Ephesians

Shaliah New Testament Translation

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Commentary | Interlinear | English

Ephesians 1

(1) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the holy ones who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus: (2) grace to you and peace from God our Father and lord Jesus Christ.

(3) Blessed is the God and Father of our lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ, (4) just as He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him in love, (5) having foreordained us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Him, according to the good pleasure of His will, (6) for the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He graced us in the beloved. (7) In him we have the deliverance through his blood — the release of the trespasses — according to the riches of His grace, (8) which He caused to abound toward us in all wisdom and insight, (9) having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in him, (10) for the administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in the Christ — the things in the heavens and the things on the earth — in him. (11) In him also we were allotted an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of the One who works all things according to the counsel of His will, (12) so that we, who had hoped beforehand in the Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. (13) In him also you, having heard the word of truth — the glad-tidings of your salvation — and having believed in him, were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, (14) which is a down-payment of our inheritance, for the deliverance of the possession, for the praise of His glory.

(15) For this reason I also, having heard of the faith among you in the lord Jesus and of the love toward all the holy ones, (16) do not cease giving thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, (17) that the God of our lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in full knowledge of Him, (18) having the eyes of your heart enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance among the holy ones, (19) and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of the might of His strength, (20) which He worked in the Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at His right hand in the heavenlies, (21) far above every rule and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the coming one. (22) And He subjected all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the assembly, (23) which is his body — the fullness of the One who fills all things in all.

Ephesians 2

(1) And you who were dead in your trespasses and sins (2) in which you once walked, according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air — the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience — (3) among whom we also all once conducted ourselves in the desires of our flesh, doing the wills of the flesh and of the minds, and we were by nature children of wrath, as also the rest — (4) but God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, (5) even when we were dead in the trespasses, made us alive together with the Christ — by grace you have been saved — (6) and raised us together and seated us together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, (7) so that in the coming ages He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (8) For by grace you have been saved through faith — and this is not from you; it is the gift of God — (9) not from works, so that no one might boast. (10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we might walk in them.

(11) Therefore remember that once you — the nations in flesh, who are called “the uncircumcision” by the ones called “the circumcision” made in the flesh by hands — (12) were at that time without Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (13) But now, in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off came to be near in the blood of the Christ. (14) For he himself is our peace, who made the two one and, in his flesh, destroyed the dividing wall of the fence — the hostility — (15) abolishing the law of the commandments in decrees, so that in himself he might create the two into one new man, making peace, (16) and reconcile the two in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility in it. (17) And when he came, he announced glad-tidings — peace to you who were far off, and peace to the near. (18) For through him we both have access in one spirit to the Father. (19) So then, you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow-citizens of the holy ones and members of the household of God, (20) built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being cornerstone, (21) in whom every building, being fitted together, grows into a holy sanctuary in the lord, (22) in whom also you are being built together into a dwelling-place of God in spirit.

Ephesians 3

(1) For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you, the nations — (2) if indeed you have heard of the administration of the grace of God that was given to me for you: (3) that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, just as I wrote above in brief, (4) by which, when you read, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of the Christ, (5) which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in spirit — (6) namely, that the nations are co-heirs and co-body and co-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the glad-tidings, (7) of which I came to be a servant, according to the gift of the grace of God that was given to me according to the working of His power. (8) To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given: to proclaim to the nations the unsearchable riches of the Christ, (9) and to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the mystery that has been hidden from the ages in God, who created all things, (10) so that through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenlies, (11) according to the purpose of the ages, which He made in Christ Jesus our lord, (12) in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through faith in him. (13) Therefore I ask that you not lose heart over my tribulations on your behalf, which are your glory.

(14) For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, (15) from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, (16) that He may give to you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His spirit in the inner man, (17) so that the Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith — having been rooted and grounded in love — (18) so that you may be fully able to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, (19) and to know the love of the Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled to all the fullness of God. (20) Now to the One who is able to do superabundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work in us, (21) to Him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus, to all the generations of the age of the ages. Amen.

Ephesians 4

(1) I exhort you, therefore, I, the prisoner in the lord, to walk worthily of the calling to which you were called, (2) with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, (3) being eager to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace: (4) one body and one spirit — just as also you were called in one hope of your calling — (5) one lord, one faith, one baptism, (6) one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

(7) But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of the Christ. (8) Therefore it says: “Having ascended on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to people.” (9) But the “he ascended” — what is it, except that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? (10) The one who descended — he himself is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things. (11) And he himself gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as shepherds and teachers, (12) for the equipping of the holy ones, for the work of service, for the building up of the body of the Christ, (13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the full knowledge of the son of God — to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ — (14) so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of people, by cunning toward the scheming of error; (15) but, speaking truth in love, let us grow up in all things into him who is the head — Christ — (16) from whom the whole body, being fitted together and held together through every joint of supply, according to the working in due measure of each single part, brings about the growth of the body, for the building up of itself in love.

