Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God. To the saints which are at Ephesus, and to them which believe on Jesus Christ.

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

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 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.

(the eyes of your hearts having been enlightened), so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what [are] the riches of the glory 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,

above all rule, power, and might, and domination, and above all names that are named, not in this world only, but also in the world to come.

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

that you once practiced as you lived according to the ways of this present world and according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now active in those who are disobedient.

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 by sin, hath quickened us together in Christ - for by grace are ye saved -

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 by grace are ye made safe through faith, and that, not of yourselves: For it is the gift of God,

for we are his workmanship,

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, unto the which God ordained us before, that we should walk in them.

Wherefore, remember that ye, being in time past gentiles in the flesh, and were called "uncircumcision" to them which are called "circumcision" in the flesh - which circumcision is made by hands -

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, ye which a while ago were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Because through him the two of us are able to come near in one Spirit to the Father.

Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners: but citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,

and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets - Jesus Christ being the head cornerstone -

in whom ye also are built together, and made a habitation for God in the spirit.

For this cause, I Paul the servant of Jesus Christ am in bonds for your sakes, which are heathen -

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

that the heathen through union with Christ Jesus are fellow-heirs with the Jews, are members with them of the same body, and sharers with them of the promise through the good news,

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

Wherefore I desire you not to faint on account of my afflictions for you, which 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 which am in bonds for the Lord's sake, exhort you, that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

being 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, then, I say, and I testify in the Lord; ye are no more to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind,

They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of 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:

ye are to put off concerning the former behaviour the old man, that is corrupt according to the desires of the deceit,

you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds;

Wherefore, put away lying, and speak every man truth unto his neighbor, forasmuch as we are members one of another.

"Be angry, yet do not sin." Do not let the sun set while you are still angry,

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.

You must stop letting any bad word pass your lips, but only words that are good for building up as the occasion demands, so that they will result in spiritual blessing to the hearers.

And grieve not the holy spirit of God, by whom ye are sealed unto the 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.

neither filthiness, neither foolish talking, neither jestings, which are not comely: but rather giving of thanks.

For this ye are well informed of, knowing that no fornicator, or unclean person, or person of unbridled lust, who is an idolater, has 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.

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

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

For it is shame even to name those things which are done of them in secret:

but all things, when they are rebuked of the light, are manifest. For whatsoever is manifest, that same 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, -

redeeming the time: for 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].

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

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

Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with reverence and humility, in singleness of heart as if to Christ himself;

Do not do this only while you're being watched in order to please them, but be like slaves of the Messiah, who are determined to obey God's will.

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 am sending him to you for this very reason, so that you may know how we are doing and that he may encourage your hearts.