Ephesians 1:13-14
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
13 In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed[a] with the promised holy Spirit,(A) 14 which is the first installment[b] of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.(B)
II. Unity of the Church in Christ
The Church as Christ’s Body.[c]
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- 1:13 Sealed: by God, in baptism; cf. Eph 4:30; 2 Cor 1:22.
- 1:14 First installment: down payment by God on full salvation, as at 2 Cor 1:22.
- 1:15–23 See note on Rom 1:8 for the thanksgiving form in a letter. Much of the content parallels thoughts in Col 1:3–20. The prayer moves from God and Christ (Eph 1:17, 20–21) to the Ephesians (Eph 1:17–19) and the church (Eph 1:22–23). Paul asks that the blessing imparted by God the Father (Eph 1:3) to the Ephesians will be strengthened in them through the message of the gospel (Eph 1:13, 17–19). Those blessings are seen in the context of God’s might in establishing the sovereignty of Christ over all other creatures (Eph 1:19–21) and in appointing him head of the church (Eph 1:22–23). For the allusion to angelic spirits in Eph 1:21, see Rom 8:38 and Col 1:16. Here, as in 1 Cor 15:24–25 and Col 2:15, every such principality and power is made subject to Christ.
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