As we were designed before by him for the position of sons to himself, through Jesus Christ, in the good pleasure of his purpose,

the same in himself to have it declared when the time were full come: that all things, both the things which are in heaven, and also the things which are in earth, should be gathered together, even in Christ. That is to say, in him

in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will;

so that we should be devoted to the extolling of His glorious attributes--we who were the first to fix our hopes on Christ.

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].

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 God who is rich in mercy, on account of his great love with which he loved us,??5 even when we were dead in sins he made us alive with Christ,??y grace are you saved,

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

For by his act we were given existence in Christ Jesus to do those good works which God before made ready for us so that we might do them.

Wherefore, remember, that ye were once the nations in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands,

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

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,

And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called,

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

And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct],

if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:

That ye were to strip off - as regardeth the former behaviour - the old man, who corrupteth himself according to his deceitful covetings,

And were to be getting young again in the spirit of your mind,

And were to put on the man of new mould, who, after God, hath been created in his truthful righteousness and loving kindness.

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.

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.

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

That is how husbands ought to love their wives--as if they were their own bodies. A man who loves his wife is really loving himself;

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

However, for you individually, let each love his wife as if she were himself; and the wife be careful to respect her husband.

Slaves, be obedient to your earthly masters, with respect and eager anxiety to please and with simplicity of motive as if you were obeying Christ.

not in the way of eye-service [working only when someone is watching you and only] to please men, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart;

Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people,