[This letter is from] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, according to God's will, [and is being sent] to the saints [i.e., God's holy people] at Ephesus [Note: This was a major city in the western province of Asia Minor, and now a part of Turkey. The words "at Ephesus" are omitted in some manuscripts, suggesting it was a circular letter], and the faithful ones in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus [everywhere else ?].

according as he had chosen us in him through love, before the foundation of the world was laid, that we should be saints, and without blame before him, through love.

He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—

so that we would praise His glorious, unearned favor, which was freely given to us through the One whom God loved [i.e., Christ].

It is in Him, and through the shedding of His blood, that we have our deliverance--the forgiveness of our offences--so abundant was God's grace,

when he made known to us the secret of his will. This was according to his plan that he set forth in the Messiah

when the full time of the dispensation was come, to reduce all things both in heaven and on earth, under one head in Christ.

It is by him, that we have a share in the inheritance, which was before allotted to us, in consequence of his design, who executes the whole plan, as he himself had contriv'd it:

The end [i.e., of being so predetermined] was that we [Jewish Christians], who had previously placed our hope in Christ, should bring about the praise of God's splendor.

by whom you also have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: and having believed in him, ye were mark'd with the seal of the holy spirit, which was promised:

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,

Among whom we all at one time were living in the pleasures of our flesh, giving way to the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and the punishment of God was waiting for us even as for the rest.

then it was that God, who is rich in mercy, thro' his great love, wherewith he loved us,

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.

It was not the result of your own [good] deeds [See Titus 3:5], so that no one could boast [about it].

For he is our peace, which hath made of both one, and hath broken down the wall in the midst, that was a stop between us,

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].

that he might reconcile both in one body unto God by the cross, wherefore he destroyed the enmity that was between them:

Which was built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner,

This is why I, Paul, whom Jesus the Christ has made a prisoner for the sake of you heathen??2 if at least you have heard how I dealt with the mercy of God that was given me for you,

assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was entrusted to me [to share with you] for your benefit;

How that, by way of revelation, was made known unto me the sacred secret, - even as I before wrote in brief, -

by reading which you can understand my knowledge of the mystery of Christ,??5 which in other generations was not made known to the children of men as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit,

which in other generations was not disclosed to mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit;

The gentiles are heirs-in-common, members-in-common of the body, and common participants in what was promised by the Messiah Jesus through the gospel.

Of which I was made a minister, according to the free-gift of the favour of God which was given unto me, according to the energy of his power:

Unto me - the less than least of all saints, was given this favour, unto the nations, to announce the glad-message of the untraceable riches of the Christ,

And to let all men see, what is the fellowship of the mystery, which was hidden from the beginning of the world by God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

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 was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

There is but one Body and one Spirit, just as there was but one hope set before you when you received your Call.

Yet grace [God’s undeserved favor] was given to each one of us [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ’s [rich and abundant] gift.

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

[and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church];

For this was not the teaching of Christ which was given to you;

You have learned to lay aside, with your former manner of living, the old self who was on his way to ruin, as he followed the desires which deceive;

and to put on the new man according to God, the man who was created in righteousness and piety of the truth.

Let him who was a thief be so no longer, but let him do good work with his hands, so that he may have something to give to him who is in need.

And do not grieve God's Holy Spirit; for it was through that Spirit that God sealed you as his, against the Day of Redemption.

There was a time when you were nothing but darkness. Now, as Christians, you are Light itself.

no man was ever yet averse to his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, as the Lord doth the church:

for we are members of his body, as if taken out of his flesh, and of his bones, as Eve was out of Adam's.

serve them with affection, as if it was to the Lord,