The Book of Ephesians

Chapter 1

(1)  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus.

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

(3)  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us with every spiritual blessing* in the heavenlies in Christ;

(4)  according as He chose 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 the adoption  of children* [formal and legal declaration of children] by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, [In the O.T. Israel, the covenant people, were referred to as the "children of Israel." In the N.T. believers, both Jew and gentile are now referred to as "children of God."  (It's the adoption of sons)]

(6)  to the praise of the glory of His grace, in which He has made us accepted in the One having been loved.

(7)  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, [The purchase back of something that had been lost; by the payment of a ransom. 1Cor 6:20 says we were bought with a price.]

(8)  which He caused to abound toward us in all wisdom and understanding;

(9)  having made known to us the mystery* [secret or hidden thing] of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

(10)  for an administration [dispensation, stewardship] of the fullness of times, to head up all things in Christ, both the things in Heaven, and the things on earth, even in Him,

(11)  in whom [Christ] also we have been chosen to an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will,

(12)  for us to be to the praise of His glory, who previously had trusted in Christ;

(13)  in whom [Christ] also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

(14)  who [Holy Spirit] is the earnest [the down payment or guarantee] of our inheritance, to the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

(15)  Therefore I also, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the saints,

(16)  do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,

(18)  the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope [expectation] of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

(19)  and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us, the ones believing according to the working of His mighty strength

(20)  which He worked in Christ in raising Him from the dead, and He seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies,

(21) far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this world, but also in the coming age.

(22)  And He has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, [Assembly]

(23)  which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Chapter 2

(1)  And He has made you alive, who were once dead in trespasses and sins,

(2)  in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [Satan], the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience;

(3)  among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

(4)  But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us

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

(6)  and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,

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

(8)  For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,

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

(10)  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

(11)  Therefore remember that you, the nations, in time past were in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

(12)  and that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.

(13)  But now in Christ Jesus you who were once afar off are made near by the blood of Christ. [Adoption]

(14)  For He is our peace, He making us both one, and He has broken down the middle wall of partition between us,

(16)  and so that He might reconcile both to God in one body  by the cross, having slain the enmity in Himself.

(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 by one Spirit to the Father.

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

 (20)  and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

(21)  in whom every building having been fitly framed together, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord;

(22)  in whom you also are built together for a dwelling place of God through the Spirit.

Chapter 3

(1)  For this cause, I, Paul, am the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you nations,

(2)  if you have heard of the dispensation [time or age] of the grace of God which is given to me toward you,

(3)  that by revelation He made known to me the mystery* (as I wrote before in few words,

(4) by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery* of Christ)

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

(6)  that the nations should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partaker of His promise in Christ through the gospel.

(7)  Of this gospel I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effectual working of His power.

(8)  This grace is given to me (who am less than the least of all saints) to preach the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ among the nations,

(9)  and to bring to light what is the fellowship of the mystery which from eternity has been hidden in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ;

(10)  so that now to the rulers and powers in the heavenlies might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

(11)  according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord;

(12)  in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through His faith.

(13)  For this reason I desire that you faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

(15)  of whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named,

(17)  that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

(18)  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 passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.

(20)  Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

(21)  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, forever. Amen.

Chapter 4

(1)  I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the calling with which you are called,

(2)  with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love,

(3)  endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

(4)  There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling,

(5)  one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

(6)  one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all.

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

(8)  Therefore He says, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men."

(9)  (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

(10) He who descended is the same also as He who ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)

(11)  And truly He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

(12)  for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

(13)  And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

(14)  so that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, in the dishonesty of men, in cunning craftiness, to the wiles of deceit.

(15)  But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ;

(16)  from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love.

(19)  For they, being past feeling, have given themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

(20)  But you have not so learned Christ,

(21)  if indeed you have heard Him and were taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus.

(22)  For you ought to put off the old man (according to your way of living before) who is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

(23)  and be renewed [or reformed] in the spirit of your mind.

(24)  And you should put on the new man, who according to God was created in righteousness and true holiness.

(25)  Therefore putting away lying, let each man speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.

(26)  Be angry, and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down upon your wrath,

(27)  neither give place to the Devil.

(28)  Let him who stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, so that he may have something to give to him who needs.

(29)  Let not any filthy word go out of your mouth, but if any is good to building up in respect of need, that it may give grace to the ones hearing.

(30)  And do not grieve [cause sorrow to] the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed until the day of redemption.

(31)  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and tumult and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

(32)  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.

Chapter 5

(1)  Therefore be followers of God, as dear children.

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

(3)  For let fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness not be once named among you, as becomes saints,

(4)  neither baseness, foolish talking, jesting, which are not becoming, but rather giving of thanks.

(5)  For you know this, that no fornicator, or unclean person, or covetous one (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

(6)  Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience.

(7)  Therefore do not be partakers with them.

(9)  (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

(10)  proving what is acceptable to the Lord.

(12)  For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

(13)  But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

(14)  Therefore he says, "Awake, sleeping ones! And arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light."

(15)  See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

(16)  redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

(17)  Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

(18)  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is excess, but be filled with the Spirit,

(19)  speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

(20)  always giving thanks for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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

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

(23)  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

(24)  Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

(25)  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it,

(26)  that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,

(27)  that He might present it to Himself as the glorious church, without spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish.

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

(29)  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord loves the church.

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

(31)  "For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two of them shall be one flesh."

(32)  This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

(33)  But also let everyone of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife that she defers to her husband.

Chapter 6

(1)  Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

(3)  so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.

(4)  And fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

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

(7)  with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men

(8)  (knowing that whatever good thing he does, he shall receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or a freeman).

(9)  And masters, do the same things to them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your Master also is in Heaven. There is no respect of persons 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 so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

(12)  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

(13)  Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

(14)  Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having 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 shall be able to 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)  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

(19)  And pray for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,

(20)  for which I am an ambassador in bonds; so that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

(21)  But, so that you also may know my affairs and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things,

(22)  whom I have sent to you for the same purpose, that you might know our affairs and that he might comfort your hearts.

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

(24)  Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

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