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Ephesians 1
International Children’s Bible

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am an apostle because that is what God wanted.

To God’s holy people living in Ephesus,[a] believers in Christ Jesus.

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

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in heaven. 4 In Christ, he chose us before the world was made. In his love he chose us to be his holy people—people without blame before him. 5 And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. That was what he wanted and what pleased him. 6 This brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely, in Christ, the One he loves. 7 In Christ we are set free by the blood of his death. And so we have forgiveness of sins because of God’s rich grace. 8 God gave us that grace fully and freely. God, with full wisdom and understanding, 9 let us know his secret purpose. This was what God wanted, and he planned to do it through Christ. 10 His goal was to carry out his plan when the right time came. He planned that all things in heaven and on earth would be joined together in Christ as the head.

11 In Christ we were chosen to be God’s people. God had already chosen us to be his people, because that is what he wanted. And God is the One who makes everything agree with what he decides and wants. 12 We are the first people who hoped in Christ. And we were chosen so that we would bring praise to God’s glory. 13 So it is with you. You heard the true teaching—the Good News about your salvation. When you heard it, you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he had promised. 14 That Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will get what God promised for his people. This will bring full freedom to the people who belong to God, to bring praise to God’s glory.

Paul’s Prayer

15-16 That is why I always remember you in my prayers and always thank God for you. I have always done this since the time I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people. 17 I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ—to the glorious Father. I pray that he will give you a spirit that will make you wise in the knowledge of God—the knowledge that he has shown you. 18 I pray that you will have greater understanding in your heart. Then you will know the hope that God has chosen to give us. I pray that you will know that the blessings God has promised his holy people are rich and glorious. 19 And you will know that God’s power is very great for us who believe. That power is the same as the great strength 20 God used to raise Christ from death and put him at his right side in heaven. 21 God made Christ more important than all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings. Christ is more important than anything in this world or in the next world. 22 God put everything under his power. And God made him the head over everything for the church. 23 The church is Christ’s body. The church is filled with Christ, and Christ fills everything in every way.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 in Ephesus Some Greek copies do not have this phrase.
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Ephesians 1
New American Standard Bible

The Blessings of Redemption

1 Paul, (A)an apostle of (B)Christ Jesus [a](C)by the will of God,

To the [b](D)saints who are [c]at (E)Ephesus and (F)are faithful in (G)Christ Jesus: 2 (H)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 (I)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in (J)the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as (K)He chose us in Him before (L)the foundation of the world, that we would be (M)holy and blameless before [d]Him. (N)In love 5 [e]He (O)predestined us to (P)adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, (Q)according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 (R)to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in (S)the Beloved. 7 (T)In [f]Him we have (U)redemption (V)through His blood, the (W)forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to (X)the riches of His grace 8 which He [g]lavished on [h]us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He [i](Y)made known to us the mystery of His will, (Z)according to His good pleasure which He (AA)set forth in Him, 10 regarding His plan of (AB)the fullness of the times, (AC)to bring all things together in Christ, things [j]in the heavens and things on the earth. 11 [k]In Him we also (AD)have obtained an inheritance, having been (AE)predestined (AF)according to the purpose of Him who works all things (AG)in accordance with the plan of His will, 12 to the end that [l]we who were the first to hope in the [m]Christ would be (AH)to the praise of His glory. 13 In [n]Him, [o]you also, after listening to (AI)the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also [p]believed, you were (AJ)sealed in [q]Him with (AK)the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a (AL)first installment of (AM)our inheritance, in regard to the (AN)redemption of (AO)God’s own possession, (AP)to the praise of His glory.

15 For this reason I too, (AQ)having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and [r]your love for (AR)all the [s]saints, 16 (AS)do not cease giving thanks for you, (AT)while making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the (AU)God of our Lord Jesus Christ, (AV)the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of (AW)wisdom and of (AX)revelation in the [t]knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that (AY)the eyes of your heart [u]may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the (AZ)hope of His (BA)calling, what are (BB)the riches of the glory of (BC)His inheritance in (BD)the [v]saints, 19 and what is the [w]boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. (BE)These are in accordance with the working of the (BF)strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He (BG)raised Him from the dead and (BH)seated Him at His right hand in (BI)the heavenly places, 21 far above (BJ)all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every (BK)name that is named, not only in (BL)this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He (BM)put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him (BN)head over all things to the church, 23 which is His (BO)body, the (BP)fullness of Him who (BQ)fills (BR)all in all.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:1 Lit through
  2. Ephesians 1:1 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  3. Ephesians 1:1 Three early mss do not contain at Ephesus
  4. Ephesians 1:4 Or Him, in love. He
  5. Ephesians 1:5 Lit having predestined
  6. Ephesians 1:7 Lit whom
  7. Ephesians 1:8 Lit made abundant toward
  8. Ephesians 1:8 Or us in all wisdom and insight. He
  9. Ephesians 1:9 Lit making known
  10. Ephesians 1:10 Lit upon
  11. Ephesians 1:11 Lit In whom also
  12. Ephesians 1:12 I.e., Jewish believers
  13. Ephesians 1:12 I.e., Messiah
  14. Ephesians 1:13 Lit whom
  15. Ephesians 1:13 I.e., Gentile believers
  16. Ephesians 1:13 Or believed in Him, you were sealed
  17. Ephesians 1:13 Lit whom
  18. Ephesians 1:15 Three early mss do not contain your love
  19. Ephesians 1:15 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  20. Ephesians 1:17 Or true knowledge
  21. Ephesians 1:18 Lit having been
  22. Ephesians 1:18 See note 2 v 15
  23. Ephesians 1:19 Lit surpassing
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