to the praise of the splendour of His grace with which He has enriched us in the beloved One.

the grace which He, the possessor of all wisdom and understanding, lavished upon us,

for the government of the world when the times are ripe for it--the purpose which He has cherished in His own mind of restoring the whole creation to find its one Head in Christ; yes, things in Heaven and things on earth, to find their one Head in Him.

that Spirit being a pledge and foretaste of our inheritance, in anticipation of its full redemption--the inheritance which He has purchased to be specially His for the extolling of His glory.

For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which prevails among you, and of your love for all God's people,

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened so that you may know what is the hope which His call to you inspires, what the wealth of the glory of His inheritance in God's people,

God has put all things under His feet, and has appointed Him universal and supreme Head of the Church, which is His Body,

which were once habitual to you while you walked in the ways of this world and obeyed the Prince of the powers of the air, the spirits that are now at work in the hearts of the sons of disobedience--to you God has given Life.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the intense love which He bestowed on us,

For we are God's own handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works which He has pre-destined us to practise.

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.

At that time you were living apart from Christ, estranged from the Commonwealth of Israel, with no share by birth in the Covenants which are based on the Promises, and you had no hope and no God, in all the world.

You are a building which has been reared on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, the cornerstone being Christ Jesus Himself,

if, that is, you have heard of the work which God has graciously entrusted to me for your benefit,

which in earlier ages was not made known to the human race, as it has now been revealed to His holy Apostles and Prophets through 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,

in which I have been appointed to serve, in virtue of the work which God, in the exercise of His power within me, has graciously entrusted to me.

and to show all men in a clear light what my stewardship is. It is the stewardship of the truth which from all the Ages lay concealed in the mind of God, the Creator of all things--

Such was the eternal purpose which He had formed in Christ Jesus our Lord,

with darkened understandings, having by reason of the ignorance which is deep-seated in them and the insensibility of their moral nature, no share in the Life which God gives.

But these are not the lessons which you have learned from Christ;

to put away, in regard to your former mode of life, your original evil nature which is doomed to perish as befits its misleading impulses,

with that new and better self which has been created to resemble God in the righteousness and holiness which come from the truth.

He who has been a thief must steal no more, but, instead of that, should work with his own hands in honest industry, so that he may have something of which he can give the needy a share.

for the things which are done by these people in secret it is disgraceful even to speak of.

Do not over-indulge in wine--a thing in which excess is so easy--

"Honour your father and your mother" --this is the first Commandment which has a promise added to it--

In conclusion, strengthen yourselves in the Lord and in the power which His supreme might imparts.

And besides all these take the great shield of faith, on which you will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the Wicked one;

and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.

to spread which I am an ambassador in chains--so that when telling them I may speak out boldly as I ought.