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Ephesians 1

World English Bible

WEB

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who 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 would be holy and without defect before him in love, 5having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, 6to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved. 7In him 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 to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10to 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. 11We 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, 12to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ. 13In 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, 14who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to 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 have toward all the saints, 16don’t cease 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 to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, 18having 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, 19and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us 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, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. 22He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Ephesians Chapter 1 begins with a powerful introduction from the Apostle Paul, who identifies himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. He addresses the letter to the saints in #Ephesus, emphasizing their identity as holy and faithful in Christ. Paul opens with a profound doxology, praising God for the spiritual blessings bestowed upon believers in Christ. He highlights that God has chosen us before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight, showcasing the depth of God's love and purpose for His people. This selection underscores the doctrine of #predestination, affirming that our salvation is rooted in God's sovereign will and grace, not in our own merit (Ephesians 1:4-5).

The chapter continues to elaborate on the blessings of redemption through Jesus Christ. Paul speaks of the grace lavished upon us, the forgiveness of our sins, and the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:7-8). He reveals the mystery of God's will, which is to unite all things in Christ, both in heaven and on earth (Ephesians 1:9-10). Furthermore, Paul emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession (Ephesians 1:13-14). This chapter concludes with a prayer for the Ephesians, asking that they may know the hope to which they have been called, the riches of His glorious inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of His power toward those who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19). Overall, Ephesians 1 beautifully encapsulates the themes of #grace, #redemption, and the believer's identity in Christ.

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Referenced by

  1. Psalms 119:18v17Psalm 119:18 is a prayer for God to open the eyes to see wondrous things in His law, similar to Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:17-18 for spiritual enlightenment.
  2. Psalms 130:4v7Psalm 130:4 speaks of forgiveness with God, which is echoed in Ephesians 1:7 where redemption and forgiveness of sins are found through Christ's blood.
  3. Isaiah 46:10v11Isaiah 46:10 speaks of God's sovereign plan and purpose, which is echoed in Ephesians 1:11, where Paul writes about God's purpose working through all things.
  4. Acts 20:32v18Acts 20:32 commends the believers to God and the word of His grace, which is able to build them up. This is similar to Ephesians 1:18, where Paul prays for the believers to have the eyes of their hearts enlightened to know the hope of their calling.
  5. Romans 3:24v7Romans 3:24 speaks of being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, which is echoed in Ephesians 1:7, highlighting redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins.
  6. 2 Corinthians 1:3v3Both passages begin with a blessing to God, emphasizing His role as the Father of mercies and the source of all blessings, highlighting the theme of divine provision and grace.
  7. Galatians 4:5v5Galatians 4:5 discusses redemption and adoption as sons, which is echoed in Ephesians 1:5 where it speaks of predestination to adoption through Jesus Christ.
  8. 2 Thessalonians 1:12v122 Thessalonians 1:12 speaks of the name of Jesus being glorified in believers, similar to Ephesians 1:12, which emphasizes living for the praise of His glory.
  9. Philemon 1:6v18Philemon 1:6 speaks of the sharing of faith becoming effective through the acknowledgment of every good thing in Christ, which parallels Ephesians 1:18 where Paul prays for the eyes of the heart to be enlightened to know the hope of God's calling.
  10. 1 Peter 1:3v3Both passages praise God for His blessings and emphasize the new birth and living hope through Jesus Christ, highlighting the spiritual blessings believers receive.
  11. 2 Peter 1:3v32 Peter 1:3 speaks of God's divine power granting us everything pertaining to life and godliness, which parallels Ephesians 1:3 where Paul speaks of God blessing us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

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