Ephesians 1
1 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.
Paulus, door de wil van God apostel van Christus Jesus: aan de heiligen te Éfese en de gelovigen in Christus Jesus:
2 [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.
Genade en vrede zij u van God onzen Vader, en van den Heer Jesus Christus.
3 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.
Geprezen zij de God en Vader van onzen Heer Jesus Christus, die ons in Christus gezegend heeft met allerlei geestelijke zegening uit de hemelen.
4 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],
In Hem toch heeft Hij ons vóór de grondvesting der wereld uitverkoren, om heilig en vlekkeloos te zijn in zijn oog.
5 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.
Liefdevol heeft Hij, volgens het welbehagen van zijn wil, ons voorbestemd, om zijn kinderen te worden door Jesus Christus,
6 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}.
tot lof zijner heerlijke genade, waarmee Hij ons begenadigd heeft in den Beminde.
7 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.
In Hem bezitten we de verlossing door zijn Bloed, de vergiffenis der zonden naar de rijkdom zijner genade.
8 He acted very kindly toward us and enabled us to become wise about many [HYP] things and to understand his truth.
Die genade heeft Hij, tezamen met wijsheid en inzicht, in volle overvloed over ons uitgestort,
9 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.
toen Hij ons het geheim openbaarde van zijn raadsbesluit, dat Hij naar zijn welbehagen bij Zichzelf had vastgesteld
10 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].
voor het Bestel in de volheid der tijden: om namelijk alles wat in de hemel en op aarde is, in Christus weer samen te brengen.
11 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,
In Hem ook hebben we het erfdeel verkregen, waartoe we waren voorbestemd krachtens de beschikking van Hem, die alles tot stand brengt naar het besluit van zijn wil;
12 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.
opdat wij, die eerst op Christus hebben gehoopt, ook zijn glorie zouden mogen loven.
13 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].
En gij, die het woord der waarheid, de blijde boodschap uwer zaligheid, hebt gehoord en er in hebt geloofd, ook gij zijt in Hem verzegeld geworden met den beloofden heiligen Geest,
14 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.
het Onderpand onzer erfenis; opdat gij als zijn eigendom moogt worden vrijgekocht, en zijn glorie moogt loven.
15 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,
En omdat ik gehoord heb van uw geloof in den Heer Jesus en van uw liefde voor alle heiligen,
16 I thank God for you constantly [LIT, HYP]. I (mention/pray for) you constantly, whenever I pray.
houd ik niet op, dank te brengen voor u, wanneer ik in mijn gebeden gedenk.
17 [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.
Moge de God van onzen Heer Jesus Christus, de Vader der glorie, u een geest van wijsheid en openbaring verlenen, opdat gij Hem moogt leren kennen.
18 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.
Hij verlichte de ogen van uw hart, opdat gij moogt inzien: welke de hoop is, waartoe Hij u geroepen heeft; welke de rijkdom der glorie is, die Hij aan de heiligen als erfenis schenkt;
19 And [I pray that] you will know how very powerfully [God helps] us who continue to trust [in Christ]. He works powerfully for us
en welke de overweldigende grootte der kracht is, die Hij ons gelovigen ten dienste stelt. Dezelfde krachtige werking zijner Macht
20 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.
heeft Hij ook in Christus betoond, door Hem uit de doden op te wekken, en Hem te doen zetelen aan zijn rechterhand in de hemel:
21 [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)
hoog boven alle heerschappij en macht en kracht en hoogheid, en boven elke naam, die genoemd wordt in deze wereld niet alleen, maar ook in de toekomstige wereld; (aiōn g165)
22 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.
"en alles heeft Hij onder zijn voeten gesteld." En Hij heeft Hem aan de Kerk geschonken als Hoofd van alles;
23 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.
zij is zijn Lichaam, vol van Hem, die alles in allen vervult.
