1 P aul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and 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 to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

3 B lessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places 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 e ven as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love;

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 predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,

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, by which he freely gave us favor 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 our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, 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 he made to abound toward 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 m aking known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him

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 o 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;

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 whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will;

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

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

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

13 i n whom 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,

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 ho is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to 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 F or 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,

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

16 d on’t cease 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 to you a 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 h aving the eyes of your hearts 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,

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 toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might

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

20 w hich he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his 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 rule, and authority, and power, 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 H e put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,

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, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

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