even as, in His love, He chose us as His own in Christ before the creation of the world, that we might be holy and without blemish in His presence.

For He pre-destined us to be adopted by Himself as sons through Jesus Christ--such being His gracious will and pleasure--

and what the transcendent greatness of His power in us believers as seen in the working of His infinite might

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

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.

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,

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

and that by a revelation the truth hitherto kept secret was made known to me as I have already briefly explained it to you.

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

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,

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

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--

There is but one body and but one Spirit, as also when you were called you had one and the same hope held out to you.

He who descended is the same as He who ascended again far above all the Heavens in order to fill the universe.)

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.

Therefore I warn you, and I implore you in the name of the Master, no longer to live as the Gentiles in their perverseness live,

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,

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.

On the contrary learn to be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.

Therefore be imitators of God, as His dear children.

And live and act lovingly, as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up to death on our behalf as an offering and sacrifice to God, yielding a fragrant odor.

There was a time when you were nothing but darkness. Now, as Christians, you are Light itself.

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

Therefore be very careful how you live and act. Let it not be as unwise men, but as wise.

Married women, submit to your own husbands as if to the Lord;

because a husband is the Head of his wife as Christ also is the Head of the Church, being indeed the Saviour of this His Body.

And just as the Church submits to Christ, so also married women should be entirely submissive to their husbands.

Married men, love your wives, as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up to death for her;

So too married men ought to love their wives as much as they love themselves. He who loves his wife loves himself.

For never yet has a man hated his own body. On the contrary he feeds and cherishes it, just as Christ feeds and cherishes 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."

Yet I insist that among you also, each man is to love his own wife as much as he loves himself, and let a married woman see to it that she treats her husband with respect.

Children, be obedient to your parents as a Christian duty, for it is a duty.

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.

Let it not be in acts of eye-service as if you had but to please men, but as Christ's bondservants who are doing God's will from the heart.

With right good will, be faithful to your duty as service rendered to the Lord and not to man.

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.

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

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

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)

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