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Pauline Letters · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Ephesians 1

God unites all things in Christ and forms one new, holy, love-shaped people.

New Testament

Ephesians 1

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,

5having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire,

6to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved.

7In him we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

8which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

9making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him

10to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him.

11We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will,

12to the end that we should be to the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ.

13In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

14who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.

15For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you and the love which you have toward all the saints,

16don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers,

17that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,

18having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might

20which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,

21far above all rule, 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 assembly,

23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

God unites all things in Christ and forms one new, holy, love-shaped people. Read Ephesians 1 within the complete Ephesians overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1 contains 23 verses and about 511 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 23 closes: “which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include christ, having, things, according, glory, will. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Ephesians 1

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Ephesians 1:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer