Ephesians 1-6

English Standard Version

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^(B)by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and ^(C)are faithful^[a] in Christ Jesus:

^2 (D)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

^3 (E)Blessed be ^(F)the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing ^(G)in the heavenly places, ^4 (H)even as he ^(I)chose us in him ^(J)before the foundation of the world, that we should be ^(K)holy and blameless before him. In love ^5 (L)he predestined us^[b] for ^(M)adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, ^(N)according to the purpose of his will, ^6 (O)to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in ^(P)the Beloved. ^7 (Q)In him we have ^(R)redemption ^(S)through his blood, ^(T)the forgiveness of our trespasses, ^(U)according to the riches of his grace, ⁸ which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ^9 (V)making known^[c] to us the mystery of his will, ^(W)according to his purpose, which he ^(X)set forth in Christ ¹⁰ as a plan for ^(Y)the fullness of time, ^(Z)to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

¹¹ In him we have obtained ^(AA)an inheritance, ^(AB)having been predestined ^(AC)according to the purpose of him who works all things according to ^(AD)the counsel of his will, ¹² so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be ^(AE)to the praise of his glory. ¹³ In him you also, when you heard ^(AF)the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, ^(AG)were sealed with the ^(AH)promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is ^(AI)the guarantee^[d] of our ^(AJ)inheritance until ^(AK)we acquire ^(AL)possession of it,^{[e] (AM)}to the praise of his glory.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

¹⁵ For this reason, ^(AN)because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love^[f] toward all the saints, ¹⁶ I ^(AO)do not cease to give thanks for you, ^(AP)remembering you in my prayers, ¹⁷ that ^(AQ)the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, ^(AR)may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, ^18 (AS)having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is ^(AT)the hope to which he has called you, what are ^(AU)the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, ^(AV)according to the working of ^(AW)his great might ²⁰ that he worked in Christ ^(AX)when he raised him from the dead and ^(AY)seated him at his right hand ^(AZ)in the heavenly places, ^21 (BA)far above ^(BB)all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above ^(BC)every name that is named, not only in ^(BD)this age but also in the one to come. ²² And ^(BE)he put all things under his feet and gave him as ^(BF)head over all things to the church, ^23 (BG)which is his body, ^(BH)the fullness of him ^(BI)who fills ^(BJ)all in all.

By Grace Through Faith

2 ^(BK)And you were ^(BL)dead in the trespasses and sins ^2 (BM)in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following ^(BN)the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in ^(BO)the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in ^(BP)the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body^[g] and the mind, and ^(BQ)were by nature ^(BR)children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.^{[h] 4} But^[i] God, being ^(BS)rich in mercy, ^(BT)because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even ^(BU)when we were dead in our trespasses, ^(BV)made us alive together with Christ—^(BW)by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and ^(BX)seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable ^(BY)riches of his grace in ^(BZ)kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For ^(CA)by grace you have been saved ^(CB)through faith. And this is ^(CC)not your own doing; ^(CD)it is the gift of God, ^9 (CE)not a result of works, ^(CF)so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For ^(CG)we are his workmanship, ^(CH)created in Christ Jesus ^(CI)for good works, ^(CJ)which God prepared beforehand, ^(CK)that we should walk in them.

One in Christ

¹¹ Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called ^(CL)the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— ¹² remember ^(CM)that you were at that time separated from Christ, ^(CN)alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to ^(CO)the covenants of promise, ^(CP)having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were ^(CQ)far off have been brought near ^(CR)by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For ^(CS)he himself is our peace, ^(CT)who has made us both one and has broken down ^(CU)in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ^(CV)ordinances, that he might create in himself one ^(CW)new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might ^(CX)reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and ^(CY)preached peace to you who were ^(CZ)far off and peace to those who were ^(DA)near. ¹⁸ For ^(DB)through him we both have ^(DC)access in ^(DD)one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer ^(DE)strangers and aliens,^[j] but you are ^(DF)fellow citizens with the saints and ^(DG)members of the household of God, ^20 (DH)built on the foundation of the ^(DI)apostles and prophets, ^(DJ)Christ Jesus himself being ^(DK)the cornerstone, ^21 (DL)in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into ^(DM)a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him ^(DN)you also are being built together ^(DO)into a dwelling place for God by^[k] the Spirit.

