I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints,

in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient.

not from works, so that no one can boast.

At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.

He made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.

So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,

This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:

This is so God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.

and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—

Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the Messiah’s gift.

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.

Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their thoughts.

you put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need.

No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.

For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and of God.

Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—

Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything.

For no one ever hates his own flesh but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church,

And masters, treat your slaves the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.

Tychicus, our dearly loved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed.

I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.