Letter to the Ephesians

1

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

1 to the saints in Ephesus, to you who share Christian faith:

2 receive grace and peace from God our Father and from Jesus the Lord.

3 Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus our Lord,

3 who in Christ has blessed us from heaven with every spiritual blessing.

4 God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world

4 to be holy and without sin in his presence.

5 From eternity he destined us in love

5 to be his adopted sons and daughters through Christ Jesus,

5 thus fulfilling his free and generous will.

5 This goal suited him:

6 that his loving-kindness which he granted us in his Beloved

6 might finally receive all glory and praise.

7 For in Christ we obtain freedom, sealed by his blood,

7 and have the forgiveness of sins.

7 In this appears the greatness of his grace,

8 which he lavished on us.

8 In all wisdom and understanding,

9 God has made known to us his mysterious design,

9 in accordance with his loving-kindness in Christ.

10 In him and under him God wanted to unite,

10 when the fullness of time had come,

10 everything in heaven and on earth.

11 By a decree of Him who disposes all things

11 according to his own plan and decision

11 we, the Jews, have been chosen and called

12 and we were awaiting the Messiah,

12 for the praise of his glory.

13 You, on hearing the word of truth,

13 the Gospel that saves you,

13 have believed in him.

13 And, as promised, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit,

14 the first pledge of what we shall receive,

14 on the way to our deliverance as a people of God,

14 for the praise of his glory.

God has put all things under the feet of Christ

15 I have been told of your faith and your affection towards all the believers, 16 so I always give thanks to God, remembering you in my prayers.

17 May the God of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Father of Glory, reveal him self to you and give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, that you may know him.

18 May he enlighten your inner vision, that you may appreciate the things we hope for, since we were called by God.

18 May you know how great is the inheritance, the glory, God sets apart for his saints;

19 may you understand with what extraordinary power he acts in favor of us who believe.

20 He revealed his almighty power in Christ when he raised him from the dead and had him sit at his right hand in heaven,

21 far above all rule, power, authority, dominion, or any other supernatural force that could be named, not only in this world but in the world to come as well.

22 Thus has God put all things under the feet of Christ and set him above all things, as head of the Church 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

« Previous | Next »

« Previous book: Letter to the Galatians

| Introduction | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |