May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be praised, for He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in [fellowship with] Christ. [Note: The term "heavenly realms" is used somewhat differently throughout this book. Here it refers to Christians as part of the church on earth].

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

God predetermined that we should be [considered] His adopted children through [fellowship with] Christ. This is what pleased God and is what He wanted,

[He did this] to fulfill His plan at the proper time, by bringing together everything [in the universe] under Christ's headship --- things both in heaven and on earth.

I pray that your minds will be enlightened so that you will know what the hope is, to which God has called you, and what the glorious abundance is, of God's inheritance in the saints [Note: Paul wanted them to appreciate the value God placed on them],

and what God's tremendous power [working] in us believers is. [This power is] the same as that utilized by God's mighty strength,

[There He is exalted] high above all rulers and authorities and powers and dominion and every name [i.e., title of honor] that can be given, not only in this present age but [also] in the one to come.

And God placed everything in subjection under His [i.e., Christ's] feet, and appointed Him to be head over all things to the church,

which is His [spiritual] body. The church is completely filled by Christ [or, "Christ is completely filled by God"], who completely fills everything in every way.

restored [spiritual] life to us with Christ, even though we were [spiritually] dead because of our sins --- it is by God's unearned favor that you have been saved.

This was so that, to future ages [of people on earth and in heaven], God could demonstrate the tremendous abundance of His unearned favor, expressed by His kindness to us in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus.

For you have been saved by God's unearned favor, through [your] faith, and that [salvation] was not the result of your own doing; it was the gift from God.

For we [Christians] are the product of God's workmanship, [re-] created in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus for [the purpose of] doing good deeds. God had previously determined that this should be our practice.

So, you Gentiles by birth should remember what you once were. You are called "Uncircumcision" by those who are called "Circumcision" [i.e., the Jews], (which refers to a physical procedure performed by people).

by abolishing in His fleshly body the [entire Jewish] law of commandments contained in decrees. [This was] so that He could create in [unity with] Himself one new person [i.e., the church] out of the two peoples [i.e., Jews and Gentiles], thereby bringing about peace [between them].

[This was also intended] to reestablish harmony between both of these peoples and God in [this] one body, through [Christ's death on] the cross. By doing this He put to death the hostility [between them].

For through Him we [Jews and Gentiles] both have access to the Father by means of one Holy Spirit.

[You are] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets [See I Cor. 12:28], with Christ Jesus Himself being the principal stone by which the entire building is aligned.

In [harmony with] Him you people are also being constructed together into a place where God lives by His Spirit.

[Note: Paul here digresses from his prayer, begun in 1:15-16, to explain the circumstances of his being a prisoner on behalf of these Gentiles]. [I assume] you have heard about my commission [to minister] to you, which was given to me by God's unearned favor.

[It is] that God's secret plan [i.e., revealed in the Gospel preached to Gentiles. See verse 6] was made known to me by way of a revelation. [See Acts 9:15; 22:21]. I have already written to you [about this] briefly [i.e., probably a reference to 1:9ff].

So, when you read this you will be able to understand my insight into the secret plan of Christ,

which was not told to people of previous generations as it has now been revealed to His [i.e., Christ's] holy apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit.

This was done so that now God's many-sided wisdom could be made known through the church, to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms [Note: "Heavenly realms" here refers to the world around us, where these angelic beings (good or bad) view the unfolding of God's wonderful plan],

This is the reason that I bow my knees [in prayer] to the Father,

so that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. [I pray] that you will be rooted and grounded in [your] love,

so that you, along with all the saints [i.e., God's holy people], will be [spiritually] strong enough to grasp how wide and long and high and deep [Christ's love is];

and to know that His love for us surpasses [our] knowledge, so that you people will be completely filled with the fullness of God.

May there be to God, who is able to do infinitely more [for us] than we could [even] ask or think, according to [His] power at work in us ---

[I say] may there be praise to God in the church and in [or, "for"] Christ Jesus throughout all generations of people for ages and ages. May it be so.

I urge you, therefore, as a prisoner of the Lord, to live in a way that measures up to [the standard required by] God when He called you.

Eagerly try to maintain the unity produced by the Holy Spirit by being bound together in peace.

But [God's] unearned favor was given to each one of us, according to the gift allotted [to us] by Christ.

(But what does "He ascended" mean if not that He also [first] descended to the lower parts of the earth [i.e., to the earth below]? [Note: Of the three principal interpretations given to this verse: a) Christ descended to earth, b) Christ descended to the grave, c) Christ descended to Mary's womb. The first is to be preferred. See John 3:13; 6:38, 62].

[This is to be done] until we all [eventually] arrive at unity of the faith and full knowledge of the Son of God; at complete [spiritual] maturity; at the [full] height of Christ's [spiritual] stature.

Then we will no longer be [spiritual] babies, tossed back and forth [by waves], and blown around by every wind of [false] teaching, [deceived] by the clever trickery of people using deceptive schemes.

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.

So, I tell you this, and insist [on it] by [the authority of] the Lord: Do not continue to live with worthless thoughts as [unconverted] Gentiles do.

You were [taught] to put away [the conduct of] your former lifestyle, your old person who is being corrupted by deceitful desires,

and to be renewed in your inner person.

And you should put on the new person who has been [re-] created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

[Psa. 4:4 says], "Be angry [i.e., at wrongdoing. See Mark 3:5], but do not sin" [i.e., by harboring bitterness or retaliation]. Do not allow the sun to go down while you are still provoked.

And do not grieve God's Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed [i.e., given evidence of God's ownership] until the day of redemption [i.e., until you receive your new body in heaven. See 1:14].

and be kind and compassionate toward one another, forgiving each other, just as God also forgave you [because of your fellowship] in Christ.

So, as dearly loved children, you people should [try to] be like God.

Nor should obscenity, silly chatter or double-meaning jokes be used, because they are not proper either. But instead, [you should express] thanksgiving.

But when all [such] things are exposed by the light [i.e., the truth], they become [clearly] visible [i.e., their true nature is revealed], for everything so revealed becomes illuminated. [Note: Possibly this means "it is light that clearly reveals everything"].

So, be careful how you live. Do not live ignorantly, but wisely,

Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

And do not get drunk on wine, which results in ruined lives, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Speak to one another by using psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your hearts to the Lord.

Always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name [i.e., by the authority] of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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].

[This is] so He could present the church to Himself in all her splendor, without any kind of stain or wrinkle, but that she should be holy and without [moral] flaw.

knowing that whatever good deed a person does, he will be rewarded for it from the Lord, whether he is a slave or a free person.

Finally, be [spiritually] strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

You people should put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to withstand the devil's schemes.

And along with everything else, take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the fire-tipped arrows of the evil one.

[Then] offer all kinds of prayers and requests in [harmony with] the Holy Spirit at all times, and be alert constantly in making requests for all the saints [i.e., God's holy people].

And [also pray] for me to be given boldness of speech in opening my mouth to make known the secret plan of the Gospel,

for which I am an ambassador in prison. [And pray] that I may be able to proclaim the Gospel boldly, as I ought to.

May there be peace and love, with faith, to the brothers [there] from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

May God's unearned favor be upon all of those [there] who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.