Ephesians 1

1 I, Paul, am writing this letter. I am an apostle of Christ Jesus just as God planned. I am sending this letter to you, God's people in Ephesus. Because you belong to Christ Jesus, you are faithful.
2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

God Gives Spiritual Blessings

3 Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Those blessings come from the heavenly world. They belong to us because we belong to Christ.
4 God chose us to belong to Christ before the world was created. He chose us to be holy and without blame in his eyes. He loved us.
5 So he decided long ago to adopt us as his children. He did it because of what Jesus Christ has done. It pleased God to do it.
6 All those things bring praise to his glorious grace. God freely gave us his grace because of the One he loves.
7 We have been set free because of what Christ has done. Through his blood our sins have been forgiven. We have been set free because God's grace is so rich.
8 He poured his grace on us by giving us great wisdom and understanding.
9 He showed us the mystery of his plan. It was in keeping with what he wanted to do. It was what he had planned through Christ.
10 It will all come about when history has been completed. God will then bring together all things in heaven and on earth under one ruler. The ruler is Christ.
11 We were also chosen to belong to him. God decided to choose us long ago in keeping with his plan. He works out everything to fit his plan and purpose.
12 We were the first to put our hope in Christ. We were chosen to bring praise to his glory.
13 You also became believers in Christ. That happened when you heard the message of truth. It was the good news about how you could be saved. When you believed, he marked you with a seal. The seal is the Holy Spirit that he promised.
14 The Spirit marks us as God's own. We can now be sure that someday we will receive all that God has promised. That will happen after God sets all of his people completely free. All of those things will bring praise to his glory.

Paul Prays and Gives Thanks

15 I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus. I have also heard about your love for all of God's people. That is why
16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I always remember you in my prayers.
17 I pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the glorious Father. I keep asking him to give you the wisdom and understanding that come from the Holy Spirit. I want you to know God better.
18 I also pray that your mind might see more clearly. Then you will know the hope God has chosen you to receive. You will know that the things God's people will receive are rich and glorious.
19 And you will know his great power. It can't be compared with anything else. It is at work for us who believe. It is like the mighty strength
20 God showed when he raised Christ from the dead. He seated him at his right hand in his heavenly kingdom.
21 There Christ sits far above all who rule and have authority. He also sits far above all powers and kings. He is above every title that can be given in this world and in the world to come.
22 God placed all things under Christ's rule. He appointed him to be ruler over everything for the church.
23 The church is Christ's body. It is filled by Christ. He fills everything in every way.

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