Ephesians 2-5

English Standard Version

By Grace Through Faith

2 ^(A)And you were ^(B)dead in the trespasses and sins ^2 (C)in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following ^(D)the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in ^(E)the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in ^(F)the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body^[a] and the mind, and ^(G)were by nature ^(H)children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.^{[b] 4} But^[c] God, being ^(I)rich in mercy, ^(J)because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even ^(K)when we were dead in our trespasses, ^(L)made us alive together with Christ—^(M)by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and ^(N)seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable ^(O)riches of his grace in ^(P)kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For ^(Q)by grace you have been saved ^(R)through faith. And this is ^(S)not your own doing; ^(T)it is the gift of God, ^9 (U)not a result of works, ^(V)so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For ^(W)we are his workmanship, ^(X)created in Christ Jesus ^(Y)for good works, ^(Z)which God prepared beforehand, ^(AA)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 ^(AB)the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— ¹² remember ^(AC)that you were at that time separated from Christ, ^(AD)alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to ^(AE)the covenants of promise, ^(AF)having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were ^(AG)far off have been brought near ^(AH)by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For ^(AI)he himself is our peace, ^(AJ)who has made us both one and has broken down ^(AK)in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵ by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ^(AL)ordinances, that he might create in himself one ^(AM)new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶ and might ^(AN)reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. ¹⁷ And he came and ^(AO)preached peace to you who were ^(AP)far off and peace to those who were ^(AQ)near. ¹⁸ For ^(AR)through him we both have ^(AS)access in ^(AT)one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer ^(AU)strangers and aliens,^[d] but you are ^(AV)fellow citizens with the saints and ^(AW)members of the household of God, ^20 (AX)built on the foundation of the ^(AY)apostles and prophets, ^(AZ)Christ Jesus himself being ^(BA)the cornerstone, ^21 (BB)in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into ^(BC)a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him ^(BD)you also are being built together ^(BE)into a dwelling place for God by^[e] the Spirit.

The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed

3 For this reason I, Paul, ^(BF)a prisoner of Christ Jesus ^(BG)on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of ^(BH)the stewardship of ^(BI)God's grace that was given to me for you, ^3 (BJ)how the mystery was made known to me ^(BK)by revelation, ^(BL)as I have written briefly. ^4 (BM)When you read this, you can perceive my insight into ^(BN)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^[f] that the Gentiles are ^(BO)fellow heirs, ^(BP)members of the same body, and ^(BQ)partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

^7 (BR)Of this gospel I was made ^(BS)a minister according to the gift of ^(BT)God's grace, which was given me ^(BU)by the working of his power. ⁸ To me, ^(BV)though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, ^(BW)to preach to the Gentiles the ^(BX)unsearchable ^(BY)riches of Christ, ⁹ and ^(BZ)to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery ^(CA)hidden for ages in^[g] God, ^(CB)who created all things, ¹⁰ so that through the church the manifold ^(CC)wisdom of God ^(CD)might now be made known to ^(CE)the rulers and authorities ^(CF)in the heavenly places. ¹¹ This was ^(CG)according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹² in whom we have ^(CH)boldness and ^(CI)access with ^(CJ)confidence through our ^(CK)faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering ^(CL)for you, ^(CM)which is your glory.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom ^(CN)every family^[h] in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to ^(CO)the riches of his glory ^(CP)he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit ^(CQ)in your inner being, ^17 (CR)so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being ^(CS)rooted and ^(CT)grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to ^(CU)comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and ^(CV)height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ ^(CW)that surpasses knowledge, that ^(CX)you may be filled with all ^(CY)the fullness of God.

