GetPassageurn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:49urn:cts:pbc:bible.parallel.eng.darby:49Paul , apostle of Jesus Christ by God's will , to the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus who are at Ephesus . Grace to you and peace from God our Father , and [ the ] Lord Jesus Christ . Blessed [ be ] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ , who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ ; according as he has chosen us in him before [ the ] world's foundation , that we should be holy and blameless before him in love ; having marked us out beforehand for adoption through Jesus Christ to himself , according to the good pleasure of his will , to [ the ] praise of [ the ] glory of his grace , wherein he has taken us into favour in the Beloved : in whom we have redemption through his blood , the forgiveness of offences , according to the riches of his grace ; which he has caused to abound towards us in all wisdom and intelligence , having made known to us the mystery of his will , according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself for [ the ] administration of the fulness of times ; to head up all things in the Christ , the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth ; in him , in whom we have also obtained an inheritance , being marked out beforehand according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his own will , that we should be to [ the ] praise of his glory who have pre-trusted in the Christ : in whom * ye * also [ have trusted ] , having heard the word of the truth , the glad tidings of your salvation ; in whom also , having believed , ye have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise , who is [ the ] earnest of our inheritance to the redemption of the acquired possession to [ the ] praise of his glory . Wherefore * I * also , having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which [ is ] in you , and the love which [ ye have ] towards all the saints , do not cease giving thanks for you , making mention [ of you ] at my prayers , that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ , the Father of glory , would give you [ the ] spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him , being enlightened in the eyes of your heart , so that ye should know what is the hope of his calling , [ and ] what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints , and what the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe , according to the working of the might of his strength , [ in ] which he wrought in the Christ [ in ] raising him from among [ the ] dead , and he set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies , above every principality , and authority , and power , and dominion , and every name named , not only in this age , but also in that to come ; and has put all things under his feet , and gave him [ to be ] head over all things to the assembly , which is his body , the fulness of him who fills all in all : and * you * , being dead in your offences and sins -- in which ye once walked according to the age of this world , according to the ruler of the authority of the air , the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience : among whom * we * also all once had our conversation in the lusts of our flesh , doing what the flesh and the thoughts willed to do , and were children , by nature , of wrath , even as the rest : but God , being rich in mercy , because of his great love wherewith he loved us , ( we too being dead in offences , ) has quickened us with the Christ , ( ye are saved by grace , ) and has raised [ us ] up together , and has made [ us ] sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus , that he might display in the coming ages the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus . For ye are saved by grace , through faith ; and this not of yourselves ; it is God's gift : not on the principle of works , that no one might boast . For we are his workmanship , having been created in Christ Jesus for good works , which God has before prepared that we should walk in them . Wherefore remember that * ye * , once nations in [ the ] flesh , who [ are ] called uncircumcision by that called circumcision in [ the ] flesh done with the hand ; that ye were at that time without Christ , aliens from the commonwealth of Israel , and strangers to the covenants of promise , having no hope , and without God in the world : but now in Christ Jesus * ye * who once were afar off are become nigh by the blood of the Christ . For * he * is our peace , who has made both one , and has broken down the middle wall of enclosure , having annulled the enmity in his flesh , the law of commandments in ordinances , that he might form the two in himself into one new man , making peace ; and might reconcile both in one body to God by the cross , having by it slain the enmity ; and , coming , he has preached the glad tidings of peace to you who [ were ] afar off , and [ the glad tidings of ] peace to those [ who were ] nigh . For through him we have both access by one Spirit to the Father . So then ye are no longer strangers and foreigners , but ye are fellow-citizens of the saints , and of the household of God , being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets , Jesus Christ himself being the corner-stone , in whom all [ the ] building fitted together increases to a holy temple in the Lord ; in whom * ye * also are built together for a habitation of God in [ the ] Spirit . For this reason * I * Paul , prisoner of the Christ Jesus for you nations , ( if indeed ye have heard of the administration of the grace of God which has been given to me towards you , that by revelation the mystery has been made known to me , ( according as I have written before briefly , by which , in reading it , ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery