Chronological

1 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

² Grace be with you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ Blessed be God, and the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with all spiritual blessing in the Heavenly realms in Christ,

⁴ as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love;

⁵ having predestined us to be adopted, through Jesus Christ, to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He has freely bestowed on us in the Beloved;

⁷ in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,

⁸ with which He has been abundant toward us in all wisdom and understanding;

⁹ and has made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He has purposed in Him.

¹⁰ That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, He might gather together all things in Christ, both in Heaven and on Earth;

¹¹ in Whom we also have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according the counsel of His own will,

¹² that we who first trusted in Christ, should be to the praise of His Glory;

¹³ in Whom also, you, having heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and after having believed, were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

¹⁴ Who is the guarantee of our inheritance, for the redemption of that acquired possession, to the praise of His Glory.

¹⁵ Therefore, also, after I heard of the faith which you have in the Lord Jesus, and love toward all the saints,

¹⁶ I do not cease 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, might give to you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation through the knowledge of Him,

¹⁸ that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what the hope is of His calling, and what the riches are of His glorious inheritance in the saints,

¹⁹ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His strength;

²⁰ which He worked in Christ when He raised him from the dead, and set Him at His right hand in the Heavenly realms,

²¹ far above every principality and power and might and domination, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the coming one.

²² And all things have been put under His feet. And He has been given headship over all things of the Church,

²³ which is His body - the fullness of Him Who fills all in all.

2 And you were dead in trespasses and sins

² (wherein you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the authority of the ruler of the air, even the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

³ among whom all of us also once lived in the lusts of our flesh, in fulfilling the will of the flesh, and of the mind; and were, by nature, the children of wrath, just as the rest).

⁴ But God, Who is rich in mercy, through His great love with which He loved us,

⁵ even when we were dead by sins, has quickened us together in Christ (by grace you are saved)

⁶ and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus;

⁷ so that He might show, in the ages to come, the exceeding riches of His grace through His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

⁸ For by grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift from God

⁹ (not of works, lest anyone should boast).

¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works; which God has ordained, so that we would walk in them.

¹¹ Therefore, remember that you, being formerly Gentiles in the flesh (the ones called “uncircumcision” by those called “circumcision” in the flesh, made with hands),

¹² that you were, at that time, without Christ; and were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; and were strangers to the covenants of the promise; and had no hope; and were without God in the world.

¹³ But now, in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off, are made near by the blood of Christ.

¹⁴ For He is our peace. He has made of both, one, and has broken the barrier of hostility;

¹⁵ having annulled (through His flesh) the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances, in order to make (in Himself) one new man from the two. And so, make peace,

¹⁶ so that He might reconcile both to God in one body by the cross, and thereby slay hostility.

¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off, and to those who were near.

¹⁸ For through Him we both have access to the Father, by one Spirit.

¹⁹ Now therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

²⁰ having been built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone.

²¹ In Him, all the building, fitted together, grows into a holy Temple in the Lord.

²² In Him, you also are being built together, to be the habitation of God by the Spirit.

3 For this reason, I, Paul, am the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.

² If indeed you have heard of the stewardship of the grace of God, which is given to me toward you.

³ So that God, by revelation, has shown this mystery to me (as I briefly wrote before;

⁴ by which, when you read it, you may know my understanding of the mystery of Christ,

⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other ages as it is now revealed to His holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit),

⁶ So that the Gentiles should also be inheritors of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ, by the Gospel;

⁷ whereof I am made a minister by the gift of the grace of God (given to me through the working of His power).

⁸ To me, the least of all saints, is this grace given, so that I would preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

⁹ and make clear to all what the stewardship of the mystery is (which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God, Who has created all things by Jesus Christ);

¹⁰ to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to principalities and powers in Heavenly realms,

¹¹ according to the eternal purpose which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord;

¹² By Him we have boldness and confident access, through faith in Him.

¹³ Therefore, I desire that you do not grow weary of my tribulations for you (which is your glory).

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

¹⁵ (from Whom is named every family in Heaven and on Earth)

¹⁶ so that He might grant - according to the riches of His Glory - that you be strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man;

¹⁷ So that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;

¹⁸ so that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend (with all saints) what is the breadth and length and depth and height;

¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge. So that you may be filled with all fullness of God.

²⁰ Now therefore, to the One Who is able to do all things exceedingly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us;

²¹ to Him be praise in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever. Amen.

4 I, therefore, being the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthily of the calling to which you were called,

² with all humility and gentleness; with patience, bearing with one another in love,

³ being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called into one hope of your vocation,

⁵ one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism,

⁶ one God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in all.

⁷ But to every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

⁸ Therefore it says, “When He ascended upon high, He captured captivity and gave gifts to man.

⁹ (Now, in that He ascended, what is it but that He had also descended first into the lowest parts of the Earth?

¹⁰ He Who descended is also the same Who ascended far above all heavens, so that He might complete all things.)

