Ephesians

1   Paulus, an ambassador of Yeshua the Anointed through the will of God.

    To the holy who are in Ephesus, and to the faithful in Anointed Yeshua.

    Grace to you⁼, and peace, from God our father and from the lord Yeshua the Anointed. Blessed is God, the father of our lord Yeshua the Anointed, who blesses us in the Anointed in every spiritual blessing in the heavens. Just as, in love, he selected us in him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in his sight, having destined us beforehand to sonship, to himself, through Yeshua the Anointed, according to the delight of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely gave us in the beloved, in whom we have the redemption through his blood, the pardoning of transgressions, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to overabound to us in all wisdom and prudence, having made the secret of his will known to us, according to his delight, which he set forth in him, for the administration of the fulfilling of the right times, to sum up all things into the Anointed, both the things in the heavens and on the earth.

    In him we were allocated, having been destined beforehand according to the purpose of the one who works all things according to his will, so that we should be to the praise of his glory, having a prior expectation in the Anointed, in whom you⁼ also are, having heard the message of the truth, (the good news of your⁼ salvation), and in whom, having also trusted, you⁼ were sealed by the holy spirit of the promise, who’s a deposit on our inheritance, to the redemption of the one procured, to the praise of his glory.

    Because of this, having heard about you⁼, of your⁼ faith in the lord Yeshua and of your⁼ love to all the holy, I also don’t cease giving thanks for you⁼, making remembrance of you⁼ in my prayers, so that the god of our lord Yeshua the Anointed, the father of glory, may give you⁼ the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in knowledge of him — so that, having had the eyes of your⁼ heart enlightened, you’ll⁼ know what the expectation of his calling is, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the holy are, and what the exceeding greatness of his power is to us, those who trust, according to the working of the might of his strength, which he worked in the Anointed, raising him from the dead and sitting him on his right in the heavens, above all rule, and authority, and power, and lordship, and every name which is named, (not only in this age, but also in the one which is about to come). And he subjected all things under his feet, and gave him, the head over all things, to the assembly, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all in all.

2   And you⁼ were dead in your⁼ transgressions and your⁼ sins in which you⁼ used to walk according to the age of this world, just as the ruler of the authorities of the air, of the spirit which now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom we also used to conduct ourselves in the desires of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the understanding, and we were by birth children of wrath — just like the rest of them.

    But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loves us, (and us being dead in transgressions), made us alive with the Anointed. You’ve⁼ been saved by grace, and he’s raised us up together, and sat us together in the heavens in Anointed Yeshua, in order to display to the ages that are to come, the exceeding riches of his grace, in kindness towards us in Anointed Yeshua.

    For you’ve⁼ been saved by grace, through faith. And this isn’t from yourselves — it’s a present^a from God, not by works, so that nobody should boast. For we’re his workmanship, created in Anointed Yeshua for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we should walk in them.

    Therefore recall that you⁼ were once nations in the flesh, those called the uncircumcision by those called the circumcision, (in the flesh, performed with hands), and that you⁼ were for a time without the Anointed, having been alienated from citizenship of Yisrael, and foreigners to the covenants of the promises, having no expectation, and godless in the world. But now, in Anointed Yeshua, you⁼ who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of the Anointed.

    For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one, and broken down the wall which divided them, having nullified the animosity in his flesh, (the law of commands in ordinances), so that he might create in himself one new person from the two, making peace. And in one body, he might reconcile them both to God through the stake^b, having killed the animosity in it.

    And having come, he brought the good news — peace to you⁼ who are far away, and to those who are near. Because through him we both have access in one spirit to the father. So then, you’re⁼ no longer foreigners and sojourners^c, but you’re⁼ fellow citizens of the holy, and you’re⁼ the household of God, being built up, on the foundation of the ambassadors and prophets, with Yeshua the Anointed as the corner stone, in whom the whole building, fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the lord, in whom also, you’re⁼ being built together into a dwelling place of God in the spirit.

3   For this reason, I, Paulus, am the prisoner of Anointed Yeshua, for the sake of you⁼, the nations — since surely you’ve⁼ heard of the stewardship of the grace of God which has been given to me for you⁼. That through a revelation he made the secret known to me — just as I wrote briefly before, through which you’ll⁼ be able, by reading it, to understand my comprehension of the secret of the Anointed. Which wasn’t made known to the sons of mankind in other generations, as it’s now been revealed to his holy ambassadors, and to prophets in the spirit — that the nations are joint heirs, and of the same body, and fellow partakers of his promises in the Anointed, through the good news, of which I became a servant according to the gift of the grace of God, given to me according to the working of his power.