of the Christ , ) which in other generations has not been made known to the sons of men , as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in [ the power of the ] Spirit , that [ they who are of ] the nations should be joint heirs , and a joint body , and joint partakers of [ his ] promise in Christ Jesus by the glad tidings ; of which I am become minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me , according to the working of his power . To me , less than the least of all saints , has this grace been given , to announce among the nations the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of the Christ , and to enlighten all [ with the knowledge of ] what is the administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God , who has created all things , in order that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies might be made known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God , according to [ the ] purpose of the ages , which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord , in whom we have boldness and access in confidence by the faith of him . Wherefore I beseech [ you ] not to faint through my tribulations for you , which is your glory . For this reason I bow my knees to the Father [ of our Lord Jesus Christ ] , of whom every family in [ the ] heavens and on earth is named , in order that he may give you according to the riches of his glory , to be strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man ; that the Christ may dwell , through faith , in your hearts , being rooted and founded in love , in order that ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints what [ is ] the breadth and length and depth and height ; and to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge ; that ye may be filled [ even ] to all the fulness of God . But to him that is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think , according to the power which works in us , to him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages . Amen ) . * I * , the prisoner in [ the ] Lord , exhort you therefore to walk worthy of the calling wherewith ye have been called , with all lowliness and meekness , with long-suffering , bearing with one another in love ; using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace . [ There is ] one body and one Spirit , as ye have been also called in one hope of your calling ; one Lord , one faith , one baptism ; one God and Father of all , who is over all , and through all , and in us all . But to each one of us has been given grace according to the measure of the gift of the Christ . Wherefore he says , Having ascended up on high , he has led captivity captive , and has given gifts to men . But that he ascended , what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth ? He that descended is the same who has also ascended up above all the heavens , that he might fill all things ; and * he * has given some apostles , and some prophets , and some evangelists , and some shepherds and teachers , for the perfecting of the saints ; with a view to [ the ] work of [ the ] ministry , with a view to the edifying of the body of Christ ; until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God , at [ the ] full-grown man , at [ the ] measure of the stature of the fulness of the Christ ; in order that we may be no longer babes , tossed and carried about by every wind of * that * teaching [ which is ] in the sleight of men , in unprincipled cunning with a view to systematized error ; but , holding the truth in love , we may grow up to him in all things , who is the head , the Christ : from whom the whole body , fitted together , and connected by every joint of supply , according to [ the ] working in [ its ] measure of each one part , works for itself the increase of the body to its self-building up in love . This I say therefore , and testify in [ the ] Lord , that ye should no longer walk as [ the rest of ] the nations walk in [ the ] vanity of their mind , being darkened in understanding , estranged from the life of God by reason of the ignorance which is in them , by reason of the hardness of their hearts , who having cast off all feeling , have given themselves up to lasciviousness , to work all uncleanness with greedy unsatisfied lust . But * ye * have not thus learnt the Christ , if ye have heard him and been instructed in him according as [ the ] truth is in Jesus ; [ namely ] your having put off according to the former conversation the old man which corrupts itself according to the deceitful lusts ; and being renewed in the spirit of your mind ; and [ your ] having put on the new man , which according to God is created in truthful righteousness and holiness . Wherefore , having put off falsehood , speak truth every one with his neighbour , because we are members one of another . Be angry , and do not sin ; let not the sun set upon your wrath , neither give room for the devil . Let the stealer steal no more , but rather let him toil , working what is honest with [ his ] hands , that he may have to distribute to him that has need . Let no corrupt word go out of your mouth , but if [ there be ] any good one for needful edification , that it may give grace to those that hear [ it ] . And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God , with which ye have been sealed for [ the ] day of redemption . Let all bitterness , and heat of passion , and wrath , and clamour , and injurious language , be removed from you , with all malice ; and be to one another kind , compassionate , forgiving one another , so as God also in Christ has forgiven you . Be ye therefore imitators of God , as beloved children , and walk in love , even as the Christ loved us , and delivered himself up for us , an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour . But fornication and all uncleanness or unbridled lust , let it not be even named among you , as it becomes saints ; and filthiness and foolish talking , or jesting , which are not convenient ; but rather thanksgiving . For this ye are [ well ] informed of , knowing that no fornicator , or unclean person , or person of unbridled lust , who is an idolater , has inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and God . Let no one deceive you with vain words , for on account of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience . Be not ye therefore fellow-partakers with them ; for ye were once darkness , but now light in [ the ] Lord ; walk as children of light , ( for the fruit of the light [ is ] in all goodness and righteousness and truth , ) proving what is agreeable to the Lord ; and do not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness , but rather also reprove [ them ] , for the things that are done by them in secret it is shameful even to say . But all things having their true character exposed by the light are made manifest ; for that which makes everything manifest is light . Wherefore he says , Wake up , [ thou ] that sleepest , and arise up from among the dead , and the Christ shall shine upon thee . See therefore how ye walk carefully , not as unwise but as wise , redeeming the time , because the days are evil . For this reason be not foolish , but understanding what [ is ] the will of the Lord . And be not drunk with wine , in which is debauchery ; but be filled with the Spirit , speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs , singing and chanting with your heart to the Lord ; giving thanks at all times for all things to him [ who is ] God and [ the ] Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ , submitting yourselves to one another in [ the ] fear of Christ . Wives , [ submit yourselves ] to your own husbands , as to the Lord , for a husband is head of the wife , as also the Christ [ is ] head of the assembly . * He * [ is ] Saviour of the body . But even as the assembly is subjected to the Christ , so also wives to their own husbands in everything . Husbands , love your own wives , even as the Christ also loved the assembly , and has delivered himself up for it , in order that he might sanctify it , purifying [ it ] by the washing of water by [ the ] word , that * he * might present the assembly to himself glorious , having no spot , or wrinkle , or any of such things ; but that it might be holy and blameless . So ought men also to love their own wives as their own bodies : he that loves his own wife loves himself . For no one has ever hated his own flesh , but nourishes and cherishes it , even as also the Christ the assembly : for we are members of his body ; [ we are of his flesh , and of his bones . ] Because of this a man shall leave his father and mother , and shall be united to his wife , and the two shall be one flesh . This mystery is great , but * I * speak as to Christ , and as to the assembly . But * ye * also , every one of you , let each so love his own wife as himself ; but as to the wife [ I speak ] that she may fear the husband . Children , obey your parents in [ the ] Lord , for this is just . Honour thy father and thy mother , which is the first commandment with a promise , that it may be well with thee , and that thou mayest be long-lived on the earth . And [ ye ] fathers , do not provoke your children to anger , but bring them up in [ the ] discipline and admonition of [ the ] Lord . Bondmen , obey masters according to flesh , with fear and trembling , in simplicity of your heart as to the Christ ; not with eye-service as men-pleasers ; but as bondmen of Christ , doing the will of God from [ the ] soul , serving with good will as to the Lord , and not to men ; knowing that whatever good each shall do , this he shall receive of [ the ] Lord , whether bond or free . And , masters , do the same things towards them , giving up threatening , knowing that both their and your Master is in heaven , and there is no acceptance of persons with him . For the rest , brethren , be strong in [ the ] Lord , and in the might of his strength . Put on the panoply of God , that ye may be able to stand against the artifices of the devil : because our struggle is not against blood and flesh , but against principalities , against authorities , against the universal lords of this darkness , against spiritual [ power ] of wickedness in the heavenlies . For this reason take [ to you ] the panoply of God , that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day , and , having accomplished all things , to stand . Stand therefore , having girt about your loins with truth , and having put on the breastplate of righteousness , and shod your feet with [ the ] preparation of the glad tidings of peace : besides all [ these ] , having taken the shield of faith with which ye will be able to quench all the inflamed darts of the wicked one . Have also the helmet of salvation , and the sword of the Spirit , which is God's word ; praying at all seasons , with all prayer and supplication in [ the ] Spirit , and watching unto this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints ; and for me in order that utterance may be given to me in [ the ] opening of my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the glad tidings , for which I am an ambassador [ bound ] with a chain , that I may be bold in it as I ought to speak . But in order that * ye * also may know what concerns me , how I am getting on , Tychicus , the beloved brother and faithful minister in [ the ] Lord , shall make all things known to you ; whom I have sent to you for this very thing , that ye may know of our affairs and that he may encourage your hearts . Peace to the brethren , and love with faith , from God [ the ] Father and [ the ] Lord Jesus Christ . Grace with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption .