May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised, for He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in [fellowship with] Christ. [Note: The term "heavenly realms" is used somewhat differently throughout this book. Here it refers to Christians as part of the church on earth].

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

so to order it in the fulness of the ages that all things in heaven and earth alike should be gathered up in Christ ??11 in the Christ in whom we have had our heritage allotted us (as was decreed in the design of him who carries out everything according to the counsel of his will),

In whom also we were taken as an inheritance, according to the purpose of him who energiseth all things according to the counsel of his will,

You [Gentiles] also, who are in Christ, after having heard the message of truth, the good news about your salvation, and [after] believing in Him, were sealed [i.e., as evidence of ownership] with the promised Holy Spirit. [or, "the Holy Spirit who brings promises"].

who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Hence, as I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.

and [so that you will begin to know] what the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His [active, spiritual] power is in us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength

above all the angelic Rulers, Authorities, Powers, and Lords, above every Name that is to be named not only in this age but in the age to come ??22 he has put everything under his feet and set him as head over everything for the church,

and he subjected all [things] under his feet and gave him [as] head over all [things] to the church,

And as with us so with you. You were dead in the trespasses and sins

that you once practiced as you lived according to the ways of this present world and according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now active in those who are disobedient.

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But, dead in trespasses as we were, God was so rich in mercy that for his great love to us

he made us, dead as we were through our offenses, live again with the Christ. It is by his mercy that you have been saved.

raised us with Him from the dead, and enthroned us with Him in the heavenly realms as being in Christ Jesus,

For it is by grace you have been saved, as you had faith; it is not your doing but God's gift,

not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

God has made us what we are, creating us in Christ Jesus for the good deeds which are prepared beforehand by God as our sphere of action.

Therefore, do not forget that formerly you were Gentiles as to your bodily condition. You were called the Uncircumcision by those who style themselves the Circumcised--their circumcision being one which the knife has effected.

remember that at that time you were separated from Christ [excluded from any relationship with Him], alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise [with no share in the sacred Messianic promise and without knowledge of God’s agreements], having no hope [in His promise] and [living] in the world without God.

by setting aside the Law with its commandments, expressed, as they were, in definite decrees. His design was to unite the two sections of humanity in Himself so as to form one new man,

so as himself to give the death-blow to that feud by reconciling them both to God in one Body through the cross;

So then you are no longer as those who have no part or place in the kingdom of God, but you are numbered among the saints, and of the family of God,

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.

in union with whom the whole fabric, fitted and closely joined together, is growing so as to form a holy sanctuary in the Lord;

In whom you, with the rest, are united together as a living-place of God in the Spirit.

as ye have heard the dispensation of the grace of God, which was given me to preach unto you:

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

By means of that explanation, as you read it, you can judge of my insight into the truth of Christ

Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

I mean the truth that the Gentiles are joint heirs with us Jews, and that they form one body with us, and have the same interest as we have in the promise which has been made good in Christ Jesus through the Good News,

less than the least of all saints as I am, this grace was vouchsafed me, that I should bring the Gentiles the gospel of the fathomless wealth of Christ

and to enlighten everyone [as to] what [is] the administration of the mystery hidden from the ages by God, who created all [things],

through whom, as we have faith in him, we enjoy our confidence of free access.

Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory.

that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit as to the inward man;

May Christ dwell in your hearts as you have faith!

as it is grasped by all God's people, of the breadth and length, the height and depth--

And to have knowledge of the love of Christ which is outside all knowledge, so that you may be made complete as God himself is complete.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

I, then, the prisoner for the Master's sake, entreat you to live and act as becomes those who have received the call that you have received--

with all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another in [unselfish] love.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

But each one of us is granted his own grace, as determined by the full measure of Christ's gift.

He who descended is the very same as He who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things [that is, the whole universe]).

and He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as proclaimers of good news, and some as shepherds and teachers,

For the training of the saints as servants in the church, for the building up of the body of Christ:

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

Dependent on Him, the whole body--its various parts closely fitting and firmly adhering to one another-- grows by the aid of every contributory link, with power proportioned to the need of each individual part, so as to build itself up in a spirit of love.

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit;

For this reason, laying aside falsehood, every one of you should speak the truth to his fellow man; for we are, as it were, parts of one another.

Let the thief steal no more; rather let him work and put his hands to an honest task, so as to have something to contribute to the needy.

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God’s own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin].

Let all bitterness, passion, anger, brawling, and abusive language be banished from among you, as well as all malice.

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

For you [should] know this for certain: No sexually immoral or [morally] impure person, or greedy person, who is [the same as] an idol worshiper, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Live and act as sons of Light--for the effect of the Light is seen in every kind of goodness, uprightness and truth--

Do not participate in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness, but instead expose them [by exemplifying personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character];

For everything that has its true character made manifest is clear as light. And that is why it is said--'Sleeper, awake! Arise from the dead, and the Christ shall give thee light!'

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

not as fools, but as wise men, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

For this cause, do not become foolish, but have discernment as to what is the will of the Lord;

always give thanks for everything to God our Father, as followers of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

to consecrate her by cleansing her in the bath of baptism as she utters her confession,

so that he may present the church to himself as glorious -- not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

because we are, as it were, parts of His Body.

"For this reason a man is to leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall be as one."

This mystery is great, but I speak as to Christ, and as to the assembly.

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord [that is, accept their guidance and discipline as His representatives], for this is right [for obedience teaches wisdom and self-discipline].

Honor [esteem, value as precious] your father and your mother [and be respectful to them]—this is the first commandment with a promise—

As for you fathers, do not exasperate your children, but bring them up in the discipline and on the admonitions of the Lord.

Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

And you masters, act towards your slaves on the same principles, and refrain from threats. For you know that in Heaven there is One who is your Master as well as theirs, and that merely earthly distinctions there are none with Him.

As to the rest, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might;

Put on the complete armour of God, so as to be able to stand firm against all the stratagems of the Devil.

So you must take on God's full armor, so as to be able to take a stand in the day when evil attacks you, and, after having completely finished the contest, to hold your own.

Stand therefore, being girded about as to your loins with truth, and being invested with the breastplate of righteousness,

as well as the shoes of the Good News of peace-- a firm foundation for your feet.

And most of all, using faith as a cover to keep off all the flaming arrows of the Evil One.

put on salvation as your helmet, and take the Spirit as your sword (that is, the word of God),

and ask on my behalf that words may be given to me so that, outspoken and fearless, I may make known the truths (hitherto kept secret)