1 T his 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.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 M ay you have loving-favor and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 L et 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.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ:

4 E ven 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.

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love:

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

having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

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

to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved:

7 B ecause 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.

in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

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

which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

9 G od 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.

making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him

10 T he 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.

unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, I say,

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

in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will;

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

to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:

13 T he 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.

in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 T he 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

which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God's own possession, unto the praise of his glory.

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

For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which ye show toward all the saints,

16 S ince then, I always give thanks for you and pray for you.

cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17 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.

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

18 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.

having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

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

and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might

20 I t is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. This same power put Christ at God’s right side in heaven.

which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,

21 T his 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.

far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

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

and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,

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

which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.