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For Jesus Online Bible Study
The Book of Ephesians
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Ephesians was written to the church that was in the city of
Ephesus. Ephesus was located in present-day Turkey. Paul lived in Ephesus for about 2 years and ministered to the
Christians there. Later, Paul wrote the letter to the church in Ephesus during
the time that he was in prison in Rome in about 62 A.D. |
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Ephesians 1
God
planned to save us from the beginning.
I am Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I
became an apostle by the will of God. I write this letter to the Christians who
are in Ephesus. I wish you grace and peace from God our Father and from the Lord
Jesus Christ.
God planned for us to become His children a
long time ago. We became His children through Jesus Christ.
[5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ
to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
He accepts us through Christ. We praise His grace to
us.
[6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in the beloved.
We are redeemed through Christ's blood. He forgives
our sins. His grace is rich. He is very wise and smart.
[7] In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins, according to the riches of his grace;
[8] Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
His will is for us to be redeemed.
[9] Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his
good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
At the right time, He will bring together everyone who is in
Christ. He will bring together everyone on earth and in heaven.
[10] That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on
earth; even in him:
We will inherit God's blessings. His will is for us
to be in Him.
[11] In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his
own will:
We first trusted Christ. We should praise His glory!
[12] That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in
Christ.
You trusted Christ after you heard the truth. You
believed the gospel. God gave you the Holy Spirit after that.
[13] In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed
with that holy Spirit of promise,
We have been promised this. The Holy Spirit makes
sure it is ready for us. We praise Him for this.
[14] Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
After I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and
your love for others, I praised God.
[15] Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and
love unto all the saints,
Paul thanks Gods for the Christians at Ephesus.
I continue to thank God for you. I always talk about
you in my prayers.
[16] Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my
prayers;
I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory will give you the spirit of wisdom. I pray that you will know about
Him.
[17] That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give
unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
You understand more now. You know the hope in
Christ. You know about the riches and glory that his saints will
inherit. You know about the greatness of His power to us believers because of
his mighty power.
[18] The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know
what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints,
[19] And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who
believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
He gave this power in Christ when He raised Him from
the dead. He set Him at His right hand in heaven.
[20] Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and
set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
He is above all countries and leaders, past and
future.
[21] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and
every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come:
All things are under His feet. He is head of all
churches. They are His body full of His goodness.
[22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head
over all things to the church,
[23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Peace between Jews and Gentiles.
Remember that you were Gentiles. The Jewish
people called you Uncircumcised. But that was back when you did not have Christ.
You were strangers from Israel. You did not have hope. You were without
God. But now you are in Christ Jesus. You were far, but now you are near
by Christ's blood.
[11] Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the
flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in
the flesh made by hands;
[12] That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope, and without God in the world:
[13] But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh
by the blood of Christ.
Christ has made peace between Jews and Gentiles. We are now one. He broke down
the wall that was between us.
[14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down
the middle wall of partition between us;
When He gave His life, He got rid of the strict
Jewish laws. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles and made them one.
[15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new
man, so making peace;
He died for both the Jews and the Gentiles. He
gave His body on the cross. That made everyone right with God.
[16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby:
Jesus came and preached peace to you. He
preached to you who were far away and to the people who were near.
[17] And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them
that were nigh.
Because of Him, we both have access to God the
Father by the Holy Spirit.
[18] For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Now you are not strangers or foreigners anymore.
You are friends and equal to the saints and to God's household.
[19] Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but
fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
You are built on the foundations of the apostles and prophets. Jesus
Christ Himself is the most important, the cornerstone.
[20] And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Jesus makes the whole building fit together, and it grows to become a holy temple for he Lord. He builds places for God through the
Spirit.
[21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy
temple in the Lord:
[22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God
through the Spirit.
My mission is for you, the Gentiles. I am a
prisoner of Jesus Christ. I want you to hear about the grace of God. It was
given to me, and now I give it to you.
[1] For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
[2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is
given me to youward:
I have told you how God showed me the mystery (I
wrote about it a little before. When you read it, you will understand what
I know about the mystery of Christ.)
[3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote
afore in few words,
[4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery
of Christ)
In past times, this was not known by men. God had
not yet revealed it. Now it is revealed to God's holy apostles and
prophets by the Holy Spirit.
[5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is
now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Now the Gentiles can be God's heirs with the Jews.
The Jews and Gentiles are the same body. They can all share God's promise
by the gospel.
[6] That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and
partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
I was made a minister by the grace of God.
He gave it to me with His power.
[7] Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of
God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
He gave His grace to me. I am not worthy. I
am lowest of all . His grace made me preach to the Gentiles about Christ.
[8] Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace
given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of
Christ;
I preach to make everyone see about the mystery. Since the world began,
God hid it. God created all things in Jesus Christ.
[9] And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by
Jesus Christ:
I preach so that the church will know about heaven
and God's wisdom. It is the reason Christ Jesus our Lord came to earth.
[10] To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in
heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
[11] According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus
our Lord:
Through Christ, we can be strong and brave. We
can be confident by our faith in Christ.
[12] In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of
him.
I don't want you to be upset about my troubles.
I work for your glory.
[13] Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you,
which is your glory.
I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
[14] For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ,
The whole family in heaven and on earth is named for
Him. He will be good to you according to the riches of His glory. His spirit
will make you strong.
[15] Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
[16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be
strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
I pray that Christ will live in your hearts by
faith so you will be able to comprehend everything.
[17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted
and grounded in love,
[18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and
length, and depth, and height;
I pray for you to know the love of Christ so that
you will be filled with the fullness of God.
[19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye
might be filled with all the fulness of God.
I pray through Him who can do much more than we ask or think. He sees the
power that we have in us. I pray for glory in the church by Christ Jesus
through all times, world without end. Amen.
[20] Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that
we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
[21] Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen.
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