    This grace was given to me, the least of all the holy, to bring good news to the nations, (the unsearchable riches of the Anointed), and to illuminate for everyone what the stewardship of the secret is, which has been concealed from the ages in God, who created all things through Yeshua the Anointed. So that now, through the assembly, the multi-faceted wisdom of God might be made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavens, according to the purpose of the ages, which was made in Anointed Yeshua our lord, in whom we have boldness, and access in confidence through faith in him. That’s why I’m asking you⁼ not to lose heart because of my duress for your⁼ sake, which is your⁼ glory.

    For this reason I bend my knees to the father of our lord Yeshua the Anointed, after whom every lineage in the heavens and on earth is named, that he might give you⁼ the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power through his spirit in the inner person. That the Anointed may dwell in your⁼ hearts through faith, having been firmly planted, and having had foundations laid in love, so that you⁼ will be strong enough to grasp, together with all the holy, what the breadth and length and depth and height is, and to perceive the love of the Anointed which goes beyond knowledge^a, that you⁼ might be filled to the whole fullness of God.

    And to the one who’s able to do above and beyond what we’re requesting or thinking, according to the power which is working among us, to him is glory in the assembly in Anointed Yeshua, to all the generations of the age of ages.

    Amen^b.

4   I, the prisoner in the lord, entreat you⁼ then to walk worthy of the calling to which you⁼ were called. With all humility and gentleness, with patience, being tolerant of one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. There’s one body and one spirit, just as you⁼ were called in one expectation of your⁼ calling, one lord, one faith, one immersion, one god and father of all, who’s over all, and through all, and among all of us.

    And grace has been given to each one of us, according to the measure of the gift of the Anointed. Therefore it says, “Having ascended on high, he’s taken captivity captive, and he’s given gifts to mankind.” But what’s “having ascended” except that he first descended into the lower parts of the earth? The one who descended is the same as the one who ascended above all the heavens, so that he should fill all things.

    And indeed he, himself, gave some to be ambassadors, and some to be prophets, and some to be good news bringers, and some to be shepherds and teachers, to the restoration of the holy for a work of service, for the building up of the body of the Anointed, until we should all attain the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the son of God, into a mature man, into a measure of stature of the fullness of the Anointed. So that we may no longer be infants, being tossed around like waves, and being carried about by every wind of teaching, in the trickery^a of people, in craftiness, in the wiliness of leading people astray.

    But being truthful^b, in love, we should grow in all things into him who’s the head, the Anointed, from whom the whole body, being fitted and joined together through every joint of the supply, according to the working in proportion of each and every part, bringing about the growth of the body in order to build itself up in love.

    I say this then, and I’m earnestly declaring in the lord, that you⁼ must no longer walk as the rest of the nations walk, in the purposelessness of their thinking, having been darkened in understanding, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that’s among them because of the hardening of their hearts, who, having become numb, have given themselves over to sexual immorality, to work impurity in all greediness. But you⁼ haven’t learned the Anointed in this way. If indeed, you’ve⁼ heard, and you⁼ were taught in him, just as the truth is in Yeshua.

    Regarding the former way of life, take off the old person, the one which is being corrupted by the desires of deceit, and be renewed by the spirit of your⁼ mind, and put on the new person, which is being created, just like God — in righteousness and in the piety of the truth. Therefore, taking off falsehood, each one of you⁼ should speak the truth^c with their neighbour, because we’re body parts of one another. Be provoked to anger, but don’t sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your⁼ anger, neither give an opportunity to Diabolos^d. Let the one who steals, steal no longer, but rather let him labour, working good with their hands, so that they’ll have something to give to the one who has a need. Don’t let any putrid message go out from your⁼ mouth, but only what’s good for building up where it’s needed, so that it might give grace to those who hear it. And don’t sadden the holy spirit of God in whom you⁼ were sealed for the day of redemption. Let every bitterness, and fury, and wrath, and uproar, and speaking of evil be lifted from you⁼, along with every evil. And become kind to one another, tender hearted, showing grace to one another, just as God shows grace to us in the Anointed.

5   Become imitators of God then, as beloved children. And walk in love, just as the Anointed also loves us and handed himself over for our sakes, an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant odour. But fornication and every uncleanness, or greediness, let these not even be named among you⁼, just as is fitting for the holy, nor obscenity and foolish talking, or coarse joking, which aren’t fit and proper, but rather thankfulness. For you⁼ perceive this, that every fornicator, or unclean or greedy person, (who’s an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of the Anointed and of God.

