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, Apostel Jesu Christi durch den Willen Gottes, an die Heiligen, die in Ephesus sind, und Gläubigen 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.
Gnade sei mit euch und Friede von Gott, unsrem Vater und dem Herrn 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.
Gepriesen sei der Gott und Vater unsres Herrn Jesus Christus, der uns mit jedem geistlichen Segen gesegnet hat in den himmlischen [Regionen] durch Christus;
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],
wie er uns in ihm auserwählt hat vor Grundlegung der Welt, damit wir heilig und tadellos wären vor ihm;
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.
und aus Liebe hat er uns vorherbestimmt zur Kindschaft gegen ihn selbst, durch Jesus Christus, nach dem Wohlgefallen seines Willens,
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}.
zum Preise der Herrlichkeit seiner Gnade, mit welcher er uns begnadigt hat in dem Geliebten;
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 ihm haben wir die Erlösung durch sein Blut, die Vergebung der Sünden nach dem Reichtum seiner Gnade,
8 He acted very kindly toward us and enabled us to become wise about many [HYP] things and to understand his truth.
die er gegen uns überfließen ließ in aller Weisheit und Einsicht;
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.
er tat uns das Geheimnis seines Willens kund, gemäß seinem wohlwollenden Ratschluß, den er gefaßt hat in ihm,
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].
damit es ausgeführt würde in der Fülle der Zeiten: alles unter ein Haupt zu bringen in Christus, was im Himmel und was auf Erden ist, in ihm.
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 ihm haben auch wir Anteil erlangt, die wir vorherbestimmt waren nach dem Vorsatz dessen, der alles wirkt nach dem Ratschluß seines Willens,
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.
daß wir zum Lobe seiner Herrlichkeit dienten, die wir zuvor auf Christus gehofft hatten;
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].
in ihm [seid] auch ihr, nachdem ihr das Wort der Wahrheit, das Evangelium eurer Rettung gehört habt, in ihm seid auch ihr, als ihr glaubtet, versiegelt worden mit dem heiligen Geiste der Verheißung,
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.
welcher das Pfand unsres Erbes ist bis zur Erlösung des Eigentums, zum Preise seiner Herrlichkeit.
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,
Darum lasse auch ich, nachdem ich von eurem Glauben an den Herrn Jesus und von der Liebe zu allen Heiligen gehört habe,
16 I thank God for you constantly [LIT, HYP]. I (mention/pray for) you constantly, whenever I pray.
nicht ab, für euch zu danken und in meinen Gebeten euer zu gedenken,
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.
daß der Gott unsres Herrn Jesus Christus, der Vater der Herrlichkeit, euch den Geist der Weisheit und Offenbarung gebe in der Erkenntnis seiner selbst,
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.
erleuchtete Augen des Herzens, damit ihr wißt, welches die Hoffnung seiner Berufung und welches der Reichtum der Herrlichkeit seines Erbes in den Heiligen sei,
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
welches auch die überwältigende Größe seiner Macht sei an uns, die wir glauben, vermöge der Wirksamkeit der Macht seiner Stärke,
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.
welche er wirksam gemacht hat in Christus, als er ihn aus den Toten auferweckte und ihn zu seiner Rechten setzte in den himmlischen [Regionen],
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)
hoch über jedes Fürstentum und [jede] Gewalt, Macht und Herrschaft und jeden Namen, der genannt wird nicht allein in diesem Zeitalter, sondern auch in dem zukünftigen (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.
und wobei er alles unter seine Füße tat und ihn zum Haupt über alles der Gemeinde gab,
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.
welche sein Leib ist, die Fülle dessen, der alles in allen erfüllt;
