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Ephesians 1

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Salutation and Greeting 1–2

1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus: ​
2
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ 3–14

3
Blessedbethe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: ​
4
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: ​
5
having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ​
6
to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved:
7
in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ​
8
which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9
making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him ​
10
unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, I say, ​
11
in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; ​
12
to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:
13
in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,—in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ​
14
which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, unto the praise of his glory. ​

Thanksgiving and Prayer for Enlightenment 15–23

15
For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which ye show toward all the saints, ​
16
cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; ​
18
having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, ​
19
and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might
20
which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, ​
21
far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: ​
22
and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,
23
which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Ephesians 1

Verse 1

by the will of God — Apostolos is one sent. The same opening, 'an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God', stands in 2 Cor 1:1, Col 1:1 and 2 Tim 1:1, and in 1 Cor 1:1 with 'through' for 'by'. 'Saints' (hagios) are holy ones, set apart. 'In Christ' stands in this chapter at vv.1, 3, 10, 12 and 20.

Verse 3

all spiritual blessings — These are three forms of one root: 'Blessed' (eulogetos), 'hath blessed' (eulogeo), 'blessings' (eulogia), and God is blessed for having blessed. 1 Pet 1:3 opens with the same words. 'Heavenly places' (epouranios) occurs five times in the letter (1:3, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12), and v.20 names Christ's seat there.

Verse 4

before the foundation of the world — Eklegomai, to pick out for oneself. The same time-mark is given to the Father's love for the Son (John 17:24) and to the Lamb 'foreordained before the foundation of the world' (1 Pet 1:20). 'Without blame' (amomos) is used of the sacrifice 'without blemish' (1 Pet 1:19) and of the church in Eph 5:27.

Verse 5

the adoption of children — Huiothesia, 'placing as a son', found five times: here, Rom 8:15, 8:23, 9:4 and Gal 4:5. 'Predestinated' (proorizo) is to mark out beforehand; it returns at v.11 and in Rom 8:29–30. 'Good pleasure' (eudokia) is repeated at v.9.

Verse 7

redemption through his blood — Apolytrosis, release by a price paid (from lutron, ransom). Peter names the price: 'not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold… But with the precious blood of Christ' (1 Pet 1:18–19). 'Forgiveness' (aphesis) is remission: 'without shedding of blood is no remission' (Heb 9:22).

Verse 9

the mystery of his will — Musterion, in Scripture a thing hidden until God makes it known (gnorizo): 'by revelation he made known unto me the mystery… Which in other ages was not made known' (3:3, 5). The word occurs six times in this letter (1:9; 3:3, 4, 9; 5:32; 6:19).

Verse 10

gather together in one — Anakephalaiomai, to sum up under a head; found only here and in Rom 13:9, where the commandments are 'briefly comprehended' in one saying. 'Dispensation' (oikonomia) is household management, 'stewardship' in Luke 16:2; 'the fulness of the time' is that of Gal 4:4. 'In heaven… and on earth' recalls Col 1:20.

Verse 11

obtained an inheritance — Kleroo, to assign by lot; found only here in the New Testament. The One who allots is the one 'who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will': 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure' (Isa 46:10). 'Predestinated' is the same word as at v.5.

Verse 13

sealed with that holy Spirit of promise — Sphragizo, to stamp with a seal for security, as John 6:27: 'him hath God the Father sealed'. The order is hearing, believing, sealing. The 'promise' (epangelia) is 'the promise of my Father' (Luke 24:49), received by Christ (Acts 2:33); the seal lasts 'unto the day of redemption' (4:30).

Verse 14

the earnest of our inheritance — Arrhabon, a part of the price paid in advance as a pledge of the rest; it is the Greek form of a Hebrew word for 'pledge' (Gen 38:17–18). It occurs three times, always of the Spirit: here, 2 Cor 1:22 and 5:5. 'The praise of his glory' repeats the refrain of vv.6 and 12.

Verse 15

your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints — The same report is given in Col 1:4 and Philemon 1:5. Paul had been among the Ephesians 'by the space of three years' (Acts 20:31). Faith in the Lord and love to all the saints are the two things he reports hearing of.

Verse 17

the spirit of wisdom and revelation — The phrase recalls 'the spirit of wisdom and understanding' of Isa 11:2. 'Knowledge' is epignosis, full recognition, the word of Col 1:9, 'filled with the knowledge of his will'. 'The Father of glory' is the 'God of glory' who appeared to Abraham (Acts 7:2).

Verse 18

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened — Photizo, to give light. The prayer is close to 2 Cor 4:6: God 'hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God'. 'His inheritance in the saints' is God's own inheritance, where vv.11 and 14 speak of the believers'.

Verse 20

set him at his own right hand — 'Wrought' (energeo) is the verb of v.11, 'worketh all things'. The seat is that of Ps 110:1, 'Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool'. The 'heavenly places' are the same as in v.3, where the blessings are given.

Verse 21

principality, and power, and might, and dominion — Arche, exousia, dynamis, kyriotes, ranks listed also in Col 1:16, 'thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers'. Christ is far above them, and above 'every name that is named', the name of Phil 2:9. 'This world… that which is to come' is the pair of Matt 12:32.

Verse 23

the fulness of him that filleth all in all — Pleroma, fulness: 'in him should all fulness dwell' (Col 1:19), and 'of his fulness have all we received' (John 1:16). The church is his 'body' (soma), of which he is head (v.22; Col 1:18). 'Filleth' is the verb of 4:10, 'that he might fill all things'.