Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), by the will of God [that is, by His purpose and choice],

To the saints (God’s people) who are at Ephesus and are faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus:

Even before the creation of the world God chose us, who are in [fellowship with] Christ, to be dedicated [to Him] and to be without just blame in His sight. Out of love

for the government of the fulness of the ages, that all things in heaven and earth are alike should be gathered up in Christ, as Head.

in whom we are made heirs, and were thereto predestinate according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the purpose of his own will:

You [Gentiles] also, who are in Christ, after having heard the message of truth, the good news about your salvation, and [after] believing in Him, were sealed [i.e., as evidence of ownership] with the promised Holy Spirit. [or, "the Holy Spirit who brings promises"].

who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, until the redemption of those who are God's possessionto the praise of his glory.

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,

and what the exceeding greatness of His power to us who are believing, according to the working of the power of His might,

far above all rule and authority and power and dominion [whether angelic or human], and [far above] every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and world but also in the one to come.

Which is his body, the full measure of him in whom all things are made complete.

You practiced such things when you lived according to the evil ways of this world, and according to the ruler of the [spiritual] powers of the air. [Note: This refers to Satan, whose influence permeates life around us]. He is the [evil] spirit who is now at work in people who are disobedient [to God].

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 [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of our sins, He made us [spiritually] alive together with Christ (for by His grace—His undeserved favor and mercy—you have been saved from God’s judgment).

So that we came back from death with him, and are seated with him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus;

that He might show, in the ages that are coming, the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus,

For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;

for we are his workmanship,

His, in fact we are - his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus upon a footing of good works, which God prepared beforehand, that, therein, we might walk.

Wherefore, keep in remembrance - that, at one time, ye, the nations in flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by the so-called Circumcision in flesh, made by hand,

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.

But now in Christ Jesus you who at one time were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.

For it is through Him that we both have a [direct] way of approach in one Spirit to the Father.

Hence, then - no longer, are ye strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens of the saints, and members of the household of God, -

having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the [chief] Cornerstone,

In whom, ye also, are being builded together, into a habitation of God in Spirit.

For this reason [because I preach that you and believing Jews are joint heirs] I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—

in regard to which ye are able, reading it, to understand my knowledge in the secret of the Christ,

That they who are of the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through means of the glad-message, -

by whom we are bold to draw nigh in that trust, which we have by faith on him.

So I beg you not to lose heart over my tribulations in your behalf; they are your glory.

For this reason [grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ] I bow my knees [in reverence] before the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ],

from whom the whole family in heaven and earth are denominated his children:

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

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

until all of us are united in the faith and in the full knowledge of God's Son, and until we attain mature adulthood and the full standard of development in the Messiah.

So we are no longer to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.

But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow into him [with reference to] all [things], who is the head, Christ,

From Him all [members of] the body are properly joined together by every supporting ligament, as each part contributes to the growth of the body and builds itself up through [mutual] love.

This I say, then, and give witness in the Lord, that you are to go no longer in the way of the Gentiles whose minds are turned to that which has no profit,

for their [moral] understanding is darkened and their reasoning is clouded; [they are] alienated and self-banished from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the [willful] ignorance and spiritual blindness that is [deep-seated] within them, because of the hardness and insensitivity of their heart.

Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

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

If so be ye have heard of him, and are taught in him, even as the truth is in Jesus:

That you are to put away, in relation to your earlier way of life, the old man, which has become evil by love of deceit;

you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds;

Wherefore, stripping off what is false, be speaking truth each one with his neighbour, because we are members one of another;

are you angry? have a care you don't sin. "let not the sun go down upon your wrath,"

The man who stole must not steal any more; he must work with his hands at honest toil instead, so as to have something to share with those who are in need.

From your lips let no evil words come forth, but such as occasion warrants, such as are good for upbuilding and give a blessing to the hearers.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in which ye are sealed for a day of redemption.

But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints.

And shamelessness and foolish talking, or jesting, - which things are beneath you, - but, rather, giving of thanks;

For ye are men who know this, that no fornicator, or unclean man, or covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God.

Whatever anyone may say in the way of worthless arguments to deceive you, these are the things that are bringing God's anger down upon the disobedient.

For ye were, at one time, darkness, but, now, are ye light in the Lord, - as children of light, be walking,

and have nothing to do with the unfruitful actions that darkness produces. Instead, expose them for what they are.

For, of the secret things which are brought to pass by them, it is, shameful, even to speak!

but all these things, when exposed, are by the light made manifest, and what is made manifest is light.

For this reason he says, Be awake, you who are sleeping, and come up from among the dead, and Christ will be your light.

Be taking heed, therefore, exactly how ye are walking, - not as unwise, but as wise, -

Buying out for yourselves the opportunity, because, the days, are evil;

but even as the assembly is subject to Christ, so also are the wives to their own husbands in everything.

You who are husbands must love your wives, just as Christ loves the church and gave himself for her,

so that He could dedicate her [to Himself], after cleansing her by means of the washing of water [i.e., immersion], accompanied by the word. [Note: "The word" here refers either to a person's profession of faith (See Rom. 10:9) or to the Gospel message (See Rom. 10:17), both of which are associated with immersion].

Because, members, are we of his body; -

This is a great secret: but my words are about Christ and the church.

Ye servants, be obedient unto them who, after the flesh, are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto the Christ;

Do not serve them only when you are being watched, just to gain their approval, but as slaves of Christ, doing what God wants from your heart.

You who are masters, too, must treat your slaves in the same way, and cease to threaten them, for you know that their Master and yours is in heaven, and that he will show no partiality.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places.

in everything taking up the shield of faith, with which you are able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one,

I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are, and that he may comfort and encourage and strengthen your hearts.