< Efesierbrevet 1 >
1 Paulus, genom Guds vilja Kristi Jesu apostel, hälsar de heliga som bo i Efesus, de i Kristus Jesus troende.
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 Nåd vare med eder och frid ifrån Gud, vår Fader, och Herren Jesus Kristus.
[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 Välsignad vare vår Herres, Jesu Kristi, Gud och Fader, som i Kristus har välsignat oss med all den himmelska världens andliga välsignelse,
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 såsom han ju, förrän världens grund var lagd, har utvalt oss i honom till att vara heliga och ostraffliga inför sig.
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 Ty i sin kärlek förutbestämde han oss till barnaskap hos sig, genom Jesus Kristus, efter sin viljas behag,
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 den nådeshärlighet till pris, varmed han har benådat oss i den älskade.
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 I honom hava vi förlossning genom hans blod, förlåtelse för våra synder, efter hans nåds rikedom.
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 Och denna nåd har han i överflödande mått låtit komma oss till del, med all vishet och allt förstånd,
He acted very kindly toward us and enabled us to become wise about many [HYP] things and to understand his truth.
9 i det att han för oss har kungjort sin viljas hemlighet, enligt det beslut som han efter sitt behag hade fattat inom sig själv,
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 om en ordning som i tidernas fullbordan skulle komma till stånd, det beslutet att i Kristus sammanfatta allt som finnes i himmelen och 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 I honom hava vi ock undfått vår arvslott, vi som förut voro bestämda därtill genom dens beslut, som verkar allting efter sin egen viljas råd.
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 Så skulle vi, hans härlighet till pris, vara de som i Kristus redan i förväg hava ägt ett hopp.
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 I honom haven jämväl I, sedan I haven fått höra sanningens ord, eder frälsnings evangelium, ja, i honom haven I, sedan I nu ock haven kommit till tron, såsom ett insegel undfått den utlovade helige Ande,
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 vilken är en underpant på vårt arv, till förvissning om att hans egendomsfolk skall förlossas, hans härlighet till pris.
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 Sedan jag fick höra om eder tro i Herren Jesus och om eder kärlek till alla de heliga,
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 därför jag å min sida icke upphört att tacka Gud för eder, när jag tänker på eder i mina böner.
I thank God for you constantly [LIT, HYP]. I (mention/pray for) you constantly, whenever I pray.
17 Och min bön är att vår Herres, Jesu Kristi, Gud, härlighetens Fader, må giva eder en visdomens och uppenbarelsens ande till kunskap om sig,
[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 och att han må upplysa edra hjärtans ögon, så att I förstån hurudant det hopp är, vartill han har kallat eder, huru rikt på härlighet hans arv är bland de heliga,
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 och huru översvinnligt stor hans makt är på oss som tro -- allt i enlighet med den väldiga styrkas kraft,
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 varmed han har verkat i Kristus, i det att han uppväckte honom från de döda och satte honom på sin högra sida i den himmelska världen,
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 över alla andevärldens furstar och väldigheter och makter och herrar, ja, över allt som kan nämnas, icke allenast i denna tidsålder, utan ock i den tillkommande. (aiōn )
[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 )
22 "Allt lade han under hans fötter." Och honom gav han åt församlingen till att vara ett huvud över allting --
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 åt församlingen, ty den är hans kropp och är uppfylld av honom som uppfyller allt i alla.
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.