Ephesians  (GOD'S WORD)








































Ephesians  1:3-14 (GOD'S WORD)

    3Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing that heaven has to offer. 4Before the creation of the world, he chose us through Christ to be holy and perfect in his presence. 5Because of his love he had already decided to adopt us through Jesus Christ. He freely chose to do this 6so that the kindnessc he had given us
in his dear Son would be praised and given glory.
    7Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness. 8He poured out his kindness by giving us every kind of wisdom and insight      9when he revealed the mystery of his plan to us. He had decided to do this through Christ. 10He planned to bring all of history to its goal in Christ. Then Christ would be the head of everything in heaven and on earth. 11 God also decided ahead of time to choose us through Christ according to his plan, which makes everything work the way he intends. 12He planned all of this so that we who had already focused our hope on Christ would praise him and give him glory.
    13You heard and believed the message of truth, the Good News that he has saved you. In him you were sealed with the Holy Spirit whom he promised. 14This Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive our inheritance. We have this guarantee until we are set free to belong to him. God receives praise and glory for this.




































Ephesians  1:18-23 (GOD'S WORD)

 18Then you will have deeper insight. You will know the confidence that he calls you to have and the glorious wealth that God's people will inherit. 19 You will also know the unlimited greatness of his power as it works with might and strength for us, the believers. 20 He worked with that same power in Christ when he brought him back to life and gave him the highest position in heaven. 21 He is far above all rulers, authorities, powers, lords, and all other names that can be named, not only in this present world but also in the world to come. 22God has put everything under the control of Christ. He has made Christ the head of everything for the good of the church. 23 The church is Christ's body and completes him as he fills everything in every way.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 














 

Ephesians 2:1-22 GOD'S WORD

    1You were once dead because of your failures and sins. 2 You followed the ways of this present world and its spiritual ruler. This ruler continues to work in people who refuse to obey God. 3All of us once lived among these people, and followed the desires of our corrupt nature. We did what our corrupt desires and thoughts wanted us to do. So, because of our nature, we deserved God's anger just like everyone else.
    4But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us. 5We were dead because of our failures, but he made us alive together with Christ. (It is God’s kindnessa that saved you.) 6God has brought us back to life together with Christ Jesus and has given us a position in heaven with him. 7He did this through Christ Jesus out of his generosity to us in order to show his extremely rich kindness in the world to come. 8God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God. 9It’s not the result of anything you’ve done, so no one can brag about it. 10God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.
    11Remember that once you were not Jewish physically. Those who called themselves “the circumcised” because of what they had done to their bodies called you “the uncircumcised.” 12Also, at that time you were without Christ. You were excluded from citizenship in Israel, and the pledges [God made in his] promise were foreign to you. You had no hope and were in the world without God.
    13But now through Christ Jesus you, who were once far away, have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14So he is our peace. In his body he has made Jewish and non-Jewish people one by breaking down the wall of hostility that kept them apart. 15He brought an end to the commandments and demands found in Moses’ Teachings so that he could take Jewish and non-Jewish
people and create one new humanity in himself. So he made peace. 16He also brought them back to God in one body by his cross, on which he killed the hostility. 17He came with the Good News of peace for you who were far away and for those who were near. 18So Jewish and non-Jewish people can go to the Father in one Spirit.
    19That is why you are no longer foreigners and outsiders but citizens together with God’s people and members of God’s family. 20You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Christ Jesus himself is the cornerstone.21In him all the parts of the building fit together and grow into a holy temple in the Lord. 22Through him you, also, are being built in the Spirit together with others into a place where God lives.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 































      
 

Ephesians 3:1-13 (GOD'S WORD)

    1This is the reason I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesusa for those of you who are not Jewish.
    2Certainly, you have heard how God gave me the responsibility of bringing his kindnessb to you. 3You have heard that he let me know this mystery through a revelation. I’ve already written to you about this briefly. 4When you read this, you’ll see that I understand the mystery about Christ. 5In the past, this mystery was not known by people as it is now. The Spirit has now revealed
it to his holy apostles and prophets. 6This mystery is the Good News that people who are not Jewish have the same inheritance as Jewish people do. They belong to the same body and share the same promise that God made in Christ Jesus. 7I became a servant of this Good News through God’s kindness freely given to me when his power worked in me.8I am the least of all God's people. Yet, God showed me his kindness by allowing me to spread the Good News of the immeasurable wealth of Christ to people who are not Jewish. 9He allowed me to explain the way this mystery works. God, who created all things, kept it hidden in the past. 10He did this so that now, through the church, he could let the rulers and authorities in heaven know his infinite wisdom. 11This was God's plan for all of history which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. 12We can go to God with bold confidence through faith in Christ. 13 So then, I ask you not to become discouraged by the troubles I suffer for you. In fact, my troubles bring you glory.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 












 

Ephesians 3:14-19 (GOD'S WORD)

 14This is the reason I kneel in the presence of the Father 15 from whom all the family in heaven and on earth receives its name. 16I'm asking God to give you a gift from the wealth of his glory. I pray that he would give you inner strength and power through his Spirit. 17Then Christ will live in you through faith. I also pray that love may be the ground into which you sink your roots and on which you have your foundation. 18This way, with all of God's people you will be able to understand how wide, long, high, and deep his love is. 19You will know Christ's love, which goes far beyond any knowledge. I am praying this so that you may be completely filled with God.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 












 

Ephesians 4:1-32 (GOD'S WORD)

