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.
To Christ’s People at Ephesus who are faithful to him, from Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God.
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.
May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.
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.
Blessed is the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has blessed us on high with every spiritual blessing, in Christ.
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],
For he chose us in our union with Christ before the creation of the universe, that we might be holy and blameless in his sight, living in the spirit of love.
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.
From the first he destined us, in his good-will towards us, to be adopted as Sons through Jesus Christ,
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}.
and so to enhance that glorious manifestation of his loving-kindness which he gave us in The Beloved;
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.
for in him, and through the shedding of his blood, we have found redemption in the pardon of our offences.
8 He acted very kindly toward us and enabled us to become wise about many [HYP] things and to understand his truth.
All this accords with the loving-kindness which God lavished upon us, accompanied by countless gifts of wisdom and discernment,
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.
when he made known to us his hidden purpose. And it also accords with the good-will which God purposed to exhibit in Christ,
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].
in view of that Divine Order which was to mark the completion of the ages, when he should make everything, both in Heaven and on earth, centre in him.
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 him, I say, for by our union with him we became God’s Heritage, having from the first been destined for this in the intention of him who, in all that happens, is carrying out his own fixed purpose;
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.
that we should enhance his glory — we who have been the first to rest our hopes on the Christ.
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].
And you, too, by your union with him, after you had heard the Message of the Truth, the Good News of your Salvation — you believed in him and were sealed as his by receiving the holy Spirit, which he had promised.
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.
And the Spirit is a pledge of our future heritage, fore-shadowing the full redemption of God’s own People — to enhance his Glory.
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,
And therefore I, ever since I heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which prevails among you, and of your confidence in all Christ’s People,
16 I thank God for you constantly [LIT, HYP]. I (mention/pray for) you constantly, whenever I pray.
have never omitted to thank God on your behalf, whenever I make mention of you in my prayers.
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.
My prayer is that the God of Jesus Christ our Lord, the all-glorious Father, may inspire you with wisdom and true insight through a fuller knowledge of himself;
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.
that your minds may be so enlightened that you may realise the hope given by God’s Call, the wealth of the glory of his heritage among Christ’s People,
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
and the transcendent greatness of the power which he is able to exercise in dealing with us who believe in him.
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.
The same mighty power was exerted upon the Christ, when he raised the Christ from the dead and ‘caused him to sit at his right hand’ on high, exalting him above all Angels and Archangels of every rank,
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)
and above every name that can be named, whether in the present age, or in the age to come. (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.
And God placed ‘all things under Christ’s feet,’ and gave him to the Church as its supreme Head;
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.
for the Church is Christ’s Body, and is filled by him who fills all things everywhere with his presence.
