{[m] 3} We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly^(AJ) desires, carrying out the inclinations^(AK) of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath^(AL) as the others were also. ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy,^(AM) because of His great love^(AN) that He had for us,^{[n] 5} made us alive^(AO) with the Messiah even though we were dead^(AP) in trespasses. You are saved by grace! ⁶ Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens,^{(AQ) 7} so that in the coming ages^(AR) He might display the immeasurable riches^(AS) of His grace through His kindness^(AT) to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For you are saved by grace^(AU) through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— ⁹ not from works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are His creation, created^(AV) in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time^(AW) so that we should walk in them.