Ephesians 1

International Standard Version

Greetings from Paul

1 From:^[a] Paul, an apostle of the Messiah^[b] Jesus by God’s will.

To: His holy and faithful people^[c] in Ephesus^[d] who are in union with the Messiah^[e] Jesus.

² May grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah,^[f] be yours!

The Many Blessings of Salvation

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah!^[g] He has blessed us in the Messiah^[h] with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm, ⁴ just as he chose us in the Messiah^[i] before the creation of the universe^[j] to be holy and blameless in his presence. In love ⁵ he predestined us for adoption to himself through Jesus the Messiah,^[k] according to the pleasure of his will, ⁶ so that we would praise^[l] his glorious grace that he gave us in the Beloved One. ⁷ In union with him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our offenses, according to the riches of God’s^[m] grace ⁸ that he lavished on us, along with all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ when he made known to us the secret of his will. This was according to his plan that he set forth in the Messiah^{[n] 10} to usher in^[o] the fullness of the times and to bring together in the Messiah^[p] all things in heaven and on earth.

¹¹ In the Messiah^[q] we were also chosen when we were predestined according to the purpose of the one who does everything that he wills to do, ¹² so that we who had already fixed our hope on the Messiah^[r] might live for his praise and glory. ¹³ You, too, have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed in the Messiah,^[s] you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until God redeems his own possession^[t] for his praise and glory.

Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians

¹⁵ Therefore, because I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love^[u] for all the saints, ¹⁶ I never stop giving thanks for you as I mention you in my prayers. ¹⁷ I pray^[v] that the God of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,^[w] the most glorious Father, would give you a wise spirit, along with revelation that comes through knowing the Messiah^[x] fully. ¹⁸ Then, with the eyes of your hearts enlightened, you will know the confidence^[y] that is produced by God^[z] having called you,^[aa] the rich glory that is his inheritance among the saints, ¹⁹ and the unlimited greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his mighty strength, ²⁰ which he brought about in the Messiah^[ab] when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realm. ²¹ He is far above every ruler, authority, power, dominion, and every name that can be named, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come. ²² God^[ac] has put everything under the Messiah’s^[ad] feet and has made him the head of everything for the good of^[ae] the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills everything in every way.^[af]