¹¹ He, indeed, gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers,

¹² for the preparing of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edification of the body of Christ

¹³ until we all reach the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature belonging to the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴ So that we are henceforth children no more, wavering and carried about with every wind of doctrine and by the deceit of men, who with craftiness lay in wait to deceive.

¹⁵ But let us speak the truth in love. And in all things grow up into Him Who is the Head, Christ,

¹⁶ by Whom all the body, being coupled and knit together by the supply of every joint, according to the measure of each individual part, makes increase to the body, to the edifying of itself in love.

¹⁷ This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord: that you henceforth do not walk as other Gentiles walk (in the frivolity of their mind,

¹⁸ having their understanding darkened, and being strangers to the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart);

¹⁹ who, having grown numb to all feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness for the working of uncleanness with all greediness.

²⁰ But, you have not so learned Christ,

²¹ if indeed you have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, just as truth is in Jesus.

²² As for your past life, you are to cast off the old man who is being corrupted through deceitful desires,

²³ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

²⁴ And put on the new man, who has been created according to God for righteousness and true holiness.

²⁵ Therefore, having laid aside lying, everyone speak truth to his neighbor. For we are members one of another.

²⁶ Be angry, but do not sin. Do not let the Sun go down upon your irritation,

²⁷ nor give place to the devil.

²⁸ Let him who stole, steal no more. But rather, let him labor and work with his hands that which is good, so that he may have something to give to those in need.

²⁹ Let no worthless word proceed out of your mouth, but only if it is good for edification, so that it may give grace to those who hear.

³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in Whom you are sealed for the Day of Redemption.

³¹ Let all bitterness and fury and anger, clamor and slander, be taken from you, along with all wickedness.

³² Be kind one to another, and tender-hearted, freely forgiving one another; even as God, for Christ’s sake, freely forgave you.

5 Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children.

² And walk in love, just as Christ has loved us and has given Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savor to God.

³ But do not let fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness even be named among you (as is also becoming to saints),

⁴ nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse joking (which are not fitting); but rather the giving of thanks.

⁵ For this you know: that no fornicator, nor impure or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God.

⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words. For the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience.

⁷ Therefore, do not be companions with them.

⁸ For you were once darkness but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

⁹ For the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth,

¹⁰ approving that which is pleasing to the Lord.

¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. But rather, even expose them.

¹² For it is shameful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

¹³ But all things, when they are exposed by the light, are made visible. For it is light that makes all things visible.

¹⁴ Therefore it says, “Awake, you who sleep. And stand up from the dead. And Christ shall shine upon you.”

¹⁵ Be mindful, therefore, that you walk carefully - not as fools, but as wise -

¹⁶ redeeming the season. For the days are evil.

¹⁷ Therefore, be not unwise. But, understand what the will of the Lord is.

¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine (wherein is wastefulness). But, be filled with the Spirit,

¹⁹ speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,

²⁰ giving thanks always, for all things, to God, even the Father, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

²¹ submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

²² Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as to the Lord.

²³ For the husband is the wife’s head, even as Christ is the head of the Church. And the same is the Savior of the body.

²⁴ But, as the Church is in subjection to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for her;

²⁶ so that He might sanctify her and cleanse her by the washing of water through the Word,

²⁷ So that He might make her a glorious Church to Himself, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. But that it should be holy and without blame.

²⁸ So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife, loves himself.

²⁹ For no one ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord does the Church.

³⁰ For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.

³¹ For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cling to his wife. And the two shall be one flesh.

³² This is a great secret. But I speak concerning Christ and concerning the Church.

³³ Yet, let every one of you do the same. Let everyone love his wife, even as himself. And let the wife see that she fears her husband.

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord. For this is right.

² Honor your father and mother (which is the first Commandment with a promise),

³ so that it may be well with you and that you may live long on Earth.

⁴ And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger. But bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

⁵ Servants, be obedient to your masters, according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in simplicity of heart, as unto Christ;

⁶ not with service to the eye (as man-pleasers) but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart

⁷ with good will, serving the Lord and not man.

⁸ And know that whatever good thing anyone does, that same shall he receive from the Lord, whether slave or free.

⁹ And masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening and knowing that your master also is in Heaven. And there is no partiality with Him.

¹⁰ Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceit of the devil.

¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the kings, against the authorities, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world; against the spiritual forces of iniquity which are in the high place.

¹³ For this reason take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on the evil day. And having finished all things, stand fast.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having wrapped your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

¹⁵ and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.

¹⁶ Above all, take the shield of Faith, with which you may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

¹⁸ And pray always, with all manner of prayer and supplication, in the Spirit. And watch for this very thing - with all perseverance and supplication - for all Saints

¹⁹ and for me; that a Word may be given to me, so that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the secret of the Gospel,

²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in a chain. So that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.

²¹ And so that you may also know my affairs (and what I do) Tychicus, my dear brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things.

²² I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you might know my affairs and that he might comfort your hearts.

²³ Peace to the brothers and love with faith, from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁴ Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ incorruptibly. Amen.

(written from Rome to the Ephesians and sent by Tychicus.)