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

In Christ we too have been claimed as God's own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will

so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, would be to the praise of his glory.

who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of his glory.

and what is the incomparable greatness of his power toward us who believe, as displayed in the exercise of his immense strength.

Now the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

among whom all of us also formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest

Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh -- who are called "uncircumcision" by the so-called "circumcision" that is performed on the body by human hands --

But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility,

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near,

in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

and to enlighten everyone about God's secret plan -- a secret that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things.

in whom we have boldness and confident access to God because of Christ's faithfulness.

from whom every family in heaven and on the earth is named.

Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think,

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

He, the very one who descended, is also the one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.

It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,

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 practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.

You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires,

and to put on the new man who has been created in God's image -- in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.

The one who steals must steal no longer; rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need.

You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

not like those who do their work only when someone is watching -- as people-pleasers -- but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart.

Grace be with all of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.