1 ¶ Paul, apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

This letter is from Paul. I am a missionary for Jesus Christ. God wanted me to work for Him. This letter is to those who belong to Christ in the city of Ephesus and to you who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.

2 G race be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

May you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ;

Let us honor and thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has already given us a taste of what heaven is like.

4 a ccording as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in charity;

Even before the world was made, God chose us for Himself because of His love. He planned that we should be holy and without blame as He sees us.

5 h aving marked out beforehand the way for us to be adopted as sons by Jesus Christ in himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

God already planned to have us as His own children. This was done by Jesus Christ. In His plan God wanted this done.

6 t o the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he has made us accepted in the beloved;

We thank God for His loving-favor to us. He gave this loving-favor to us through His much-loved Son.

7 i n whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace,

Because of the blood of Christ, we are bought and made free from the punishment of sin. And because of His blood, our sins are forgiven. His loving-favor to us is so rich.

8 w hich has over abounded in us in all wisdom and prudence;

He was so willing to give all of this to us. He did this with wisdom and understanding.

9 h aving made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself,

God told us the secret of what He wanted to do. It is this: In loving thought He planned long ago to send Christ into the world.

10 t hat in the dispensation of the fulfillment of the times he might restore all things by the Christ, both those which are in heaven and those which are on earth,

The plan was for Christ to gather us all together at the right time. If we are in heaven or still on earth, He will bring us together and will be head over all.

11 i n him in whom likewise we have obtained an inheritance, having had the way marked out beforehand according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will,

We were already chosen to be God’s own children by Christ. This was done just like the plan He had.

12 s o that we should be to the praise of his glory, those of us who first trusted in the Christ.

We who were the first to put our trust in Christ should thank Him for His greatness.

13 I n whom ye also trusted, hearing the word of truth, the gospel of your saving health; in whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of the promise,

The truth is the Good News. When you heard the truth, you put your trust in Christ. Then God marked you by giving you His Holy Spirit as a promise.

14 w hich is the earnest of our inheritance unto the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit was given to us as a promise that we will receive everything God has for us. God’s Spirit will be with us until God finishes His work of making us complete. God does this to show His shining-greatness. Paul’s Prayer for the Christians in Ephesus

15 ¶ Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and charity unto all the saints,

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all Christians.

16 c ease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

Since then, I always give thanks for you and pray for you.

17 t hat the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;

I pray that the great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may give you the wisdom of His Spirit. Then you will be able to understand the secrets about Him as you know Him better.

18 i lluminating the eyes of your understanding, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints

I pray that your hearts will be able to understand. I pray that you will know about the hope given by God’s call. I pray that you will see how great the things are that He has promised to those who belong to Him.

19 a nd what is the exceeding greatness of his power in us who believe, by the operation of the power of his strength,

I pray that you will know how great His power is for those who have put their trust in Him.

20 w hich operated in the Christ, raising him from the dead and setting him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

It is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. This same power put Christ at God’s right side in heaven.

21 f ar above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come,

This place was given to Christ. It is much greater than any king or leader can have. No one else can have this place of honor and power. No one in this world or in the world to come can have such honor and power.

22 A nd has put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the congregation,

God has put all things under Christ’s power and has made Him to be the head leader over all things of the church.

23 w hich is his body, and he is the fullness of her: who fills all things in everyone.

The church is the body of Christ. It is filled by Him Who fills all things everywhere with Himself.