Book of Ephesians One of the four prison Epistles.
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Apostle Paul, (v 1:1), while he was in bonds (v 6:20), under house arrest in Rome, (Acts 28:16-31).	This epistle was sent to the church at Ephesus, but it is believed that this epistle was to be circulated among all the churches in Asia Minor. The first three chapters of the letter address theological doctrine of being in Christ, the Spirit and the mystery of God. The last three chapters address proper Christian character. six chapters	between 60-62 BC.

Verse by verse, account of the book of Ephesians.

Ephesians: chapter 1

¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.

To all the believers in Ephesus, who are faithful in Christ Jesus. ²Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴Just as He chose us in Himself, even before He made the foundations of the world, that we might be holy and blameless before Him in love. ⁵Having foreordained us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to His will and His good pleasure. ⁶And by the glory of His grace, He has made us acceptable in His beloved Son. ⁷In Christ we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. ⁸Which He made abound to us in all wisdom and understanding. ⁹Having made known to us His plan, the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, ¹⁰That in the fullness of time, He might unify all things together, whether they be things in heaven or things on the earth within Christ.

¹¹For in Christ we have also received an inheritance and are predestined according to the work and purpose of His own will. ¹²That we who first trusted in Christ may be to the praise of His glory. ¹³In Him you also trusted for your salvation, after hearing the Word of truth and have thus been sealed with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁴The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance, until our redemption that Christ has purchased for us, thus praising His glory.

¹⁵After I had heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and the love you have for your fellow believers. ¹⁶I continually give thanks for you in all of my prayers. ¹⁷Praying that the Father, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ may give to you revelation and the spirit of wisdom in the knowledge of Him. ¹⁸May the eyes of your understanding be enlightened, that you may know the hope of His calling and the riches of His glorious inheritance for all believers. ¹⁹And to comprehend the greatness of His power for all who believe. ²⁰This is the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Christ at the right hand of the Father in heaven. ²¹Far above all principalities, powers, might and dominion and all names, not only in this age but also in the age to come. ²²The Father has put all things under Christ's feet and made Him to be head over the church, which is His body and the fullness of all.

Ephesians: chapter 2

¹He has made you alive, for you were once dead in your trespasses and sins. ²For once you walked according to the ways of the world and the ways of Satan, who is the prince of the air, the same spirit that even now still works in the sons of disobedience. ³We also once all conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind and were by nature children of wrath.

⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love for us. ⁵Even while we were dead in our sins, He made us alive in Christ and it is because of His grace that we have been saved. ⁶For He has, raised us up and made us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. ⁷That in the age to come He might show us the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For we have been saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves, but it is the gift of God, ⁹not of works, least anyone should boast. ¹⁰For we were created in Christ Jesus and we are His workmanship, created for good works that God prepared for us.

¹¹Remember, that you were once Gentiles of the flesh, unruly heathens. ¹²At that time you were without Christ, aliens from the fellowship of the believers and strangers of the covenant of Christ, having no hope, for you were without God. ¹³But now, you who once were far off are in Christ Jesus, have been brought near through His blood.

¹⁴For He, Himself is our peace, who has made us one with Christ, breaking down the middle wall of separation. ¹⁵Taking upon Himself and abolishing the hostility of the law, through His flesh, so as to create in Himself a new man from the two, thus making peace. ¹⁶That He might reconcile both Jew and Gentile to God, in one body through the cross, putting to death the animosity (between God and man) forever. ¹⁷For Christ came and preached peace to both those who were far off and those who were near. ¹⁸For now through Christ we have both gained access by one Spirit to the Father.

¹⁹Therefore, we are now no longer strangers but fellow citizens with all the saints and members of the household of God. ²⁰Jesus Christ, Himself is the chief Cornerstone, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. ²¹For in Christ the whole building is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²²In whom you are also being built together, as a dwelling place of God, in your Spirit.

Ephesians: chapter 3

¹For this reason, I Paul am a prisoner of Jesus Christ unto the gentiles. ²Perhaps you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that He gave me, for your sakes. ³That through revelation, He has made known to me the mystery of Christ, that I have briefly written about. ⁴That as you read, you may come to an understanding of my knowledge of the mystery of Christ. ⁵In past times, this mystery was not made known to humans, but has now been revealed by the Spirit to His apostles and prophets. ⁶That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the body of Christ and partakers of the gospel through Christ. ⁷Of this gospel I was made a minister, according to the grace given to me by the working of His power.

⁸Yes, this grace was given to me, the least of all the saints, that I should preach among the gentiles, of the unsearchable riches of Christ. ⁹To let all see the fellowship of the mystery, that from the beginning of time was hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ. ¹⁰Intending that this manifold wisdom of God, the heavenly powers and principalities might be made known to the church. ¹¹According to the eternal plan that the Father accomplished through Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹²In Christ and through Him, we have boldness and can confidently gain access to the Father. ¹³Therefore, do not lose heart when you see my chains and tribulations that I bear because they are your glory.

¹⁴When I think of this, I bow my knees to the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵Of who all the families of heaven and earth are named. ¹⁶May He grant you, according to the riches of His glory, that your inner man be strengthened with might through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you may be rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸Able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the length, width, height and depth of His love. ¹⁹So that you may know and experience the love of Christ that escapes human knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. ²¹To Him may glory be given in the church, through Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.