   1I, a prisoner in the Lord, encourage you to live the kind of life which proves that God has called you. 2Be humble and gentle in every way. Be patient with each other and lovingly accept each other.         3Through the peace that ties you together, do your best to maintain the unity that the Spirit gives. 4 There is one body and one Spirit. In the same way you were called to share one hope. 5There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over everything, through everything, and in everything.
    7God’s favor has been given to each of us. It was measured out to us by Christ who gave it. 8That’s why the Scriptures say: “When he went to the highest place, he took captive those who had captured us and gave gifts to people.”
    9Now what does it mean that he went up except that he also had gone down to the lowest parts of the earth? 10The one who had gone down also went up above all the heavens so that he fills everything.
    11He also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as pastors and teachers as gifts bto his churchn. 12Their purpose is to prepare God’s people, to serve, and to build up the body of Christ.                 13This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard. 14Then we will no longer
be little children, tossed and carried about by all kinds of teachings that change like the wind. We will no longer be influenced by people who use cunning and clever strategies to lead us astray.                 15Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ, who is the head. 16He makes the whole body fit together and unites it through the support of every
joint. As each and every part does its job, he makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
    17So I tell you and encourage you in the Lord’s name not to live any longer like other people in the world. Their minds are set on worthless things. 18They can’t understand because they are in the dark. They are excluded from the life that God approves of because of their ignorance and stubbornness. 19Since they no longer have any sense of shame, they have become promiscuous. They
practice every kind of sexual perversion with a constant desire for more.
    20But that is not what you learned from Christ’s teachings. 21You have certainly heard his message and have been taught his ways. The truth is in Jesus.
    22You were taught to change the way you were living. The person you used to be will ruin you through desires that deceive you. 23However, you were taught to have a new attitude. 24You were also taught to become a new person created to be like God, truly righteous and holy.
    25So then, get rid of lies. Speak the truth to each other, because we are all members of the same body.
    26Be angry without sinning. Don’t go to bed angry. 27Don’t give the devil any opportunity [to work] .
    28Thieves must quit stealing and, instead, they must work hard. They should do something good with their hands so that they’ll have something to share with those in need.
    29Don’t say anything that would hurt banother personn. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you. 30Don’t give God’s Holy Spirit any reason to be upset with you. He has put his seal on you for the day you will be set free [from the world of sin] .
    31Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred. 32Be kind to each other, sympathetic, forgiving each other as God has forgiven you through Christ.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     



  
         

















 

Ephesians 5:15-20 (GOD'S WORD)

   13Light exposes the true character of everything 14 because light makes everything easy to see. That's why it says;

                "Wake up, sleeper!
                  Rise from the dead,
                     and Christ will shine on you."
    15So then, be very careful how you live. Don't live like foolish people but like wise people. 16Make the most of your opportunities because these are evil days. 17 So don't be foolish, but understand what the Lord wants. 18Don't get drunk on wine, which leads to wild living, be filled with the Spirit 19by reciting psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs for your own good. Sing and make music to the Lord with your hearts. 20 Always thank God the Father for everthing in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 








 

Ephesians 5:21-33 (GOD'S WORD)

    21Place yourselves under each other’s authority out of respect for Christ.
    22Wives, place yourselves under your husbands’ authority as you have placed yourselves under the Lord’s authority. 23The husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. It is his body, and he is its Savior. 24As the church is under Christ’s authority, so wives are under their husbands’ authority in everything.25Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. 26He did this to make the church holy by cleansing it, washing it using water along with spoken words. 27 Then he could present it to himself as a glorious church, without any kind of stain or wrinlke -- holy and without faults. 28So husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. 29No one ever hated his own body. Instead, he feeds and takes care of it, as Christ takes care of the church. 30We are parts of his body. 31 That's why a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will be one. 32 This is a great mystery. (I'm talking about Christ's relationship to the church.) 33But every husband must love his wife as he loves himself, and wives should respect their husbands.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 













 

Ephesians 6:12-13 (GOD'S WORD)

    4Fathers, don’t make your children bitter about life. Instead, bring them up in Christian discipline and instruction.
    5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with proper respect. Be as sincere as you are when you obey Christ. 6Don’t obey them only while you’re being watched, as if you merely wanted to please people. But obey like slaves who belong to Christ, who have a deep desire to do what God wants them to do.
    7Serve eagerly as if you were serving your heavenly master and not merely serving human masters. 8You know that your heavenly master will reward all of us for whatever good we do, whether we’re slaves or free people.
    9Those who own slaves should also treat them with respect. Don’t threaten a slave. You know that there is one master in heaven who has authority over both of you, and he doesn’t play favorites.
    10Finally, receive your power from the Lord and from his mighty strength.
    11Put on all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil’s strategies.12This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world. 13For this reason, take up all the armor that God supplies. Then you will be able to take a stand during these evil days. Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to stand your ground.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 














 

Ephesians 6:10-20 (GOD'S WORD)

   10Finally, receive your power from the Lord and from his mighty strength.
    11Put on all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil’s strategies. 12This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world. 13For this reason, take up all the armor that God supplies. Then you will be able to take a stand during these evil days. Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to stand your ground.14So then, take your stand! Fasten truth around your waist like a belt. Put on God's approval as your breastplate.15Put on your shoes so that you are ready to spread the Good News that gives peace. 16In addition to all these, take the Christian faith as your shield. With it you can put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  17Also take salvation as your helmet and the word of God as the sword that the Spirit supplies.
   18Pray in the Spirit in every situation. Use every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert. Use every kind of effort and make every kind of request for all of God's people. 19Also pray that God will give me the right words to say. Then I will speak boldly when I reveal the mystery of the Good News. 20 Because I have already been doing this as Christ's representative, I am in prison. So pray that I speak about this Good News as boldly as I have to.