Reference: Ephesians
Morish
Ephesians. Ephe'sians
The inhabitants of Ephesus. Ac 19:28-35; 21:29.
Ephesians, Ephe'sians Epistle to the.
Paul first visited Ephesus on his way from Corinth to Syria: he did not stay then, but left Priscilla and Aquila there, who were afterwards joined by Apollos. Ac 18:18-24. Paul soon returned and stayed there two years. There was thus time for the saints to be grounded in the truth. The opposition was so great in the synagogue that Paul separated the disciples, and they met daily in the school of Tyrannus. The word grew mightily and prevailed. Ac 19:1-20.
In 1Co 15:32 Paul speaks of having fought with beasts at Ephesus, doubtless alluding to the strong opposition manifested towards him there by the Jews. In Ac 20:17, etc., Paul exhorts the elders of Ephesus, as overseers, to feed the church of God. He warns them that grievous wolves would enter in, and some from among themselves would speak perverse things to draw away disciples after them. As their resource he commends them to God and the word of His grace. Following this was the Epistle he wrote to them during the two years he was a prisoner at Rome.
In 1Ti 1:3 Paul says he had besought Timothy to abide at Ephesus, and to exhort them to teach no other doctrine, and not to give heed to fables and endless genealogies. In 2Ti 1:15 there is the sad intelligence that 'all they which are in Asia' (which must have included Ephesus) had 'turned away from' Paul, doubtless signifying that they had given up the truth as taught by Paul, and settled down with a lower standard. In 2Ti 4:12 Tychicus had been sent to Ephesus. The great care and watchfulness with which Paul laboured for their welfare is very manifest. In Re 2:1-7 we have the address to this church, in which much is said in their favour, though the solemn charge had also to be made that they had left their first love, and the warning is given that if they did not repent their candlestick would be removed.
The Epistle to the Ephesians is remarkable in setting forth the counsels of God with regard to His people as connected with Christ. It is from this standpoint that they are viewed, rather than that of their need as sinners, and how it has been met. This latter is developed in the Epistle to the Romans. The state of the Ephesian believers enabled them to receive a communication of such a nature as this Epistle, in which glorious unfoldings of the mind of God about His own are given in the greatest fulness.
The key note is struck in Eph 1:3, where God is blessed as "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Paul, having remained many days longer, took leave of the brethren, and sailed to Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila, having shorn his head in Cenchrea; for he had a vow. And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he him self went into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews. read more. And though they besought him to remain with them a longer time, he did not consent, but took leave of them, saying: I must, by all means, keep this coming feast in Jerusalem: but I will return to you, if God be willing. And he sailed from Ephesus, and having landed at Caesarea, and gone up and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch. And having spent some time there, he departed, and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. And a certain Jew, named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
And it came to pass, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, after passing through the upper districts, came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples, said to them: Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? They said to him: We have not only not received it, but we have not even heard whether the Holy Spirit is given. read more. And he said to them: Into what, then, were you immersed? They replied: Into John's immersion. And Paul said: John immersed with the immersion of repentance, saying to the people, that they must believe on him who should come after him, that is, on the Christ, Jesus. And when they heard this, they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve. And he entered the synagogue, and spoke boldly, reasoning, and persuading them for three months, with respect to the things of the kingdom of God. But as some were hardened, and did not believe, and spoke evil of that way before the multitude, he withdrew from them, and separated the disciples, and discoursed daily in the school of one Tyrannus. This continued for two years; so that all that dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. Mighty deeds, also, that were unusual, did God perform by the hands of Paul; so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried from his body to the sick, and diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits came out of them. And some of the roving Jews, who were exorcists, under took to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying: I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. And there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this. But the evil spirit answered and said: Jesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know; but who are you? And the man in whom the evil spirit was, leaped on them, and overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled from that house, naked and wounded. And this became known to all the Greeks and Jews that dwelt in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many of those who believed came and confessed, and made known their practices. And many of those who practiced magic, brought together their books, and burned them, in the presence of all. And they computed their value, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily did the word of the Lord grow and prevail.
When they heard this, they were full of anger, and cried out, saying: Great is Diana of the Ephesians! And the whole city was filled with confusion. And they seized Gains and Aristarchus, who were Macedonians, Paul's fellow-travelers, and, with one consent, rushed into the theater. read more. And when Paul wished to go in among the people, the disciples did not permit him. Some of the Asiarchs also, who were friendly to him, sent to him, and besought him not to trust himself into the theater. Some, therefore, were crying one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused, and the greater part knew not for what they had come together. And some of the multitude put Alexander forward, the Jews urging him on. And Alexander waved his hand, and wished to make a defense to the people. But perceiving that he was a Jew, they all cried out, with one voice, for about two hours: Great is Diana of the Ephesians. But the town-clerk quieted the multitude, and said: Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great Diana, and of the image that fell down from Jupiter?
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
For, before this time, they had seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, with him in the city, whom they supposed Paul had brought into the temple.
If, to speak as a man, I have fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.
Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly things in Christ,
Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly things in Christ,
which he made active in the Christ when he raised him from the dead, and caused him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
and raised us up, and made us sit together in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus;
to the end that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known, through the church, to the principalities and authorities in the heavenly regions,
This I say, therefore, and appeal to you solemnly in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the other Gentiles walk, in the error of their minds,
for our conflict is not with flesh and blood, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the rulers of the darkness of this world, with the wicked spirits in the heavenly regions.
As, on going into Macedonia, I besought you to remain in Ephesus, that you might charge some that they teach no other thing,
You know this, that all those who are in Asia have turned away from me; all those, I say, of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write: These things says he that holds the seven stars in his right hand, that walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know your works, and your labor, and your patience; and that you can not bear with those who are evil, and that you have tried those who say they are apostles, and are not, and have found them liars; read more. and that you have patience, and have endured for my name's sake, and have not fainted. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember, therefore, whence you have fallen, and repent, and do your first works; if not, I will come to you quickly, and I will remove your candlestick from its place, unless you repent. But you have this, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches: To him that overcomes, I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.