1 From Paul, who by God's will is an apostle of Christ Jesus—
To God's people in Ephesus, who are faithful in their life in union with Christ Jesus:
2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! For in our union with Christ he has blessed us by giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world. 4 Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him.
Because of his love 5 God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children—this was his pleasure and purpose. 6 Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son! 7 For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God, 8 which he gave to us in such large measure!
In all his wisdom and insight 9 God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ. 10 This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head.
11 All things are done according to God's plan and decision; and God chose us to be his own people in union with Christ because of his own purpose, based on what he had decided from the very beginning. 12 Let us, then, who were the first to hope in Christ, praise God's glory!
13 And you also became God's people when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation. You believed in Christ, and God put his stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit he had promised. 14 The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised his people, and this assures us that God will give complete freedom to those who are his. Let us praise his glory!
Paul's Prayer
15 For this reason, ever since I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God's people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you. I remember you in my prayers 17 and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him. 18 I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people, 19 and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength 20 which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world. 21 Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this world and in the next. 22 God put all things under Christ's feet and gave him to the church as supreme Lord over all things. 23 The church is Christ's body, the completion of him who himself completes all things everywhere.
Sveiciens
1 Pāvils, pēc Dieva gribas Jēzus Kristus apustulis, svētajiem un Jēzū Kristū ticīgajiem Efesā. 2 Žēlastība jums un miers no Dieva, mūsu Tēva, un no Kunga Jēzus Kristus!
Garīgā svētība Kristū
3 Augsti slavēts lai ir Dievs, mūsu Kunga Jēzus Kristus Tēvs, kas mūs svētījis visās garīgajās svētībās, kas mums Kristū ir debesīs! 4 Viņš arī izredzēja mūs Kristū pirms pasaules radīšanas, lai mēs būtu svēti un viņa priekšā nevainojami mīlestībā. 5 Pēc savas gribas labprātības viņš jau iepriekš lēmis mūs pieņemt par saviem dēliem caur Jēzu Kristu 6 par slavu savas godības pilnai žēlastībai, ar ko viņš apžēlojies par mums savā mīļotajā. 7 Kristū mums ir izpirkšana caur viņa asinīm, pārkāpumu piedošana pēc Dieva bagātīgās žēlastības, 8 ko viņš mums dāsni dāvājis visā gudrībā un izpratnē. 9 Dievs mums darījis zināmu savas gribas noslēpumu – pēc savas labprātības, ko viņš jau iesākumā bija nolicis Kristū 10 kā nodomu laiku piepildījumam, – visu apvienot Kristū, gan to, kas debesīs, gan to, kas virs zemes. 11 Viņā arī mēs pēc Dieva sākotnējā nodoma kļuvām par īpašumu Dievam, kas visas lietas dara pēc savas gribas lēmuma, 12 lai mēs būtu viņa godības slava, mēs, kas jau iepriekš esam cerējuši uz Kristu. 13 Viņā jūs arī esat dzirdējuši patiesības vārdu, savas pestīšanas evaņģēliju, un viņā jūs, ticēdami šim evaņģēlijam, esat apzīmogoti ar apsolīto Svēto Garu, 14 kas ir ķīla tam, ka mēs saņemsim mantojumu un ka viņš mūs ir izpircis sev par īpašumu, lai mēs esam viņa godības slava.
Pāvila pateicība un lūgšana
15 Tādēļ arī es, dzirdēdams par jūsu ticību Kungā Jēzū un par jūsu mīlestību uz visiem svētajiem, 16 nemitos pateikties par jums, pastāvīgi pieminēdams jūs savās lūgšanās, 17 lai mūsu Kunga Jēzus Kristus Dievs, godības Tēvs, dod jums gudrības un atklāsmes garu, tā ka jūs viņu atzīstat, 18 lai jūsu gara acis būtu apgaismotas un lai jūs zinātu, kas ir viņa aicinājuma cerība un kādu godības bagātību iemanto viņa svētie, 19 lai jūs zinātu, cik neizmērojami liela ir viņa dievišķā varenība, kas darbojas pie mums, ticīgajiem. Šī varenā spēka darbību viņš 20 parādījis Kristū, augšāmceldams to no mirušajiem un sēdinādams pie savas labās rokas debesīs, – 21 augstāk par ikkatru valdību, varu, spēku, valdīšanu un pār visu citu, lai kādā vārdā arī to nosauktu, ne vien šajā laikā, bet arī nākamajā. 22 Visu viņš ir nolicis zem Kristus kājām, bet viņu pašu kā galvu pāri visam ir devis draudzei, 23 kas ir viņa miesa, viņa piepildījums – viņa, kas visu visur piepilda.
