Ephesians1
New Living Translation
1This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.
2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
4Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
5God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
6So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.
7He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
8He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
9God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan.
10And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
11Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
12God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.
13And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
14The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
15Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere,
16I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly,
17asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
18I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
19I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power
20that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
21Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.
22God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.
23And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ephesians 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: A salutation, and an account of saving blessings, as prepared in God's eternal election, as purchased by Christ's blood. (1–8). And as conveyed in effectual calling: this is applied to the believing Jews, and to the believing Gentiles. (9–14). The apostle thanks God for their faith and love, and prays for the continuance of their knowledge and hope, with respect to the heavenly inheritance, and to God's powerful working in them. (15–23).
vv1-2
All Christians must be saints; if they come not under that character on earth, they will never be saints in glory. Those are not saints, who are not faithful, believing in Christ, and true to the profession they make of relation to their Lord. By grace, understand the free and undeserved love and favour of God, and those graces of the Spirit which come from it; by peace, all other blessings, spiritual and temporal, the fruits of the former. No peace without grace. No peace, nor grace, but from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ; and the best saints need fresh supplies of the graces of the Spirit, and desire to grow.
vv3-8
Spiritual and heavenly blessings are the best blessings; with which we cannot be miserable, and without which we cannot but be so. This was from the choice of them in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that they should be made holy by separation from sin, being set apart to God, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, in consequence of their election in Christ. All who are chosen to happiness as the end, are chosen to holiness as the means. In love they were predestinated, or fore-ordained, to be adopted as children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and to be openly admitted to the privileges of that high relation to himself. The reconciled and adopted believer, the pardoned sinner, gives all the praise of his salvation to his gracious Father. His love appointed this method of redemption, spared not his own Son, and brought believers to hear and embrace this salvation. It was rich grace to provide such a surety as his own Son, and freely to deliver him up. This method of grace gives no encouragement to evil, but shows sin in all its hatefulness, and how it deserves vengeance. The believer's actions, as well as his words, declare the praises of Divine mercy.
vv9-14
Blessings were made known to believers, by the Lord's showing to them the mystery of his sovereign will, and the method of redemption and salvation. But these must have been for ever hidden from us, if God had not made them known by his written word, preached gospel, and Spirit of truth. Christ united the two differing parties, God and man, in his own person, and satisfied for that wrong which caused the separation. He wrought, by his Spirit, those graces of faith and love, whereby we are made one with God, and among ourselves. He dispenses all his blessings, according to his good pleasure. His Divine teaching led whom he pleased to see the glory of those truths, which others were left to blaspheme. What a gracious promise that is, which secures the gift of the Holy Ghost to those who ask him! The sanctifying and comforting influences of the Holy Spirit seal believers as the children of God, and heirs of heaven. These are the first-fruits of holy happiness. For this we were made, and for this we were redeemed; this is the great design of God in all that he has done for us; let all be ascribed unto the praise of his glory.
Key Words
Παῦλος (Paûlos): (little; but remotely from a derivative of G3973 (παύω), meaning the same); Paulus, the name of a Roman and of an apostle
ἀπόστολος (apóstolos): a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ("apostle") (with miraculous powers)
Χριστός (Christós): anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs): Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites
διά (diá): through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
θέλημα (thélēma): a determination (properly, the thing), i.e. (actively) choice (specially, purpose, decree; abstractly, volition) or (passively) inclination
θεός (theós): figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very
ἅγιος (hágios): sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated)
ὤν (ṓn): being
ἐν (en): "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.
Cross References
Ephesians 1Direct parallel linking God's predestination with our adoption and being conformed to the image of Christ.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identical verbal connection of believers being sealed by the Spirit and given the earnest.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Directly links putting all things under Christ's feet with Psalm 8:6 and His ultimate rule.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jesus declares God is both 'my Father' and 'your Father', illuminating 'God and Father of Christ'.
Supported by JFB
Clarifies the term 'heavenly places' where believers are seated together in Christ.
Supported by JFB
Parallels election in Christ 'before the world began' and its purpose of holiness.
Supported by JFB
Parallels having obtained an inheritance and being made meet for the inheritance of saints.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels the creation and subjection of principalities, powers, dominions, and visible/invisible thrones to Christ.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
The Old Testament messianic authority passage quoted directly by Paul regarding all things under His feet.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels Christ being the Head of the body, which is the church, having preeminence.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Pauline salutation using identical words: 'Grace to you and peace from God... and Jesus Christ'.
Supported by JFB
Confirms Christ as the source of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Demonstrates election is based on God's purpose, before the children were born.
Supported by John Calvin
Links election according to the foreknowledge of God with the sanctification of the Spirit.
Supported by JFB
Connects adoption of sons with the Spirit of the Son sent into our hearts.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Identifies Jesus as 'the Beloved' in whom we are accepted, echoing the Father's voice.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Parallels redemption/forgiveness through His blood with purchasing the church with His own blood.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Matches 'fulness of times' with 'fulness of the time' when God sent His Son.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Describes the nature of the inheritance reserved in heaven for those who are kept.
Supported by JFB
Prophetic fulfillment of Christ sitting at the Father's right hand in heavenly places.
Supported by JFB
Confirms Christ's ascension into heaven, with angels, authorities, and powers being made subject to Him.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explains the theological scope of God putting all things in subjection under Christ's feet.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Reiterates that Christ is the Head of the church and Savior of the body.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Explains Christ's fullness, dwelling bodily in Him, which fills the Church.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Expounds on Christ ascending far above all heavens to fill all things.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Links adoption with the Spirit whereby we cry 'Abba, Father'.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Further unfolds the 'mystery of his will' made known to the apostle.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Paul's farewell to Ephesian elders mentioning the word of grace and an inheritance.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Repeats that believers are 'sealed' by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels hearing the word of truth/gospel of salvation and exhibiting faith and love.
Supported by JFB
Confirms that God has given us the 'earnest of the Spirit' as a guarantee.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Highlights believers as a 'peculiar people' or purchased possession showing forth God's praises.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
A key ecclesiological parallel identifying believers corporately as the body of Christ.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Shows how believers receive grace upon grace out of Christ's infinite fullness.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Connects Christ's dwelling in believers to being filled with all the fullness of God.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Intra-chapter link clarifying 'the good pleasure of his will'.
Supported by JFB