Ephesians · Free Bible Version
Ephesians 1 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 This letter comes from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to God's will, to the Christians in Ephesus and those who trust in Christ Jesus.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Praise God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with all that's spiritually good in the heavenly world,
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as he chose us to be in him before the beginning of this world, so that in love we could be holy and without fault before him.
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,
5 He decided in advance to adopt us as his children, working through Jesus Christ to bring us to himself. He was happy to do this because this is what he wanted.
5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,
6 So we praise him for his glorious grace that he so kindly gave us in his beloved Son.
6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved.
7 Through him we gain salvation through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins as a result of his priceless grace
7 In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace
8 that he so generously provided for us, together with all wisdom and understanding.
8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9 He revealed to us his previously-hidden will through which he was happy to pursue his plan
9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him
10 at the appropriate time to bring everyone together in Christ—those in heaven and those on the earth.
10 to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him.
11 In him—we were chosen beforehand, according to the plan of the one who is working everything out according to his will,
11 We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will,
12 for the purpose that we who were the first to hope in Christ could praise his glory.
12 to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ.
13 In him—you too have heard the word of truth, the good news of your salvation. In him—because you trusted in him you were stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit's promise,
13 In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14 which is a down-payment on our inheritance when God redeems what he's kept safe for himself—us, who will praise and give him glory!
14 who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
15 That's the reason, because I've heard of your trust in the Lord Jesus and the love that you have for all Christians,
15 For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you and the love which you have toward all the saints,
16 why I never stop thanking God for you and remember you in my prayers.
16 don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,
17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom to see and know him as he really is.
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,
18 May your minds be enlightened so you can understand the hope he's called you to— the glorious riches he promises as an inheritance to his holy people.
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 May you also understand God's amazing power
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
20 that he demonstrated in raising Christ from the dead. God seated Christ at his right hand in heaven,
20 which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above any other ruler, authority, power, or lord, or any leader with all their titles—not only in this world, but also in the coming world too.
21 far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.
22 God has made everything subject to the authority of Christ, and has given him the responsibility as head over everything for the church,
22 He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly,
23 which is his body, filled full and made complete by Christ, who fills and brings everything to completion.
23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Cross references (23)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Colossians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1–2; Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:1
- 2 Romans 1:7; Galatians 1:3; Titus 1:4; 2 Corinthians 1:2
- 3 1 Peter 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 2:6; Genesis 22:18; Revelation 5:9–14
- 4 2 Timothy 1:9; Romans 8:28–30; Ephesians 2:10; Matthew 25:34; 1 Peter 2:9
- 5 Romans 8:29–30; Ephesians 1:11; Galatians 4:5–6; John 1:12; 1 John 3:1
- 6 Romans 3:22–26; Colossians 1:13; Ephesians 1:12; Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 1:7–8
- 7 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 3:24; Colossians 1:14; 1 John 1:7–9; 1 Peter 1:18–19
- 8 Revelation 5:12; Ephesians 3:10; Romans 5:15; Colossians 2:3; Psalm 104:24
- 9 Colossians 1:26–28; Romans 16:25–27; Ephesians 3:3–9; 2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 1:11
- 10 Colossians 1:20; Philippians 2:9–10; Galatians 4:4; Daniel 2:44; Mark 1:15
- 11 Romans 8:28; 1 Peter 1:4; Isaiah 46:10–11; Ephesians 1:14; Ephesians 1:5
- 12 Ephesians 1:6; Jeremiah 17:5–7; Ephesians 1:13–14; Isaiah 42:1–4; Ephesians 3:21
- 13 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 4:30; 2 Timothy 2:19; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Galatians 3:14
- 14 2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 4:30; Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15–17
- 15 Philemon 5; Colossians 1:3–4; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Hebrews 6:10; 1 John 4:21
- 16 Romans 1:8–9; Colossians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Colossians 1:3; 1 Samuel 12:23
- 17 Isaiah 11:2; James 3:17–18; Colossians 1:9–10; Proverbs 2:5; 2 Peter 1:3
- 18 Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Luke 24:45; 1 John 3:1–3; Ephesians 1:7
- 19 Philippians 2:13; Colossians 2:12; Ephesians 3:20; Colossians 1:29; 2 Corinthians 4:7
- 20 Hebrews 10:12; Mark 16:19; Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:3; Matthew 28:18
- 21 Philippians 2:9–11; Colossians 2:10; Colossians 1:15–16; 1 Peter 3:22; Hebrews 1:4
- 22 Colossians 1:18; Colossians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 15:25–27; Psalm 8:6–8; Hebrews 2:8
- 23 Colossians 1:18–19; John 1:16; Colossians 2:9–10; Ephesians 4:12; Ephesians 3:19
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… that Paul said, "And He Himself is all things;" and again, "All things are to Him, and of Him are all things;" and further, "In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead;" and yet again, "All things are gathered together by God in Christ." Thus do they interpret these and any like passages to be found in Scripture.
And Thou, O Lord, hadst already magnified Thy Holy One, raising Him from the dead, and setting Him at Thy right hand, whence from on high He should send His promise, the Paraclete, "the Spirit of Truth." And He had already sent Him, but I knew it not; He had sent Him, because He was now magnified, rising again from …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
And charging the Ephesians, he thus speaks, According to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand; and the rest.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
And an indication of this is found in the fact that wherever the Natures are distinguished in our thoughts from one another, the Names are also distinguished; as you hear in Paul's words, "The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory." The God of Christ, but the Father of glory.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered increaseth with the increase of God." And that Christ is the head of the Church we have learned in another passage, when the apostle says "gave him to be the head over all things to the Church," and "of his fulness have all we received." And the Lord Himself says "He shall …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)