Ephesians: chapter 4

¹Therefore as a prisoner of the Lord, I appeal to you to walk worthy of your calling, ²with all meekness, gentleness and longsuffering, bearing with one another in love. ³Striving to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling. ⁵One Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all, through all and in you all. ⁷To each one of us, grace was given according to the measures of Christ's gift. ⁸Just as it is said; when Christ ascended on high, He led captivity, captive, giving gifts to men, Psalm 68:18.

⁹Now when I say, He ascended, He first descended into the lower parts of the earth. ¹⁰He who descended is also the one who ascended far above the heavens, that He might fulfill all things.

¹¹He then gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, ¹²for the equipping of the saints, the work of the ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ. ¹³Until we all come into the unity of the faith and the knowledge of God, to become that perfect man and the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴That we should no longer be children, chasing after every form of doctrine that comes our way, by the craftiness and deceitfulness of man. ¹⁵But speaking the truth in love that we may grow in all things and into Christ, which is the head. ¹⁶By Him, the whole body is knit together, according to the effective working when every part does its own share, causing the growth of the body, edifying itself in love.

¹⁷Therefore, do not walk as the other Gentiles walk in the foolishness of their own mind. ¹⁸Having their understanding darkened, because of the ignorance that is in them, they have been alienated from the life of God, due to the hardening of their heart. ¹⁹Who through spiritual apathy have become callous, having given themselves over to lust, that works all uncleanness together with greediness. ²⁰For they have not so learned Christ, ²¹But if indeed you have learned Christ Jesus, as the truth. ²²You need to discard the corrupt, deceitful, lustful old man (according to your past way of living). ²³And renew your mind. ²⁴Putting on the new man, who according to God was created in righteousness and true holiness.

²⁵Therefore, put away lying, speak the truth to your neighbor, for we are all of one body. ²⁶Righteous anger is good, yet in your anger do not sin. Always remain angry at the works of the devil, never quenching this wrath nor ²⁷give place to the devil. ²⁸He who has stolen, let him steal no more, rather let him labor honestly, working with his hands that he may be able to give to those in need. ²⁹Do not speak corruptly but rather edify each other that it may impart grace to the hearer. ³⁰Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, for by Him you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, malice and evil speaking. ³²Being kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Ephesians: chapter 5

¹Therefore, dear children, be imitators of God. ²Walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave Himself for us as a sweet smelling offering to God. ³Let there be no fornication, uncleanness or covetousness, may it not even be named among you, for it is not fitting for the saints. ⁴Neither let filthiness, foolish talking or coarse jesting be among you, for this is not fitting but rather the giving of thanks. ⁵For you know that no fornicator, unclean person or covetous man, who is an idolater has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶Let no one deceive you with doctrines of vain promises and empty words, because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷Therefore don't associate with such people.

⁸You were once in darkness but, now are in the light and thus you should walk as children of light. ⁹For the fruit of the Spirit is in goodness, righteousness and truth, ¹⁰which is acceptable to the Lord. ¹¹Having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of the darkness, but rather exposing them. ¹²For it is even shameful to speak of those things that are done by them in private. ¹³For all things that are exposed by the light are revealed by the light. ¹⁴Therefore it has been written; Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead and Christ will give you light, Isaiah 60:1.

¹⁵See then that you then walk worthy, not as fools but as wise men and women. ¹⁶Redeeming the time for the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be unwise, but rather understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸Do not be drunk with wine, in excess, but be filled with the Spirit. ¹⁹Speaking scripture to one another together with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. ²⁰Always giving thanks for all things to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. ²¹Submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

²²Wives submit to your own husband, as to the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church and the Savior of the body. ²⁴Therefore, as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wife be to her own husband in everything.

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. ²⁶That He might cleanse and sanctify her with the washing of water, through the Word. ²⁷Able to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, a church holy and without blemish. ²⁸So husbands, love your own wife as your own body, he who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹For no one hates his own flesh, but rather nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. ³⁰For we are all members of His body, of His flesh and bone. ³¹For this reason shall a man leave his mother and shall be joined to his wife and the two shall be one flesh. ³²Even this is a great mystery, but I speak of the relation of Christ concerning the church. ³³Nevertheless, without exception, husbands love your own wife and wives respect your own husband.

Ephesians: chapter 6

¹Children, obey your parents (in the Lord), for this is proper. ²Honor your father and mother, this being the first commandment, having a promise attached to it. ³That it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth. ⁴Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training of the Lord.

⁵Servants, obey your masters, according to the flesh with all sincerity as to Christ. ⁶Doing right not only when they are looking on, but always as bondservants doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷as to the Lord and not to man. ⁸For we know that whatever good is done, he will receive the same reward from the Lord, whether he is slave or free. ⁹Masters, you also do the same, do not threaten, remember that you also have a Master in heaven and there is no partiality with Him.

¹⁰My brothers, be strong in the Lord and in His power and might. ¹¹Putting on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age and spiritual hosts of wickedness. ¹³Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand and having done all stand firm.

¹⁴Gird your waist, (your core foundation), with the truth of God's Word, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (to protect your heart's belief that God raised Jesus from the dead). ¹⁵Having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (preparing yourself to walk in peace), ¹⁶taking up the shield of faith, that you can quench the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. ¹⁸Praying always in the Spirit, being watchful with great perseverance to the very end, for all the saints.
For a brief study on how the parallel's of the armor of God apply to us, click here.

¹⁹Pray also for me that utterance may be given to me, that I may boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. ²¹So that you may know how I am; Tychicus a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you. ²²I have sent him to you, so he can tell you of my welfare and that he may comfort you.

²³Peace to the brethren and love and faith be with you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Grace be with all those who sincerely love the Lord Jesus Christ.