^20 (CZ)Now to ^(DA)him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, ^(DB)according to the power at work within us, ^21 (DC)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, ^(DD)a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to ^(DE)walk in a manner worthy of ^(DF)the calling to which you have been called, ² with all ^(DG)humility and ^(DH)gentleness, with ^(DI)patience, ^(DJ)bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in ^(DK)the bond of peace. ⁴ There is ^(DL)one body and ^(DM)one Spirit—just as you were called to the one ^(DN)hope that belongs to your call— ^5 (DO)one Lord, ^(DP)one faith, ^(DQ)one baptism, ^6 (DR)one God and Father of all, ^(DS)who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷ But ^(DT)grace was given ^(DU)to each one of us ^(DV)according to the measure of Christ's gift. ⁸ Therefore it says,

⁹ (^(DY)In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into ^(DZ)the lower regions, the earth?^{[j] 10} He who descended is the one who also ^(EA)ascended ^(EB)far above all the heavens, that he might ^(EC)fill all things.) ¹¹ And ^(ED)he gave the ^(EE)apostles, the prophets, the ^(EF)evangelists, the ^(EG)shepherds^[k] and teachers,^{[l] 12 (EH)}to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for ^(EI)building up ^(EJ)the body of Christ, ¹³ until we all attain to ^(EK)the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, ^(EL)to mature manhood,^[m] to the measure of the stature of ^(EM)the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children, ^(EN)tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in ^(EO)deceitful schemes. ¹⁵ Rather, ^(EP)speaking the truth in love, we are to ^(EQ)grow up in every way into him who is ^(ER)the head, into Christ, ^16 (ES)from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, ^(ET)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 ^(EU)testify in the Lord, ^(EV)that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, ^(EW)in the futility of their minds. ¹⁸ They ^(EX)are darkened in their understanding, ^(EY)alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to ^(EZ)their hardness of heart. ¹⁹ They ^(FA)have become callous and ^(FB)have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. ²⁰ But that is not the way you ^(FC)learned Christ!— ²¹ assuming that ^(FD)you have heard about him and ^(FE)were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, ²² to ^(FF)put off ^(FG)your old self,^[n] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through ^(FH)deceitful desires, ²³ and ^(FI)to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on ^(FJ)the new self, ^(FK)created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵ Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you ^(FL)speak the truth with his neighbor, for ^(FM)we are members one of another. ^26 (FN)Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and ^(FO)give no opportunity to the devil. ²⁸ Let the thief no longer steal, but rather ^(FP)let him labor, ^(FQ)doing honest work with his own hands, so ^(FR)that he may have something to share with anyone in need. ^29 (FS)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 ^(FT)grace to those who hear. ³⁰ And ^(FU)do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^(FV)by whom you were sealed for the day of ^(FW)redemption. ^31 (FX)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. ^32 (FY)Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ^(FZ)forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Walk in Love

5 ^(GA)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ² And ^(GB)walk in love, ^(GC)as Christ loved us and ^(GD)gave himself up for us, a ^(GE)fragrant ^(GF)offering and sacrifice to God.

³ But ^(GG)sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness ^(GH)must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. ⁴ Let there be ^(GI)no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, ^(GJ)which are out of place, but instead ^(GK)let there be thanksgiving. ⁵ For you may be sure of this, that ^(GL)everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (^(GM)that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ^6 (GN)Let no one ^(GO)deceive you with empty words, for because of these things ^(GP)the wrath of God comes upon ^(GQ)the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore ^(GR)do not become partners with them; ⁸ for ^(GS)at one time you were ^(GT)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. ^(GU)Walk as children of light ⁹ (for ^(GV)the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰ and ^(GW)try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ^11 (GX)Take no part in the ^(GY)unfruitful ^(GZ)works of darkness, but instead ^(HA)expose them. ¹² For ^(HB)it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. ¹³ But when ^(HC)anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, ¹⁴ for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

^15 (HG)Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ^16 (HH)making the best use of the time, because ^(HI)the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what ^(HJ)the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ And ^(HK)do not get drunk with wine, for that is ^(HL)debauchery, but ^(HM)be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in ^(HN)psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ^20 (HO)giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father ^(HP)in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^21 (HQ)submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives and Husbands

^22 (HR)Wives, ^(HS)submit to your own husbands, ^(HT)as to the Lord. ²³ For ^(HU)the husband is the head of the wife even as ^(HV)Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is ^(HW)himself its Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit ^(HX)in everything to their husbands.

^25 (HY)Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and ^(HZ)gave himself up for her, ²⁶ that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by ^(IA)the washing of water ^(IB)with the word, ²⁷ so ^(IC)that he might present the church to himself in splendor, ^(ID)without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.^{[o] 28} In the same way ^(IE)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 ^(IF)we are members of his body. ^31 (IG)“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and ^(IH)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, ^(II)let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she ^(IJ)respects her husband.