1 P aul, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, to the saints who are in 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 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 the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who did bless us in 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 a ccording as He did choose us in him before the foundation of the world, for our being holy and unblemished 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 foreordained us to the adoption of sons through Jesus Christ to 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 did make 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 the redemption through his blood, the remission of the 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 i n which He did 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 h aving made known to us the secret of His will, according to His good pleasure, that He 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 i n regard to the dispensation of the fulness of the times, to bring into one the whole in the Christ, both the things in the heavens, and the things upon 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 did obtain an inheritance, being foreordained according to the purpose of Him who the all things is working according to 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 f or our being to the praise of His glory, those who did first hope 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, having heard the word of the truth -- the good news of your salvation -- in whom also having believed, ye were sealed with the 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 an earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the acquired 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 B ecause of this I also, having heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and the love to all the saints,

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

16 d o not cease giving 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 the glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the recognition 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 t he eyes of your understanding being enlightened, for your knowing what is the hope of His calling, and what 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 the exceeding greatness of His power to us who are believing, according to the working of the power 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 wrought in the Christ, having raised him out of the dead, and did set at His right hand in the heavenly,

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 authority, and might, and lordship, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in the coming one;

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 all things He did put under his feet, and did give him -- head over all things to 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 fulness of Him who is filling the all in all,

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