Sha'ul/Paulos' Letter to the Ephesians

1 ¹Paulos, an ambassador of Messiah Yeshua through the will of God: to those in Ephesus who belong to God and are faithful in Messiah Yeshua. ²Grace and peace to you⁺ from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Messiah. ⁴In the same way, He chose us in him before the foundation of the world for us to be holy and blameless before Him. ⁵So He determined before, in love, to give us the legal right as His children through Yeshua the Messiah. He did this in accordance with the good pleasure of His will, ⁶to the praise of the glory of His grace. By this He made us acceptable in the Beloved. ⁷We have redemption in him through his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions in accordance with the riches of His grace. ⁸He made His grace abound toward us in all wisdom and understanding, ⁹making the mystery of His will known to us, in accordance with His good pleasure which He set forth in him. ¹⁰This is for governing the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in him, in Messiah, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth.

¹¹In him also, we were given an inheritance, having been appointed before in accordance with the purpose of the One who works all things after the counsel of His will. ¹²He did this so that we who trusted beforehand in the Messiah should be to the praise of His glory. ¹³In him you⁺also, having heard the word of the truth — the good news of your⁺ salvation in him — having also believed, you⁺ were sealed with the Ruah Kodesh of promise. ¹⁴This is a pledge of our inheritance, toward the redemption of His possession, to the praise of His glory. ¹⁵I have heard of the faith in the Lord Yeshua which is among you⁺, and the love which you⁺ have toward all those who belong to God. Because of this, I also ¹⁶do not cease to give thanks for you⁺, making mention of you⁺ in my prayers. ¹⁷I pray that the God of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the Father of glory, may give to you⁺ a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. ¹⁸Having the eyes of your⁺ heart enlightened, you⁺ may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in those who belong to God, ¹⁹and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who are believing. All is in accordance with that working of the strength of His might. ²⁰He brought this about in the Messiah, when He raised him from among the dead and made him to sit at His right hand in the heavens, ²¹far above all principal forces, 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 community, ²³which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all in all.

2 ¹And you⁺ were dead in your crimes and sins. ²In these you⁺ once walked, in accordance with the ruler of the powers of the air, following this worldly age. This is the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. ³We all also were among them, and once turned towards the desire of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind. And we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

⁴But being rich in mercy, and because of His great love with which He loved us ⁵even when we were dead in our trespasses, God made us alive together with the Messiah. You⁺ have been saved by grace. ⁶And He raised us up together, and seated us together in the heavens in Messiah Yeshua. ⁷This is so that in the ages which are coming He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Messiah Yeshua. ⁸ For it is by grace you⁺ have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves. It is the gift of God, ⁹not from works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are His workmanship, created in Yeshua the Messiah for good works, which God prepared in advance so that we would walk in them. ^11,12 Therefore remember that once you⁺, the Gentiles, were at that time far from Messiah, excluded from citizenship in the commonwealth of Israel [Gen.35:11; 48:4; 2Mac.4:11; 8:17; 13:14], and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. You⁺ are called "uncircumcision" in the flesh by those called "circumcision" in the flesh, made by hands. ¹³But now in Messiah Yeshua, you⁺ who once were far off have become near in the blood of the Messiah. ¹⁴For he is our peace [Is.57:19], who made both one, and took down the middle wall of the fence. ¹⁵By his flesh, he made the hostility of commandments in ordinances of the Law cease to apply. In this way, He made peace by creating the two into one new man in himself. ¹⁶In so doing, he reconciled both in one body to God through the tree of death, which he used to put to death the hostility.

¹⁷He came and proclaimed peace to you⁺ who were far off and peace to those who were near. [Is. 57:19] ¹⁸For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹So then you⁺ are no longer foreigners and strangers, but you⁺ are fellow-citizens with the people set apart, and are of the household of God. ²⁰You⁺ are being built on the foundation of the ambassadors and prophets, Messiah Yeshua himself being the chief cornerstone. ²¹In him, the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²²In him, you⁺ also are built together for a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

3 ¹For this cause I, Sha’ul, am the prisoner of Messiah Yeshua on behalf of you⁺, the Gentiles.

