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.
1 Pāvils, pēc Dieva prāta Jēzus Kristus apustulis, svētajiem un Kristū Jēzū ticīgajiem, kas ir Efezā: 2 žēlastība jums un miers no Dieva, mūsu Tēva, un Kunga Jēzus Kristus. 3 Lai slavēts mūsu Kunga Jēzus Kristus Dievs un Tēvs, kas mūs Kristū ir svētījis ar visāda veida garīgu svētību debesīs. 4 Viņā Tas mūs pirms pasaules radīšanas izredzējis, lai mēs būtu svēti un nevainojami Viņa priekšā mīlestībā. 5 Pēc Savas gribas labā nodoma Viņš jau iepriekš nolēmis, ka mums būs Viņa bērniem būt caur Jēzu Kristu, 6 par slavu Viņa augstajai žēlastībai, ar ko Tas mūs apveltījis Savā mīļotajā Dēlā. 7 Viņā mums dota pestīšana Viņa asinīs, grēku piedošana pēc Viņa bagātās žēlastības, 8 kurā Tas pārpilnībā mūs apveltījis ar visu gudrību un atziņu, 9 atklādams mums Savas gribas noslēpumu pēc Sava labā nodoma, 10 kuru Tas, laikiem piepildoties, bija apņēmies novest līdz galam, visu apvienojot zem vienas galvas - Kristus, gan to, kas debesīs, gan to, kas virs zemes. 11 Viņš ir tas, ar kura gādību arī mēs esam kļuvuši par mantiniekiem, kas pēc Viņa nodoma - Viņš visu vada pēc Sava gribas lēmuma - bijām izredzēti 12 jau iepriekš savu cerību likt uz Kristu, lai tādējādi pagodinātu Dieva varenību. 13 Viņā arī jūs esat dzirdējuši patiesības vārdu, savas pestīšanas evaņģēliju, un, Viņam ticēdami, esat saņēmuši Svētā Gara zīmogu pēc apsolījuma, 14 kas ir mūsu gaidāmā mantojuma ķīla, līdz reiz iegūsim pestīšanas pilnību par slavu Viņa varenībai. 15 Tāpēc, dzirdēdams par jūsu ticību uz Kungu Jēzu un mīlestību uz visiem svētajiem, 16 es arī nebeidzu pateikties Dievam par jums, pieminēdams jūs savās lūgšanās, 17 aizlūgdams, lai mūsu Kunga Jēzus Kristus Dievs un godības pilnais Tēvs jums dotu gudrības un atklāsmes garu, lai jūs labāk Viņu izprastu, 18 apgaismota gara acis, lai jūs zinātu, kādu cerību dod Viņa aicinājums un kādu godības bagātību Viņš savējiem liek iemantot, 19 un cik pārlieku liels ir Viņa spēka mērs, kas parādās pie mums, ticīgajiem, darbodamies tādā pašā visspēcības varenībā, 20 kādu Viņš parādījis Kristū, To uzmodinādams no miroņiem un sēdinādams pie Savas labās rokas debesīs, 21 augstāk par ikvienu valdību, varu, spēku, kundzību un ikvienu vārdu, kas tiek minēts vai nu šinī laikā, vai nākamajā. 22 Un visu Viņš ir nolicis zem Viņa kājām, bet Viņu pašu pāri visam iecēlis par galvu draudzei, 23 kas ir Viņa miesa, pilnība, kas visu visur piepilda.