    Don’t let anyone trick you⁼ with empty sayings, for because of these things, the wrath of God is coming on those sons of disobedience. So then don’t become fellow partakers with them, for you⁼ used to be darkness, but you’re⁼ now light in the lord. Walk as children of light. For the fruit of the spirit consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth, discerning what’s pleasing to the lord. And have no participation with the unfruitful acts of the darkness, but rather expose them. For the things which are done secretly by them are disgraceful even to speak of. But all things which are exposed under the light are being made manifest, for the light makes everything manifest. That’s why it says, “Get up, you^- who are lying asleep, and rise up from the dead, and the Anointed will shine on you^- [like a dawn].”

    Watch out then exactly how you⁼ walk, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are wicked. Because of this, don’t become foolish, but ones who understand what the will of the lord is. And don’t be drunk with wine, which is wastefulness, but be filled in the spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, and praise songs, and spiritual songs, singing and playing in your⁼ heart to the lord. Always giving thanks to God the father for all things in the name of our lord Yeshua the Anointed. Being subject to one another in fear of the Anointed.

    Women, be subject to your⁼ own husbands as to the lord, because the man is the head of the woman as the Anointed is also the head of the assembly, and he himself is the saviour of the body. But just as the assembly is subject to the Anointed, in the same way the women are also to their own husbands in everything. Men, love your⁼ own wives, just as the Anointed also loves the assembly, and handed himself over for her sake, so that he should make her holy, cleansing her with the bathing of water in the declaration, so that he should bring her to himself, an esteemed assembly, having no spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but so that she may be holy and blameless.

    In the same way, men ought to love their wives as their own bodies — the one who loves his own wife, loves himself. For nobody ever hated his own flesh, but he nurtures and cherishes it, just as the Anointed also does the assembly, because we’re parts of his body, we’re of his flesh and of his bones. “For this reason, a person will leave his father and mother, and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a great secret, but I’m speaking about the Anointed and the assembly. Except you⁼ also, let each and every one of you⁼ love his own wife in the same way as himself. And the wife should fear the husband.

6   Children, obey your⁼ parents in the lord, for this is right. Honour your^- father and mother, which is the first command with a promise, so that it’ll be well with you^-, and you’ll^- be on the earth for a long time. And fathers, don’t provoke your⁼ children to anger, but nurture them in the training and admonition of the lord.

    Slaves, obey those who are masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the oneness^a of your⁼ heart, as to the Anointed. Not with eye service like people pleasers, but as slaves of the Anointed, doing the will of God from the soul, being slaves with good will, as to the lord and not to people, knowing that whatever good each one does, this he’ll receive back from the lord, whether slave or free. And masters, do the same things to them, letting up on threatening, knowing that the master of both you⁼ and them is in the heavens, and there’s no partiality with him.

    And finally my brothers, be empowered in the lord, and in the might of his strength. Put on the armour and weapons of God, in order for you⁼ to have the power to stand up to the wiliness of Diabolos^b. Because for us, wrestling isn’t against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the lords of the world of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavens. Because of this, take up the armour and weapons of God, so that you⁼ may be able to withstand the wicked in the day, and, having produced everything, to stand.

    Stand then, with your⁼ loins girded^c in truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having your⁼ feet strapped with the readiness of the good news of peace. Above all, take up the shield of faith, with which you’ll⁼ be able to extinguish all the burning missiles of the wicked one. And accept the helmet of the salvation^d, and the sword of the spirit, which is the declaration of God. Through all prayer and petition, praying in every season in spirit, and being vigilant in this, in all perseverance and petition concerning all of the holy, and on behalf of me — that a message may be given to me, in the opening of my mouth in boldness, to make known the secret of the good news, for the sake of which I’ve become the representative in chains, so that I should be bold in it, as I’m bound [must] to speak.

    And so that you⁼ also may see about me, how I’m doing — Tychicus, my beloved brother and trustworthy servant in the lord, will make everything known to you⁼. I’ve sent him to you⁼ for this very thing, so that you’ll⁼ perceive about us, and that he should comfort your⁼ hearts. Peace to the brothers, and love, with faith, from God the father and from the lord Yeshua the Anointed. Grace is with all of those who love our lord Yeshua the Anointed in incorruption.

    Amen^f.