Abaefeso 1
1 Nze Pawulo, omutume wa Kristo Yesu, olw’okwagala kwa Katonda, mpandiikira abatukuvu abali mu Efeso, era abakkiririza mu Kristo Yesu.
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 Ekisa n’emirembe ebiva eri Katonda Kitaffe ne Mukama waffe Yesu Kristo bibeerenga nammwe.
[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 Yeebazibwe Katonda era Kitaawe wa Mukama waffe Yesu Kristo, atuwadde mu Kristo buli mukisa gwonna ogw’omwoyo oguva mu ggulu.
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 Yatulonda okubeera mu Kristo ng’ensi tennatondebwa, ffe tube batukuvu, abataliiko kya kunenyezebwa mu maaso ge, olw’okwagala kwe.
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 Olw’okwagala kwe, yatuteekateeka tubeere abaana be mu Yesu Kristo, ng’okusiima kwe bwe kuli.
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 Katonda tumutendereze olw’ekisa kye yatuwa obuwa mu Mwana, gw’ayagala ennyo.
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 Mu oyo mwe tununulibwa olw’omusaayi gwe, ne tusonyiyibwa ebibi, ng’obugagga bw’ekisa kye bwe buli,
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 kye yatuwa mu bungi mu magezi gonna ne mu kutegeera kwonna.
He acted very kindly toward us and enabled us to become wise about many [HYP] things and to understand his truth.
9 Yatubikkulira ekyama eky’okwagala kwe, ng’okusiima kwe bwe kuli kwe yateekerateekera mu Kristo.
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 Olwo ekiseera ekituufu bwe kirituuka, Katonda alikola byonna bye yateekateeka, n’ateeka ebintu byonna awamu wansi wa Kristo, ebiri mu ggulu n’ebiri ku nsi.
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 Era mu ye mwe twaweerwa obusika ne twawulibwa ng’enteekateeka bw’eri ey’oyo akola ebintu byonna okusinziira ku magezi ag’okwagala kwe;
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 ffe Abayudaaya tulyoke tumuleetere okugulumizibwa, ffe abaasooka okuba n’essuubi mu Kristo.
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 Nammwe, Kristo yabaleeta eri amazima, kye kigambo eky’Enjiri ey’okulokolebwa kwammwe. Bwe mwamukkiriza, ne muteekebwako envumbo eya Mwoyo Mutukuvu eyasuubizibwa,
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 gwe musingo gw’obusika bwaffe, okutuusa bw’alinunula abantu be, ne Katonda n’agulumizibwa era n’atenderezebwa.
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 Noolwekyo okuva lwe nawulira okukkiriza kwe mulina mu Mukama waffe Yesu, n’okwagala kwe mulina eri abantu ba Katonda bonna,
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 sirekangayo kwebaza Katonda ku lwammwe. Mbajjukira
I thank God for you constantly [LIT, HYP]. I (mention/pray for) you constantly, whenever I pray.
17 ne mbasabira, Katonda wa Mukama waffe Yesu Kristo, Kitaffe ow’ekitiibwa, abawe Omwoyo ow’amagezi n’okubikkulirwa mweyongere okumutegeera.
[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 Nnyongera okubasabira, amaaso g’emitima gyammwe gamulisibwenga, mulyoke mumanye essuubi ly’okuyitibwa kwammwe, n’obugagga obungi bwe mulina mu ye, mmwe awamu n’abantu ba Katonda bonna.
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 Njagala mutegeere amaanyi ge agasukkiridde agakolera mu ffe abakkiriza, ng’okukola kw’obuyinza bw’amaanyi ge bwe kuli,
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 amaanyi ago ge yakozesa mu Kristo bwe yamuzuukiza mu bafu, n’amutuuza ku mukono gwe ogwa ddyo waggulu mu ggulu.
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 Waggulu eyo, Kristo gy’afugira obufuzi bwonna, n’obuyinza bwonna, n’amaanyi gonna, n’obwami bwonna, na buli kitiibwa kyonna ekiweebwa omuntu. Afugira mu mulembe guno, era alifugira ne mu mulembe ogugenda okujja. (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 Katonda atadde ebintu byonna wansi w’ebigere bye, n’afuula Kristo omutwe gw’ebintu byonna eby’ekkanisa,
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 era ekkanisa gwe mubiri gwe ye yennyini, mwatuukiririza ebintu byonna.
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.
