God's New Bible

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians

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- Chapter 1 -

(Acts 19:8–12; Revelation 2:1–7)
1
Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, to all the saints who are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.
2
Grace and peace to you from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Blessings

(Romans 8:28–34)
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ,(a) (b)
4
just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and immaculate in his sight, in charity.
5
He has predestined us to adoption as sons, through Jesus Christ, in himself, according to the purpose of his will,
6
for the praise of the glory of his grace, with which he has gifted us in his beloved Son.
7
In him, we have redemption through his blood: the remission of sins in accord with the riches of his grace,
8
which is superabundant in us, with all wisdom and prudence.(c)
9
So does he make known to us the mystery of his will, which he has set forth in Christ, in a manner well-pleasing to him,
10
in the dispensation of the fullness of time, so as to renew in Christ everything that exists through him in heaven and on earth.
11
In him, we too are called to our portion, having been predestined in accord with the plan of the One who accomplishes all things by the counsel of his will.
12
So may we be, to the praise of his glory, we who have hoped beforehand in Christ.
13
In him, you also, after you heard and believed the Word of truth, which is the Gospel of your salvation, were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the Promise.
14
He is the pledge of our inheritance, unto the acquisition of redemption, to the praise of his glory.(d)

Spiritual Wisdom

(1 Corinthians 2:6–16)
15
Because of this, and hearing of your faith that is in the Lord Jesus, and of your love toward all the saints,
16
I have not ceased giving thanks for you, calling you to mind in my prayers,
17
so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give a spirit of wisdom and of revelation to you, in knowledge of him.
18
May the eyes of your heart be illuminated, so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and the wealth of the glory of his inheritance with the saints,
19
and the preeminent magnitude of his virtue toward us, toward we who believe in accord with the work of his powerful virtue,
20
which he wrought in Christ, raising him from the dead and establishing him at his right hand in the heavens,
21
above every principality and power and virtue and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age, but even in the future age.
22
And he has subjected all things under his feet, and he has made him the head over the entire Church,
23
which is his body and which is the fullness of him who accomplishes everything in everyone.

Footnotes

(a)1:3 The word for heaven here is plural. This can be translated as heavenly places, and it reflects the symbolic relationship between the heavens (the sky, the stars, etc.) and Heaven itself.(Conte)
(b)1:3 In heavenly places:or, in heavenly things. In coelestibus.(Challoner)
(c)1:8 Prudence is the practical application of wisdom.(Conte)
(d)1:14 Acquisition:that is, a purchased possession.(Challoner)
(Acts 19:8–12; Revelation 2:1–7)
1
Paul, an apostle of Christ (a) Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Blessings

(Romans 8:28–34)
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,
5
having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,
6
to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved.
7
In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace
8
which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
10
to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him.
11
We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will,
12
to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ.
13
In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14
who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.

Spiritual Wisdom

(1 Corinthians 2:6–16)
15
For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you and the love which you have toward all the saints,
16
don’t cease to give 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 the knowledge of him,
18
having the eyes of your hearts (b) enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19
and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
20
which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
21
far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.
22
He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,
23
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 “Christ” means “Anointed One”.
(b)1:18 TR reads “understanding” instead of “hearts”
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