Ephesians · Chapter 1
Ephesians 1
Berean Standard Bible · Public domain · Source credits
Paul’s Greeting to the Ephesians
(Acts 19:8–12; Revelation 2:1–7)
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:*
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Blessings
(Romans 8:28–34)
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
4For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
5He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
8that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
9And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
10as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.
11In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.
13And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.
Spiritual Wisdom
(1 Corinthians 2:6–16)
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,
17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him.
18I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,*
19and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength,
20which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms,
21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
22And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,
23which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Source notes
Old Testament references
References from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Text from the Berean Standard Bible.
Numbers 12:7But this is not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house.
Genesis 14:20and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.
1 Chronicles 29:20Then David said to the whole assembly, “Blessed be the LORD your God.” So the whole assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their fathers. They bowed down and paid homage to the LORD and to the king.
Nehemiah 9:5Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting: Blessed be Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.
Psalms 72:19And blessed be His glorious name forever; may all the earth be filled with His glory. Amen and amen.
Daniel 4:34But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
Genesis 12:2I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
Genesis 12:3I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 22:18And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
1 Chronicles 4:10And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted the request of Jabez.
Psalms 72:17May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.
Psalms 134:3May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.