Ephesians 1:5 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. I am sending this letter to you, God’s holy people in Ephesus. Because you belong to Christ Jesus, you are faithful. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Praise God for his spiritual blessings in Christ

3 Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Those blessings come from the heavenly world. They belong to us because we belong to Christ. 4 God chose us to belong to Christ before the world was created. He chose us to be holy and without blame in his eyes. He loved us. 5 So he decided long ago to adopt us. He adopted us as his children with all the rights children have. He did it because of what Jesus Christ has done. It pleased God to do it. 6 All those things bring praise to his glorious grace. God freely gave us his grace because of the One he loves. 7 We have been set free because of what Christ has done. Because he bled and died our sins have been forgiven. We have been set free because God’s grace is so rich. 8 He poured his grace on us. By giving us great wisdom and understanding, 9 he showed us the mystery of his plan. It was in keeping with what he wanted to do. It was what he had planned through Christ. 10 It will all come about when history has been completed. God will then bring together all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 11 We were also chosen to belong to him. God decided to choose us long ago in keeping with his plan. He works out everything to fit his plan and purpose. 12 We were the first to put our hope in Christ. We were chosen to bring praise to his glory. 13 You also became believers in Christ. That happened when you heard the message of truth. It was the good news about how you could be saved. When you believed, he stamped you with an official mark. That official mark is the Holy Spirit that he promised. 14 The Spirit marks us as God’s own. We can now be sure that someday we will receive all that God has promised. That will happen after God sets all his people completely free. All these things will bring praise to his glory.

Paul prays and gives thanks

15 I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus. I have also heard about your love for all God’s people. That is why 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I always remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the glorious Father. I keep asking him to give you the wisdom and understanding that come from the Holy Spirit. I want you to know God better. 18 I pray that you may understand more clearly. Then you will know the hope God has chosen you to receive. You will know that what God will give his holy people is rich and glorious. 19 And you will know God’s great power. It can’t be compared with anything else. His power works for us who believe. It is the same mighty strength 20 God showed. He showed this when he raised Christ from the dead. God seated him at his right hand in his heavenly kingdom. 21 There Christ sits far above all who rule and have authority. He also sits far above all powers and kings. He is above every name that is appealed to in this world and in the world to come. 22 God placed all things under Christ’s rule. He appointed him to be ruler over everything for the church. 23 The church is Christ’s body and is filled by Christ. He fills everything in every way.

English Standard Version

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful^[1] in Christ Jesus: (1Co 1:1; 2Co 1:1; Col 1:2) 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ro 1:7)

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, (Ro 15:6; 2Co 1:3; Eph 1:20; Eph 2:6; Eph 3:10; Eph 6:12; 1Pe 1:3)

Ro 15:62Co 1:3Eph 1:20Eph 2:6Eph 3:10Eph 6:121Pe 1:3

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love (De 7:6; De 26:18; Mt 13:35; Eph 2:10; Eph 5:27; Col 1:22; 1Th 4:7; 2Th 2:13; 2Ti 1:9; Jas 2:5; 1Pe 1:2)

De 7:6De 26:18Mt 13:35Eph 2:10Eph 5:27Col 1:221Th 4:72Th 2:132Ti 1:9Jas 2:51Pe 1:2

5 he predestined us^[2] for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (Lu 2:14; Lu 12:32; Ro 8:15; Ro 8:29; Eph 1:9; Eph 1:11; Heb 2:4)

Lu 2:14Lu 12:32Ro 8:15Ro 8:29Eph 1:9Eph 1:11Heb 2:4

6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (Mt 3:17; Joh 3:35; Joh 10:17; Eph 1:12; Eph 1:14; Col 1:13)

Mt 3:17Joh 3:35Joh 10:17Eph 1:12Eph 1:14Col 1:13

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (Ac 2:38; Ac 20:28; Ro 2:4; Ro 3:24; 1Co 1:30; Eph 3:8; Eph 3:16; Eph 4:30; Col 1:14; Col 1:27)

Ac 2:38Ac 20:28Ro 2:4Ro 3:241Co 1:30Eph 3:8Eph 3:16Eph 4:30Col 1:14Col 1:27

8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known^[3] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ (Ro 8:28; Ro 9:11; Ro 16:25; Eph 1:5; Eph 1:11)

Ro 8:28Ro 9:11Ro 16:25Eph 1:5Eph 1:11

10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Mr 1:15; Eph 3:15; Php 2:9; Col 1:16; Col 1:20)

Mr 1:15Eph 3:15Php 2:9Col 1:16Col 1:20

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, (De 4:20; De 32:9; Ac 20:27; Ro 8:28; Eph 1:5; Eph 1:14; Eph 3:11; Re 4:11)

De 4:20De 32:9Ac 20:27Ro 8:28Eph 1:5Eph 1:14Eph 3:11Re 4:11

12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. (Eph 1:6; Eph 1:14; Php 1:11) 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, (Ac 1:4; Ac 13:26; Ac 15:7; 2Co 6:7; Eph 4:30; Col 1:5; 2Ti 2:15)

Ac 1:4Ac 13:26Ac 15:72Co 6:7Eph 4:30Col 1:52Ti 2:15

14 who is the guarantee^[4] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,^[5] to the praise of his glory. (Ac 20:32; 2Co 1:22; Eph 1:6; Eph 1:7; Eph 1:12; Eph 1:18; Tit 2:14; 1Pe 2:9)

Ac 20:322Co 1:22Eph 1:6Eph 1:7Eph 1:12Eph 1:18Tit 2:141Pe 2:9

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love^[6] toward all the saints, (Ro 1:8; Col 1:4; Phm 1:5) 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, (Ro 1:9; Col 1:9; 2Ti 1:3) 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, (Ro 15:6; Col 1:9) 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, (Ac 26:18; Eph 1:7; Eph 2:12; Eph 3:8; Eph 3:16; Eph 4:4; Col 1:27; Heb 6:4; Heb 10:32; Re 3:17)

Ac 26:18Eph 1:7Eph 2:12Eph 3:8Eph 3:16Eph 4:4Col 1:27Heb 6:4Heb 10:32Re 3:17

19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might (Da 4:30; Eph 3:7; Eph 6:10; Php 3:21; Col 1:29; Col 2:12)

Da 4:30Eph 3:7Eph 6:10Php 3:21Col 1:29Col 2:12

20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, (Mr 16:19; Ac 2:24; Ac 2:33; Eph 1:3; 1Pe 3:22)

Mr 16:19Ac 2:24Ac 2:33Eph 1:31Pe 3:22

21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (Mt 12:32; Joh 3:31; 1Co 15:24; Eph 3:15; Eph 4:10; Php 2:9; Col 2:10; Heb 1:4)

Mt 12:32Joh 3:311Co 15:24Eph 3:15Eph 4:10Php 2:9Col 2:10Heb 1:4

22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, (Ps 8:6; 1Co 11:3; 1Co 15:27; Eph 4:15; Eph 5:23; Col 1:18; Col 2:10; Col 2:19)

Ps 8:61Co 11:31Co 15:27Eph 4:15Eph 5:23Col 1:18Col 2:10Col 2:19

23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Jer 23:24; Joh 1:16; 1Co 12:27; Eph 3:19; Eph 4:10; Eph 4:12; Eph 4:16; Eph 5:23; Eph 5:30; Col 1:18; Col 1:24; Col 3:11)

Jer 23:24Joh 1:161Co 12:27Eph 3:19Eph 4:10Eph 4:12Eph 4:16Eph 5:23Eph 5:30Col 1:18Col 1:24Col 3:11