Efeserne 1
1 Hilsen fra Paulus, som ved Guds vilje er utsending for Jesus Kristus. Til alle i Efesos som tilhører Gud og trofast lever i fellesskap med Kristus.
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 Jeg ber at Gud, vår Far, og Herren Jesus Kristus vil vise dere godhet og fylle dere med fred.
[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 La oss hylle Gud, han som er Far til vår Herre Jesus Kristus. Gud har ved sin Ånd gitt oss all godhet på grunn av vårt fellesskap med Kristus.
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 Allerede før verden ble skapt, hadde Gud i sin kjærlighet bestemt at den som lever i fellesskap med hans Sønn, skal få tilhøre ham og en dag stige fram for Gud uten skyld.
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 Hele tiden var planen at vi skulle bli hans barn gjennom det Jesus Kristus gjorde for oss. Ja, dette var hans vilje, og han gledet seg til dagen det skulle skje!
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 Så la oss hylle Gud for den fantastiske nåden han har vist oss ved at vi tilhører hans elskede Sønn.
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 Ja, han viste oss en uendelig nåde da han lot Sønnen ofre sitt blod. Gjennom dette har vi blitt kjøpt fri fra vårt slaveri og har fått tilgivelse for syndene våre.
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 I sin overstrømmende godhet ga Gud oss visdom og forstand.
He acted very kindly toward us and enabled us to become wise about many [HYP] things and to understand his truth.
9 Han avslørte nemlig sin hemmelige plan for oss, den planen som han hadde gjort klar allerede i tidenes begynnelse.
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 Den gikk ut på at Gud, da den rette tiden var kommet, ville la Kristus bli høvding over hele skaperverket, over alle ting som finnes både i himmelen og på jorden.
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 Etter som vi nå lever i fellesskap med Kristus, skal vi også få arve alt det gode som finnes hos Gud. Dette er i tråd med den planen som han utformet. Alt det Gud tenker ut, blir som han vil.
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 Hans hensikt med alt dette var at vi jøder, som var de første til å håpe på Kristus, skulle hylle og ære Gud.
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 Men nå har også dere som ikke er jøder, fått høre budskapet om Jesus, det sanne budskapet som kan frelse dere. Og etter som dere tror på Kristus og lever i fellesskap med ham, har Gud også gitt dere sin Hellige Ånd som et tegn på at dere tilhører ham. Dette er helt i trå med det han lovet for lenge siden.
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 Guds Ånd er garantien for at Gud virkelig skal la oss arve alt det gode som finnes hos ham, den dagen han setter oss fri, vi som er hans eget folk. Dette er enda en grunn til å hylle og ære Gud.
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 Helt siden jeg fikk høre om troen deres på Herren Jesus og om den kjærlighet dere viser alle de troende,
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 har jeg stadig takket Gud når jeg ber for dere.
I thank God for you constantly [LIT, HYP]. I (mention/pray for) you constantly, whenever I pray.
17 Jeg ber at Gud, vår Herre Jesu Kristi mektige og vidunderlige Far i himmelen, skal la sin Ånd gi dere visdom og forstand, slik at dere dag for dag lærer Gud bedre å kjenne.
[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 Jeg ber også at dere skal innse hvilken fantastisk framtid Gud har tilbydd oss. Han har nemlig bestemt at vi som tilhører ham, skal få arve alle de store og herlige rikdommene som finnes hos ham.
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 Jeg ber om at dere må forstå hvor utrolig sterk den kraften er som han lar virke i oss. Det er den samme mektige kraften
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 som han lot virke i Kristus, da han vakte ham opp fra de døde og satte ham på sin høyre side i himmelen for at han skulle regjere med ham.
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 Kristus regjerer nå over alle myndigheter, makter, krefter og kraftfulle engler. Ja, han står over alle ting som finnes både i denne verden og i den kommende. (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 Gud har gitt Kristus makt over alle ting. Han som har fått makten over hele universet, har også blitt leder og hode for menigheten.
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 Menigheten er kroppen hans, og gjennom den er Kristus fullt og helt til stede hos menneskene, han som fyller alt i alle i himmelen og på jorden.
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.
