Ephesians 1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Salutation
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful[a] in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,[b](A) 4 just as he chose us in Christ[c] before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.(B) 5 He destined us[d] for adoption as his children[e] through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,(C) 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace(D) 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,(E) 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.(F) 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,[f] having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will,(G) 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;(H) 14 this[g] is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.(I)
Paul’s Prayer
15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love[h] toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers,(J) 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him,(K) 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may perceive what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20 God[i] put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,[j](L) 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.(M) 22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church,(N) 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.(O)
Footnotes
- 1.1 Other ancient authorities lack in Ephesus, reading saints who are also faithful
- 1.3 Gk heavenlies
- 1.4 Gk in him
- 1.5 Or before him; he destined us in love
- 1.5 Or sonship
- 1.11 Or been made a heritage
- 1.14 Other ancient authorities read who
- 1.15 Other ancient authorities lack and your love
- 1.20 Gk He
- 1.20 Gk heavenlies
Ephesians 1
New Century Version
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.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world. 4 That is, in Christ, he chose us before the world was made so that we would be his holy people—people without blame before him. 5 Because of his love, God had already decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. That was what he wanted and what pleased him, 6 and it 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. How rich is God’s grace, 8 which he has given to us so 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, 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, because from the very beginning God had decided this in keeping with his plan. And he 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. When you heard the true teaching—the Good News about your salvation—you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he had promised. 14 That Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive what God promised for his people until God gives full freedom to those who are his—to bring praise to God’s glory.
Paul’s Prayer
15 That is why since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you. I always remember you in my prayers, 17 asking the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you will know him better. 18 I pray also that you will have greater understanding in your heart so you will know the hope to which he has called us and that you will know how rich and glorious are the blessings God has promised his holy people. 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 the dead and put him at his right side in the heavenly world. 21 God has put Christ over all rulers, authorities, powers, and kings, not only in this world but also in the next. 22 God put everything under his power and made him the head over everything for the church, 23 which is Christ’s body. The church is filled with Christ, and Christ fills everything in every way.
Footnotes
- 1:1 in Ephesus Some Greek copies do not have this phrase.
Ephesians 1
English Standard Version
Greeting
1 Paul, (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 to himself 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, 8 which 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 10 as a plan for (Y)the fullness of time, (Z)to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In 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, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be (AE)to the praise of his glory. 13 In 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, 14 who 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
15 For this reason, (AN)because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love[f] toward all the saints, 16 I (AO)do not cease to give thanks for you, (AP)remembering you in my prayers, 17 that (AQ)the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, (AR)may give you the 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, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, (AV)according to the working of (AW)his great might 20 that 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. 22 And (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.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 1:1 Some manuscripts saints who are also faithful (omitting in Ephesus)
- Ephesians 1:5 Or before him in love, 5having predestined us
- Ephesians 1:9 Or he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known…
- Ephesians 1:14 Or down payment
- Ephesians 1:14 Or until God redeems his possession
- Ephesians 1:15 Some manuscripts omit your love
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
