One Year Bible New Testament Sampler, Lakeside Haven - Flipbook - Page 29
SEPTEMBER
22
|
EPHESIAN S 1:1-23
This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.
I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.
2
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
3
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4Even before he made the
world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5God decided
in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This
is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6So we praise God for the glorious grace
he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7He is so rich in kindness and grace that he
purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8He has showered his
kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
9
God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own
good plan. 10And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the
authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11Furthermore, because we are united
with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he
makes everything work out according to his plan.
12
God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and
glory to God. 13And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves
you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit,
whom he promised long ago. 14The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance
he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise
and glorify him.
15
Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people
everywhere, 16I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17asking God,
the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you
might grow in your knowledge of God. 18I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that
you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who
are his rich and glorious inheritance.
19
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who
believe him. This is the same mighty power 20that raised Christ from the dead and seated him
in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21Now he is far above any ruler
or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world
to come. 22God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all
things for the benefit of the church. 23And the church is his body; it is made full and complete
by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.
285
