To Christ's People [AT EPHESUS] who are faithful to him, from Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God.

May God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and give you peace.

Blessed is the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has blessed us on high with every spiritual blessing, in Christ.

For he chose us in our union with Christ before the creation of the universe, that we might be holy and blameless in his sight, living in the spirit of love.

From the first he destined us, in his good-will towards us, to be adopted as Sons through Jesus Christ,

When he made known to us his hidden purpose. And it also accords with the good-will which God purposed to exhibit in Christ,

That we should enhance his glory--we who have been the first to rest our hopes on the Christ.

And therefore I, ever since I heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which prevails among you, and of your confidence in all Christ's People,

My prayer is that the God of Jesus Christ our Lord, the all- glorious Father, may inspire you with wisdom and true insight through a fuller knowledge of himself;

That your minds may be so enlightened that you may realize the hope given by God's Call, the wealth of the glory of his heritage among Christ's People,

The same mighty power was exerted upon the Christ, when he raised the Christ from the dead and 'caused him to sit at his right hand' on high, exalting him above all Angels and Archangels of every rank,

And God placed 'all things under Christ's feet,' and gave him to the Church as its supreme Head;

For the Church is Christ's Body, and is filled by him who fills all things everywhere with his presence.

Even though we were 'dead' because of our offenses, gave Life to us in giving Life to the Christ. (By God's loving-kindness you have been saved.)

And, through our union with Christ Jesus, God raised us with him, and caused us to sit with him on high,

In order that, by his goodness to us in Christ Jesus, he might display in the ages to come the boundless wealth of his loving- kindness.

For we are God's handiwork, created, by our union with Christ Jesus, for the good actions in doing which God had pre-arranged that we should spend our lives.

Remember that you were at that time far from Christ; you were shut out from the citizenship of Israel; you were strangers to the Covenants founded on God's Promise; you were in the world without hope and without God.

But now, through your union with Christ Jesus, you who once were 'far off' have, by the shedding of the blood of the Christ, been brought 'near.'

It follows, then, that you are no longer strangers and aliens, but are fellow-citizens with Christ's People and members of God's Household.

You have been built up upon the foundation laid by the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus himself being 'the corner- stone.'

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus, the Christ, for the sake of you Gentiles--

And, by reading what I have written, you will be able to judge how far I understand this hidden purpose of God in Christ.

In former generations it was not made known to mankind, as fully as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to the Apostles and Prophets among Christ's People--

That, by union with Christ Jesus and through the Good News, the Gentiles are co-heirs with us and members of one Body, and that they share with us in God's Promise.

Yes, to me, who am less than the least of all Christ's People, was this charge entrusted!--to tell the Gentiles the Good News of the boundless wealth to be found in the Christ,

In accordance with that purpose which runs through all the ages and which he has now accomplished in Jesus, the Christ, our Master.

So that the Christ, through your faith, may make his home within your hearts in love; And I pray that you, now firmly rooted and established, may, with all Christ's People,

And to understand--though it surpasses all understanding--the love of the Christ; and so be filled to the full with God himself.

To him be all glory through the Church and through Christ Jesus, for all generations, age after age. Amen.

Every one of us, however, has been entrusted with some charge, each in accordance with the extent of the gift of the Christ.

To fit his People for the work of the ministry, for the building up of the Body of the Christ.

And this shall continue, until we all attain to that unity which is given by faith and by a fuller knowledge of the Son of God; until we reach the ideal man--the full standard of the perfection of the Christ.

But holding the truth in a spirit of love, we shall grow into complete union with him who is our Head--Christ himself.

But far different is the lesson you learned from the Christ-- if, that is, you really listened to him,

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, ready to forgive one another, just as God, in Christ, forgave you.

And live a life of love, following the example of the Christ, who loved you and gave himself for you as 'an offering and a sacrifice to God, that should be fragrant and acceptable.'

As for unchastity and every kind of impurity, or greed, do not let them even be mentioned among you, as befits Christ's People,

For of this you may be sure--that no one who is unchaste or impure or greedy of gain (for to be greedy of gain is idolatry) has any place awaiting him in the kingdom of the Christ and God.

For everything that has its true character made manifest is clear as light. And that is why it is said--'Sleeper, awake! Arise from the dead, and the Christ shall give thee light!'

Always give thanks for everything to our God and Father, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

For a man is the Head of his wife, as the Christ is the Head of the Church--being indeed himself the Savior of his Body.

But as the Church submits to the Christ, so also should wives submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as the Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for her,

For no one ever yet hated his own body. But every one feeds his body and cares for it, just as the Christ for the Church;

In this there is a profound truth--I am speaking of Christ and his Church.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters, with anxious care, giving them ungrudging service, as if obeying the Christ;

Not only when their eyes are on you, as if you had merely to please men, but as slaves of Christ, who are trying to carry out the will of God.

Pray in spirit at all times. Be intent upon this, with unwearying perseverance and supplication for all Christ's People- -

May God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ give our Brothers peace, and love linked with faith.

May God's blessing be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.