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

3 For this reason I, Paul, ^(DP)a prisoner of Christ Jesus ^(DQ)on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of ^(DR)the stewardship of ^(DS)God's grace that was given to me for you, ^3 (DT)how the mystery was made known to me ^(DU)by revelation, ^(DV)as I have written briefly. ^4 (DW)When you read this, you can perceive my insight into ^(DX)the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. ⁶ This mystery is^[l] that the Gentiles are ^(DY)fellow heirs, ^(DZ)members of the same body, and ^(EA)partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

^7 (EB)Of this gospel I was made ^(EC)a minister according to the gift of ^(ED)God's grace, which was given me ^(EE)by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, ^(EF)though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, ^(EG)to preach to the Gentiles the ^(EH)unsearchable ^(EI)riches of Christ, ⁹ and ^(EJ)to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery ^(EK)hidden for ages in^[m] God, ^(EL)who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold ^(EM)wisdom of God ^(EN)might now be made known to ^(EO)the rulers and authorities ^(EP)in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was ^(EQ)according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have ^(ER)boldness and ^(ES)access with ^(ET)confidence through our ^(EU)faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering ^(EV)for you, ^(EW)which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom ^(EX)every family^[n] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to ^(EY)the riches of his glory ^(EZ)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit ^(FA)in your inner being, ^17 (FB)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being ^(FC)rooted and ^(FD)grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to ^(FE)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and ^(FF)height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ ^(FG)that surpasses knowledge, that ^(FH)you may be filled with all ^(FI)the fullness of God.

^20 (FJ)Now to ^(FK)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, ^(FL)according to the power at work within us, ^21 (FM)to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Unity in the Body of Christ

4 I therefore, ^(FN)a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to ^(FO)walk in a manner worthy of ^(FP)the calling to which you have been called, ² with all ^(FQ)humility and ^(FR)gentleness, with ^(FS)patience, ^(FT)bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in ^(FU)the bond of peace. ⁴ There is ^(FV)one body and ^(FW)one Spirit—just as you were called to the one ^(FX)hope that belongs to your call— ^5 (FY)one Lord, ^(FZ)one faith, ^(GA)one baptism, ^6 (GB)one God and Father of all, ^(GC)who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷ But ^(GD)grace was given ^(GE)to each one of us ^(GF)according to the measure of Christ's gift. ⁸ Therefore it says,

⁹ (^(GI)In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into ^(GJ)the lower regions, the earth?^{[p] 10} He who descended is the one who also ^(GK)ascended ^(GL)far above all the heavens, that he might ^(GM)fill all things.) ¹¹ And ^(GN)he gave the ^(GO)apostles, the prophets, the ^(GP)evangelists, the ^(GQ)shepherds^[q] and teachers,^{[r] 12 (GR)}to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for ^(GS)building up ^(GT)the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to ^(GU)the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, ^(GV)to mature manhood,^[s] to the measure of the stature of ^(GW)the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, ^(GX)tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in ^(GY)deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, ^(GZ)speaking the truth in love, we are to ^(HA)grow up in every way into him who is ^(HB)the head, into Christ, ^16 (HC)from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, ^(HD)when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

The New Life

¹⁷ Now this I say and ^(HE)testify in the Lord, ^(HF)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, ^(HG)in the futility of their minds. ¹⁸ They ^(HH)are darkened in their understanding, ^(HI)alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to ^(HJ)their hardness of heart. ¹⁹ They ^(HK)have become callous and ^(HL)have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. ²⁰ But that is not the way you ^(HM)learned Christ!— ²¹ assuming that ^(HN)you have heard about him and ^(HO)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²² to ^(HP)put off ^(HQ)your old self,^[t] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through ^(HR)deceitful desires, ²³ and ^(HS)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on ^(HT)the new self, ^(HU)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵ Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you ^(HV)speak the truth with his neighbor, for ^(HW)we are members one of another. ^26 (HX)Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and ^(HY)give no opportunity to the devil. ²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal, but rather ^(HZ)let him labor, ^(IA)doing honest work with his own hands, so ^(IB)that he may have something to share with anyone in need. ^29 (IC)Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give ^(ID)grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And ^(IE)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^(IF)by whom you were sealed for the day of ^(IG)redemption. ^31 (IH)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. ^32 (II)Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ^(IJ)forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Walk in Love

5 ^(IK)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And ^(IL)walk in love, ^(IM)as Christ loved us and ^(IN)gave himself up for us, a ^(IO)fragrant ^(IP)offering and sacrifice to God.

