Ephesians 1
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
To
God’s holy people in Ephesus, the
faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in
Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the
creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us
for adoption to sonship through
Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to
the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One
he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of
God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and
understanding, 9 he made
known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which
he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into
effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in
heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him
we were also chosen, having
been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in
conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in
order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the
praise of his glory. 13 And you also
were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the
gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a
seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a
deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those
who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord
Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I
have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I
keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious
Father, may give you the Spirit of
wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I
pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may
know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious
inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his
incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the
mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised
Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly
realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and
dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age
but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed
all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over
everything for the church, 23 which is his
body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
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