The Aaron Papers  www.the-aaron-papers.net 

  Ephesians

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus: ²Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: ⁴even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: ⁵having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: ⁷in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, ⁹making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him ¹⁰unto a dispensation of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, I say, ¹¹in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will; ¹²to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: ¹³in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, unto the praise of his glory.

¹⁵For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you show toward all the saints, ¹⁶cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; ¹⁸having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might ²⁰which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: ²²and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all.

2 And you did he make alive, when you were dead through your trespasses and sins, ²wherein you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience; ³among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:

⁴but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, ⁵even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have you been saved), ⁶and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus: ⁷that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus: ⁸for by grace have you been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹not of works, that no man should boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God before prepared that we should walk in them.

¹¹Wherefore remember, that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands; ¹²that you were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you that once were far off are made near in the blood of Christ.

¹⁴For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of partition, ¹⁵having abolished in the flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, so making peace; ¹⁶and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: ¹⁷and he came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were near: ¹⁸for through him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father. ¹⁹So then you are no more strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, ²⁰being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; ²¹in whom each several building, fitly framed together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; ²²in whom you also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

3 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles,-- ²if so be that you have heard of the dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you-ward; ³how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, ⁴whereby, when you read, you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ; ⁵which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it has now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; ⁶to wit, that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, ⁷whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. ⁸Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; ⁹and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages has been hid in God who created all things; ¹⁰to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God, ¹¹according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: ¹²in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him. ¹³Wherefore I ask that you may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory.

¹⁴For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that you may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; ¹⁷that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God. ²⁰Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.

4 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith you were called,

²with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; ³giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also you were called in one hope of your calling; ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. ⁷But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. ⁸Wherefore he said, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. ⁹(Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) ¹¹And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹²for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: ¹³till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: ¹⁴that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; ¹⁵but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ; ¹⁶from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in due measure of each several part, makes the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.

¹⁷This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, ¹⁸being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart; ¹⁹who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. ²⁰But you did not so learn Christ; ²¹if so be that you heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: ²²that you put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxes corrupt after the lusts of deceit; ²³and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴and put on the new man, that after God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. ²⁵Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. ²⁶Be angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: ²⁷neither give place to the devil. ²⁸Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that has need. ²⁹Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear. ³⁰And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed unto the day of redemption. ³¹Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice: ³²and be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.

5 Be you therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; ²and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.

³But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becomes saints; ⁴nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks. ⁵For this you know for certain, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷Therefore, be not partakers with them; ⁸For you were once in darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light ⁹(for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord; ¹¹and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them; ¹²for the things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. ¹³But all things when they are reproved are made manifest by the light: for everything that is made manifest is light. ¹⁴Wherefore he said, Awake, you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon you. ¹⁵Look therefore carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; ¹⁶redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Wherefore be not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with the Spirit; ¹⁹speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; ²⁰giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

²¹subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ. ²²Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the Savior of the body. ²⁴But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their husbands in everything. ²⁵Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; ²⁶that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. ²⁸Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loves his own wife loves himself: ²⁹for no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ also the church; ³⁰because we are members of his body. ³¹For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. ³²This mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church. ³³Nevertheless you also do severally love each one his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she fear her husband.

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. ²Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise), ³that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth. ⁴And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord. ⁵Servants, be obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; ⁶not in the way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; ⁷with good will doing service, as unto the Lord, and not unto men: ⁸knowing that whatsoever good thing each one does, the same shall he receive again from the Lord, whether he be bond or free. ⁹And, you masters, do the same things unto them, and forbear threatening: knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons with him.

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all to stand. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: ¹⁸with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,