³ But ^(IQ)sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness ^(IR)must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. ⁴ Let there be ^(IS)no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, ^(IT)which are out of place, but instead ^(IU)let there be thanksgiving. ⁵ For you may be sure of this, that ^(IV)everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (^(IW)that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ^6 (IX)Let no one ^(IY)deceive you with empty words, for because of these things ^(IZ)the wrath of God comes upon ^(JA)the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore ^(JB)do not become partners with them; ⁸ for ^(JC)at one time you were ^(JD)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. ^(JE)Walk as children of light ⁹ (for ^(JF)the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and ^(JG)try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ^11 (JH)Take no part in the ^(JI)unfruitful ^(JJ)works of darkness, but instead ^(JK)expose them. ¹² For ^(JL)it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. ¹³ But when ^(JM)anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, ¹⁴ for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

^15 (JQ)Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ^16 (JR)making the best use of the time, because ^(JS)the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what ^(JT)the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And ^(JU)do not get drunk with wine, for that is ^(JV)debauchery, but ^(JW)be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in ^(JX)psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ^20 (JY)giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father ^(JZ)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^21 (KA)submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives and Husbands

^22 (KB)Wives, ^(KC)submit to your own husbands, ^(KD)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(KE)the husband is the head of the wife even as ^(KF)Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is ^(KG)himself its Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit ^(KH)in everything to their husbands.

^25 (KI)Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and ^(KJ)gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by ^(KK)the washing of water ^(KL)with the word, ²⁷ so ^(KM)that he might present the church to himself in splendor, ^(KN)without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.^{[u] 28} In the same way ^(KO)husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, ³⁰ because ^(KP)we are members of his body. ^31 (KQ)“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and ^(KR)the two shall become one flesh.” ³² This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. ³³ However, ^(KS)let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she ^(KT)respects her husband.

Children and Parents

6 ^(KU)Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ^2 (KV)“Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), ³ “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” ⁴ Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, ^(KW)but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Bondservants and Masters

^5 (KX)Bondservants,^[v] obey your earthly masters^[w] with fear and trembling, ^(KY)with a sincere heart, ^(KZ)as you would Christ, ⁶ not by the way of eye-service, as ^(LA)people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷ rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, ^8 (LB)knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, ^(LC)whether he is a bondservant or is free. ⁹ Masters, do the same to them, ^(LD)and stop your threatening, knowing that ^(LE)he who is both their Master^[x] and yours is in heaven, and that ^(LF)there is no partiality with him.

The Whole Armor of God

¹⁰ Finally, ^(LG)be strong in the Lord and in ^(LH)the strength of his might. ^11 (LI)Put on ^(LJ)the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against ^(LK)the schemes of the devil. ¹² For ^(LL)we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against ^(LM)the rulers, against the authorities, against ^(LN)the cosmic powers over ^(LO)this present darkness, against ^(LP)the spiritual forces of evil ^(LQ)in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore ^(LR)take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in ^(LS)the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, ^(LT)having fastened on the belt of truth, and ^(LU)having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, ^(LV)as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up ^(LW)the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all ^(LX)the flaming darts of ^(LY)the evil one; ¹⁷ and take ^(LZ)the helmet of salvation, and ^(MA)the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying ^(MB)at all times ^(MC)in the Spirit, ^(MD)with all prayer and supplication. To that end, ^(ME)keep alert with all perseverance, making ^(MF)supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹ and ^(MG)also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth ^(MH)boldly to proclaim ^(MI)the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I ^(MJ)am an ambassador ^(MK)in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Final Greetings

^21 (ML)So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, ^(MM)Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. ²² I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may ^(MN)encourage your hearts.

^23 (MO)Peace be to the brothers,^[y] and ^(MP)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ Grace be with all who ^(MQ)love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.