Efeziërs 1
1 Paulus, een apostel van Jezus Christus, door den wil van God, aan de heiligen, die te Efeze zijn, en gelovigen in Christus Jezus:
I, Paul, am an apostle whom God appointed (to represent/to proclaim the message about) Christ Jesus because that is what God wanted. [I am writing this letter] to you who are the people of God in Ephesus [city. You are people who] (faithfully/continue to) trust in Christ Jesus and who have a close relationship with him.
2 Genade zij u en vrede van God, onzen Vader, en den Heere Jezus Christus.
[I pray that] God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord will continue to act kindly toward you and cause you to have [inner] peace.
3 Gezegend zij de God en Vader van onzen Heere Jezus Christus, Die ons gezegend heeft met alle geestelijke zegening in den hemel in Christus.
Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of our relationship with Christ, he has blessed us spiritually in every way by giving us blessings that come from heaven.
4 Gelijk Hij ons uitverkoren heeft in Hem, voor de grondlegging der wereld, opdat wij zouden heilig en onberispelijk zijn voor Hem in de liefde;
Before God created the world, he chose us to be his people because of our (relationship with/union with) Christ, in order that [God could consider] us to be completely holy [DOU]. Because [God] loves [us],
5 Die ons te voren verordineerd heeft tot aanneming tot kinderen, door Jezus Christus, in Zichzelven, naar het welbehagen van Zijn wil.
he decided long ago that he would adopt us to be [as though we were] his own children because of what Jesus Christ [has done]. He decided to do that because it pleased him to do that.
6 Tot prijs der heerlijkheid Zijner genade, door welke Hij ons begenadigd heeft in den Geliefde;
He did it in order that we would praise him for acting very kindly toward us in a wonderful way that we did not deserve. He did it because of our relationship with his beloved Son {[one, who is also God, whom he] loves}.
7 In Welken wij hebben de verlossing door Zijn bloed, namelijk de vergeving der misdaden, naar den rijkdom Zijner genade,
When the blood of Christ [flowed when he died] [MTY], [it was as though] he paid a price to free/save us [from the guilt of our sins]. [That] ([provided a way/made it possible]) [for] God to act very kindly toward us to forgive us for having sinned.
8 Met welke Hij overvloedig is geweest over ons in alle wijsheid en voorzichtigheid;
He acted very kindly toward us and enabled us to become wise about many [HYP] things and to understand his truth.
9 Ons bekend gemaakt hebbende de verborgenheid van Zijn wil, naar Zijn welbehagen, hetwelk Hij voorgenomen had in Zichzelven.
He has enabled us to know the things that he had planned secretly (OR, that he had not revealed to anyone yet). He did that because he wanted to do that, and because he planned to do that by means of the things Christ would do.
10 Om in de bedeling van de volheid der tijden, wederom alles tot een te vergaderen in Christus, beide dat in den hemel is, en dat op de aarde is;
God planned that at the time that [he appointed], he would unite all things/beings in heaven and all things/beings on earth (OR, all beings in heaven and all things on earth), and cause Christ to be the one who will rule them [MET].
11 In Hem, in Welken wij ook een erfdeel geworden zijn, wij, die te voren verordineerd waren naar het voornemen Desgenen, Die alle dingen werkt naar den raad van Zijn wil;
Because of our close relationship with Christ, God has also chosen us [(inc)] (OR, us [(exc)] Jews) to receive what he has promised [to give] us. He decided long ago to do that. It was exactly what he planned. He accomplishes everything exactly as he plans and desires,
12 Opdat wij zouden zijn tot prijs Zijner heerlijkheid, wij, die eerst in Christus gehoopt hebben.
in order that we(exc) Jews, who confidently expected the Messiah to do great things for us before the non-Jews expected such things (OR, we [(inc)] who were already confidently expecting Christ [to do great things for us]) will praise him for his greatness.
13 In Welken ook gij zijt, nadat gij het woord der waarheid, namelijk het Evangelie uwer zaligheid gehoord hebt; in Welken gij ook, nadat gij geloofd hebt, zijt verzegeld geworden met den Heiligen Geest der belofte;
You [Ephesians] also heard the true message, the good message about how God saves you. [People] put their seal on something to show that [it belongs to them]. Similarly, when you believed [in Christ], God [showed that you also belong to him by sending you] the Holy Spirit as he promised to do [MET].
14 Die het onderpand is van onze erfenis, tot de verkregene verlossing, tot prijs Zijner heerlijkheid.
The Holy Spirit is [like] [MET] a (deposit/down payment). That is, he (guarantees/assures us) that [we will receive] all that God has promised to give us, at the time when God will give to those who belong to him [MET] everything that [Christ] freed us to receive. [God also assures you that you belong to him], in order that you would praise him for his greatness.
15 Daarom ook ik, gehoord hebbende het geloof in den Heere Jezus, dat onder u is, en de liefde tot al de heiligen,
Because of [what God has done for you], and because [people] told me that you continue to trust in the Lord Jesus and that you love all those who belong to God,
16 Houde niet op voor u te danken, gedenkende uwer in mijn gebeden;
I thank God for you constantly [LIT, HYP]. I (mention/pray for) you constantly, whenever I pray.
17 Opdat de God van onzen Heere Jezus Christus, de Vader der heerlijkheid, u geve den Geest der wijsheid en der openbaring in Zijn kennis;
[I pray] that God, who is the glorious/wonderful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, may cause his Spirit to make you wise, and that his Spirit will reveal [God to you] so that you may fully know him.
18 Namelijk verlichte ogen uws verstands, opdat gij moogt weten, welke zij de hoop van Zijn roeping, en welke de rijkdom zij der heerlijkheid van Zijn erfenis in de heiligen;
And I pray that God would enable you to understand [MTY] his truth, in order that in your (inner beings/hearts) you may know the things that we believers should confidently expect to receive because he chose us [to be his people]. And I pray that you will know how God will bless his people in a very wonderful way [when we finally receive] all that he has promised to give us.
19 En welke de uitnemende grootheid Zijner kracht zij aan ons, die geloven, naar de werking der sterkte Zijner macht,
And [I pray that] you will know how very powerfully [God helps] us who continue to trust [in Christ]. He works powerfully for us
20 Die Hij gewrocht heeft in Christus, als Hij Hem uit de doden heeft opgewekt; en heeft Hem gezet tot Zijn rechter hand in den hemel;
just like he acted powerfully for Christ when he caused Christ to become alive again after he died, and put him in the place of highest/greatest honor [MTY] in heaven.
21 Verre boven alle overheid, en macht, en kracht, en heerschappij, en allen naam, die genaamd wordt, niet alleen in deze wereld, maar ook in de toekomende; (aiōn g165)
[There], Christ is the supreme ruler over every powerful spirit of every level of authority. His rank is much higher than any powerful spirit can receive, not only now, but forever. (aiōn g165)
22 En heeft alle dingen Zijn voeten onderworpen, en heeft Hem der Gemeente gegeven tot een Hoofd boven alle dingen;
God has caused all beings to be subject to Christ [MTY], and he has also appointed Christ, who rules over all things, to rule [MET] over all believers.
23 Welke Zijn lichaam is, en de vervulling Desgenen, Die alles in allen vervult.
We believers [relate to Christ like the parts of a person’s] body [MET] [relate to its head]. Christ uses all [his power among us] just like he uses his power throughout the whole universe.