²Surely you⁺ have heard of the responsibility which was given to me in the grace of God toward you⁺, ³how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote briefly before. ⁴By reading that, you⁺ will be able to comprehend my understanding in the mystery of the Messiah. ⁵In other generations, this was not made known to the children of men, as it has now been revealed in the Spirit to his holy ambassadors and prophets.

⁶It is that the Gentiles might be fellow-heirs, fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of His promise in Yeshua the Messiah through the good news. ⁷I was made a servant for this in accordance with the gift of the grace of God which was given to me, in accordance with the working of His power. ^8-10I am less than the least of all those who belong to God. This grace was given to me to proclaim to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of the Messiah, and to give light on what is the administration of the mystery, so that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known now through the community to the principal rulers and the powers in the heavens. This mystery has been hidden for ages in God, who created all things. ¹¹To make it known now is in accordance with the purpose of the ages which He purposed in Yeshua the Messiah our Lord. ¹²We have boldness in him, and confident access through our faith in him. ¹³Therefore I ask that you⁺ not be discouraged by my troubles for you⁺. They are your⁺ glory.

¹⁴For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father — ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named — ¹⁶so that He would grant you⁺ to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, in accordance with the riches of His glory. ¹⁷I pray for the Messiah to dwell in your⁺ hearts through faith, so that you⁺, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may be strengthened to comprehend with all those who belong to God what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of the Messiah which surpasses knowledge, so that you⁺ may be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, in accordance with the power that works in us, ²¹to Him be the glory in the community and in Messiah Yeshua to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

4 ¹Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, exhort you⁺ to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you⁺ were called. ²Bear with one another in love with all lowliness, humility, and longsuffering, ³being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴There is one body and one Spirit — even as you⁺ also were called in one hope of your⁺ calling. ⁵There is one Lord, one faith, one immersion, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. ⁷But to each one of us grace was given in accordance with the measure of the gift of the Messiah. ⁸Therefore He says, "When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." [Ps. 68:18] ⁹Now this, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰The one who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

¹¹He appointed some to be ambassadors, some to be prophets, some to be proclaimers of the good news, and some to be shepherds and teachers. ¹²This is for preparing those who belong to God for the work of service, for building up the body of the Messiah. ¹³This is until we all arrive at the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a fully mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Messiah. ¹⁴Then we will no longer be children, tossed back and forth by the waves and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning trickery of men in systematic error. ¹⁵But speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into the one who is the head, Messiah. ¹⁶From him all the body is fitted and knit together through what every joint supplies. This makes the body grow up for the building up of itself in love, in accordance with the appropriate working of each individual part.

¹⁷ So I say this and testify in the Lord that you⁺ no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind. [Eccl.1:2] ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding and alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹Having lost all feeling, they gave themselves up to sensuality to crave to do everything unclean. ²⁰But you⁺ did not learn the Messiah that way. ²¹Surely you⁺ heard him and were taught in him — even as the truth is in Yeshua — ²²that you⁺ put off the old man of your⁺ former way of life, which is corrupt after the deceitful desires. ²³Be renewed now in the spirit of your⁺ mind. ²⁴Put on the new man, who has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth in accord with God.

²⁵Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor, [Zech. 8:16] because we are members one of another. ²⁶"Be angry, yet do not sin." [Ps. 4:4] Do not let the sun set upon your⁺ rage, ²⁷nor give opportunity to the Accuser. ²⁸Let the one who stole steal no more, but let him labor instead, doing what is good with his hands, so that he may have something to give to the one who has need. ²⁹Do not let any worthless word go forth from your⁺ mouth, but only what is good and needed for building up, so that it may give grace to those who hear. ³⁰Do not grieve the Ruah Kodesh of God, in whom you⁺ were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Let all bitterness, indignation, anger, commotion, and slander be put away from you⁺, along with all malice. ³²And become kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also forgave you⁺ in Messiah.

