King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
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From Paul, who by God's will is an apostle of Christ Jesus - To God's people in Ephesus, who are faithful in their life in union with Christ Jesus:
2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
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May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
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Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! For in our union with Christ he has blessed us by giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world.
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
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Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him. Because of his love
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
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God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children - this was his pleasure and purpose.
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
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Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son!
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
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For by the blood of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God,
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
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which he gave to us in such large measure! In all his wisdom and insight
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
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God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ.
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:
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This plan, which God will complete when the time is right, is to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head.
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:
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All things are done according to God's plan and decision; and God chose us to be his own people in union with Christ because of his own purpose, based on what he had decided from the very beginning.
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
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Let us, then, who were the first to hope in Christ, praise God's glory!
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,
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And you also became God's people when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation. You believed in Christ, and God put his stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit he had promised.
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
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The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised his people, and this assures us that God will give complete freedom to those who are his. Let us praise his glory!
15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
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For this reason, ever since I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God's people,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
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I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you. I remember you in my prayers
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:
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and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him.
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,
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I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
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and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength
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,
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which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world.
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:
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Christ rules there above all heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this world and in the next.
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
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God put all things under Christ's feet and gave him to the church as supreme Lord over all things.
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
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The church is Christ's body, the completion of him who himself completes all things everywhere.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.