English Standard Version

New Living Translation

Greeting

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithfula in Christ Jesus:

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Greetings from Paul

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.
I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus,a who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.

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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

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Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

3

Spiritual Blessings

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

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even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

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Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

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he predestined usb for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

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God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

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to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

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So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.b

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In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

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He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

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which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

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He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

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making knownc to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ

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God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ — which is to fulfill his own good plan.

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as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

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And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ — everything in heaven and on earth.

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In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

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Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God,c for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

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so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

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God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.

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In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

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And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his ownd by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.

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who is the guaranteed of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,e to the praise of his glory.

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The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

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Thanksgiving and Prayer

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your lovef toward all the saints,

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Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere,e

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I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

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I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly,

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that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

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asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdomf and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.

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having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

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I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called — his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.g

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and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

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I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power

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that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

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that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

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far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

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Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else — not only in this world but also in the world to come.

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And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

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God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.

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which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

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And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

Parallel

English Standard Version

New Living Translation

Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1