5 ¹So be imitators of God as beloved children. ²Walk in love, even as the Messiah also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance. ³But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let these not even be mentioned among you⁺ — as is appropriate for those who belong to God — ⁴nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks.

⁵Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of the Messiah and God. ⁶Let no one deceive you⁺ with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience. ⁷Therefore do not be partakers with them.

⁸For you⁺ once were darkness, but now are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, ⁹because the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, ¹⁰demonstrating what is well-pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of the darkness, but rather rebuke them instead. ¹²For it is a shame even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³But all things that are rebuked are revealed by the light, because light is what reveals everything. ¹⁴Therefore He says, "Awake, you who sleep. Arise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you." [Is.52:1; 60:1]

¹⁵So watch carefully how you⁺ walk, not as unwise, but as wise. ¹⁶Redeem the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸Do not be drunken with wine, which is a waste of life, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and songs of the Spirit, singing and making melody in your⁺ heart to the Lord. ²⁰Give thanks to God the Father always for all things in the name of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah.

²¹Subject yourselves one to another in the fear of Messiah. ²²Wives, submit yourselves to your⁺ own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife, and the Messiah also is the head of the community, being himself the savior of the body. ²⁴But as the community is submitted to the Messiah, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.

²⁵Husbands, love your⁺ wives, even as the Messiah also loved the community and gave himself up for it. ²⁶He did this so that he might sanctify it. He cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, ²⁷so that he might present a glorious community to himself, not having spot, wrinkle or any such thing, but that it might be holy and blameless.

²⁸Husbands ought also to love their own wives in this way, as their own bodies. The one who loves his own wife loves himself. ²⁹For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it. This is what the Lord also does for the community, ³⁰because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. [2 Sam. 19:12] ³¹"For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh." [Gen. 2:24] ³²This mystery is great, but I am speaking about Messiah and the community. ³³Nevertheless, each of you⁺ must also love his own wife even as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

6 ¹Children, listen in the Lord to your⁺ parents, because this is right. ²"Honor your father and mother" — which is the first commandment with a promise — ³"so that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth." [Ex. 20:12, Dt. 5:16] ⁴You⁺ fathers, do not provoke your⁺ children to anger, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

⁵Servants, be obedient with fear and trembling in singleness of your⁺ heart to those who are your⁺ physical masters, as to the Messiah. ⁶Do not do it just when they are looking, as men-pleasers, but as servants of the Messiah, doing the will of God from your⁺ inner being. ⁷Serve with good will as unto the Lord, and not unto men, ⁸knowing that whatever good thing each one does, whether he is bound or free, he will receive the same again from the Lord.

⁹Masters, do the same things to them, and refrain from threatening, knowing that the One who is both their Master and yours⁺ is in heaven, and there is no judging by outward appearance with Him.

¹⁰Finally, be empowered in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, so that you⁺ may be able to stand against the deceitful schemes of the Accuser. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual powers of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore put on the whole armor of God, so that you⁺ may be able to resist in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having stengthened yourself with truth, [Is. 11:5] having put on the breastplate of justice, [Is. 59:17] ¹⁵and having fitted your⁺ feet with the preparation of the good news of peace. [Is. 52:7] ¹⁶Above all, take up the shield of faith, with which you⁺ will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. ¹⁷And receive the helmet of salvation, [Is. 59:17; cf. Wis. 5:17-19] and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸With all prayer and supplication, pray in the Spirit at all times, and stay alert for this very thing, in all perseverance and supplication for all those who belong to God. ¹⁹And pray on my behalf that a word may be given to me in opening my mouth with boldness to make known the mystery of the good news. ²⁰I am an ambassador in chains for this. Pray that I may speak boldly in it, as I ought to speak.

²¹Now so that you⁺ also may know my affairs, what I am accomplishing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make all things known to you⁺. ²²I have sent him to you⁺ for this very purpose, so that you⁺ may know our affairs, and that he may encourage your⁺ hearts.

²³Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. ²⁴Grace be with all those who genuinely love our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.