(17) This, therefore, I say and testify in the lord: that you no longer walk as the nations walk, in the futility of their mind, (18) being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; (19) who, having become callous, gave themselves over to sensuality, for the practice of every impurity in greed. (20) But you did not so learn the Christ, (21) if indeed you have heard him and were taught in him — just as truth is in Jesus: (22) to put off, with respect to your former conduct, the old man, which is being corrupted according to the desires of deceit, (23) and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (24) and to put on the new man, which has been created according to God in righteousness and holiness of truth.

(25) Therefore, having put away the lie, speak truth, each one with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. (26) Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger; (27) nor give place to the devil. (28) Let the one who steals steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his own hands what is good, so that he may have something to share with the one in need. (29) Let no rotten word come out of your mouth, but only what is good for building up as the need arises, so that it may give grace to those who hear. (30) And do not grieve the holy spirit of God, by which you were sealed for the day of deliverance. (31) Let all bitterness and rage and anger and clamor and slander be removed from you, with all malice. (32) But become kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 5

(1) Therefore become imitators of God, as beloved children, (2) and walk in love, just as the Christ also loved us and gave himself over for us — an offering and sacrifice to God for an odor of fragrance. (3) But sexual immorality and all impurity and greed must not even be named among you, as is fitting for holy ones, (4) nor obscenity and foolish talk and coarse joking, which are not befitting, but rather thanksgiving. (5) For you know this, recognizing that every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person — who is an idolater — has no inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God. (6) Let no one deceive you with empty words; for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (7) Therefore do not become co-sharers with them.

(8) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the lord; walk as children of light, (9) for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth, (10) testing what is well-pleasing to the lord, (11) and do not co-share in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even expose them; (12) for the things happening in secret by them are shameful even to speak of. (13) But all things being exposed by the light are made visible; (14) for everything made visible is light. Therefore it says: “Awake, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and the Christ will shine on you.”

(15) Watch, therefore, carefully how you walk — not as unwise, but as wise, (16) buying back the time, because the days are evil. (17) Because of this, do not become foolish, but understand what the will of the lord is. (18) And do not be drunk with wine, in which is debauchery, but be filled in spirit, (19) speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual odes, singing and making melody with your heart to the lord, (20) giving thanks always for all things in the name of our lord Jesus Christ to God the Father, (21) submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

(22) Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the lord, (23) because the husband is the head of the wife, as also the Christ is the head of the assembly — he himself savior of the body. (24) But as the assembly submits to the Christ, so also the wives submit to their husbands in everything. (25) Husbands, love your wives, just as the Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself over on behalf of her, (26) so that he might consecrate her, having cleansed her by the washing of the water in the word, (27) so that he might present the assembly to himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she might be holy and blameless. (28) So also the husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. The one who loves his own wife loves himself; (29) for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as also the Christ does the assembly, (30) because we are members of his body. (31) “Because of this a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” (32) This mystery is great; but I speak with reference to the Christ and to the assembly. (33) Nevertheless, also you — let each one love his own wife thus as himself; and let the wife fear her husband.

Ephesians 6

(1) Children, obey your parents in the lord, for this is right. (2) “Honor your father and mother” — which is the first commandment with a promise — (3) “so that it may be well with you, and you will be long-lived upon the earth.” (4) And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but nurture them in the discipline and admonition of the lord.

(5) Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of your heart, as to the Christ, (6) not with eye-service as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the soul, (7) serving with goodwill, as to the lord and not to humans, (8) knowing that each one, whatever good he does, he will receive this back from the lord, whether slave or free. (9) And masters, do the same things toward them, relaxing the threat, knowing that both their lord and yours is in the heavens, and there is no partiality with him.

(10) Finally, be empowered in the lord and in the might of his strength. (11) Put on the full-armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil, (12) because our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual-forces of evil in the heavenlies. (13) Because of this, take up the full-armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having accomplished all things, to stand. (14) Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) and having shod your feet with the readiness of the glad-tidings of peace, (16) in all circumstances having taken up the shield of faith, by which you will be able to extinguish all the burning arrows of the evil one; (17) and receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is utterance of God. (18) Through all prayer and supplication, praying in every season in the spirit — and to this end being vigilant in all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones — (19) and for me, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, in boldness to make known the mystery of the glad-tidings, (20) for which I serve as an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak boldly, as it is necessary for me to speak.

(21) But so that you also may know the things concerning me — what I am doing — Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the lord, will make known all things to you, (22) whom I sent to you for this very purpose, so that you may know the things concerning us and he may encourage your hearts. (23) Peace to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and lord Jesus Christ. (24) Grace be with all who love our lord Jesus Christ in incorruption.