Ephesians

Although Paul wrote this letter to the church in Ephesus while he was in jail, it is his most optimistic and encouraging correspondence to the young churches. He tells of the advantages a believer has in Christ and instructs believers on how to “live a life of love.”

1 Paul, an apostlea of Christ Jesus by the will of God,b

To God’s holy peoplec in Ephesus,a d the faithfule in Christ Jesus:

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

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,g who has blessed us in the heavenly realmsh with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose usi in him before the creation of the worldj to be holy and blamelessk in his sight. In lovel 5 heb predestinedm us for adoption to sonshipc n through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasureo and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace,p which he has freely given us in the One he loves.q 7 In him we have redemptionr through his blood,s the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the richest of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 hed made known to us the mysteryu of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposedv in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillmentw—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.x

11 In him we were also chosen,e having been predestinedy according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purposez 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.a 13 And you also were included in Christb when you heard the message of truth,c the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,d the promised Holy Spirit,e 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritancef until the redemptiong of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.h

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesusi and your love for all God’s people,j 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you,k remembering you in my prayers.l 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,m may give you the Spiritf of wisdomn and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightenedo in order that you may know the hope to which he has calledp you, the richesq of his glorious inheritancer in his holy people,s 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That powert is the same as the mighty strengthu 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the deadv and seated him at his right handw in the heavenly realms,x 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,y and every namez that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.a 22 And God placed all things under his feetb and appointed him to be headc over everything for the church, 23 which is his body,d the fullness of hime who fills everything in every way.f

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,g 2 in which you used to liveh when you followed the ways of this worldi and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,j the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.k 3 All of us also lived among them at one time,l gratifying the cravings of our flesha m and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us,n God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressionso—it is by grace you have been saved.p 6 And God raised us up with Christq and seated us with himr in the heavenly realmss in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,t expressed in his kindnessu to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by gracev you have been saved,w through faithx—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works,y so that no one can boast.z 10 For we are God’s handiwork,a createdb in Christ Jesus to do good works,c which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

11 Therefore, remember that formerlyd you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)e—12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreignersf to the covenants of the promise,g without hopeh and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who oncei were far away have been brought nearj by the blood of Christ.k

14 For he himself is our peace,l who has made the two groups onem and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his fleshn the law with its commands and regulations.o His purpose was to create in himself onep new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,q by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peacer to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.s 18 For through him we both have accesst to the Fatheru by one Spirit.v

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,w but fellow citizensx with God’s people and also members of his household,y 20 builtz on the foundationa of the apostles and prophets,b with Christ Jesus himselfc as the chief cornerstone.d 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy templee in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.f

God’s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles

3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisonerg of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to meh for you, 3 that is, the mysteryi made known to me by revelation,j as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insightk into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.l 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirsm together with Israel, members together of one body,n and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.o

7 I became a servant of this gospelp by the gift of God’s grace given meq through the working of his power.r 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people,s this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentilest the boundless riches of Christ,u 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,v which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of Godw should be made knownx to the rulers and authoritiesy in the heavenly realms,z 11 according to his eternal purposea that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach Godb with freedom and confidence.c 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14 For this reason I kneeld before the Father, 15 from whom every familya in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious richese he may strengthen you with powerf through his Spirit in your inner being,g 17 so that Christ may dwell in your heartsh through faith. And I pray that you, being rootedi and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,j to grasp how wide and long and high and deepk is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledgel—that you may be filledm to the measure of all the fullness of God.n

20 Now to him who is ableo to do immeasurably more than all we askp or imagine, according to his powerq that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.r

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoners for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthyt of the callingu you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one anotherv in love.w 3 Make every effort to keep the unityx of the Spirit through the bond of peace.y 4 There is one bodyz and one Spirit,a just as you were called to one hope when you were calledb; 5 one Lord,c one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all,d who is over all and through all and in all.e

7 But to each one of usf graceg has been givenh as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why ita says:

“When he ascended on high,

he took many captivesi

and gave gifts to his people.”b j

9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regionsc? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascendedk higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)l 11 So Christ himself gavem the apostles,n the prophets,o the evangelists,p the pastors and teachers,q 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christr may be built ups 13 until we all reach unityt in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of Godu and become mature,v attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.w

14 Then we will no longer be infants,x tossed back and forth by the waves,y and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.z 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love,a we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head,b that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, growsc and builds itself upd in love,e as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

17 So I tell you this, and insist