A New Translation of Paul’s Letter to the Churches of The

Ephesians

Based on the Westcott and Hort Text of 1881 with references to the Papyrus fragments of the Chester Beatty collections, c. 3^rd Century A.D. and the Sinaitic Manuscript of the 4^th Century.

Some notes on this translation:

Gentiles vs. nations:  Many translations have translated the Greek root ethn- as Gentiles. We have translated it as nations. The reason for the discrepancy is this: The Hebrew word goyim technically means nations, but as used by the Jews for millennia, the word implies non-Jewish nations, hence, Gentiles. In writing the New Testament, the Greek equivalent of goyim was used, but since the writing was done primarily by Jews, they tended to use the word to mean non-Jewish nations.  In reading this translation, readers should keep that in mind, realizing that when Paul said “nations,” he meant “non-Jewish nations.”

Thou vs. You: Many people today have a hard time understanding the Elizabethan usage of thou, thee, thy, etc. For this reason, we have chosen to avoid this archaic language. At the same time, we need to be able to fulfill the purpose of those words, which was to distinguish between a singular you and a plural you. Following the example of other translations, we have used all capital letters to indicate plural (more than one person addressed), and small letters to indicate singular (one person addressed).

Words in italics: Following the example of other translations, we have used italics for words that are not in the original text, but which are essential to the sense of the original when translated into English. Unlike other translations, however, we have NOT added words which alter the meaning of the original.

Words in (parentheses): These are not part of the biblical text, but are notes of explanation from the translator.

Man and Woman vs. Husband and Wife: Greek has no specific words for husband or wife, but uses the words man and woman, as do many other languages. We have translated the words man and woman as such, but in proper context, the readers should understand them to mean husband and wife.

Ephesians 1

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

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

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

4 just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unblemished in his sight in love:

5 having foreordained us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, with which he favored us in the beloved one:

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

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

9 having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself

10 for a dispensation of the fullness of the appointed times, to head up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him,

11 in whom we also were designated, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will;

12 in order that we should be for the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:

13 in whom YOU also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of YOUR salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, YOU were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

14 which is a token of our inheritance, into the redemption of the possession, into the praise of his glory.

15 Therefore I also, having heard of YOUR faith in the Lord Jesus and to all the saints,

16 I do not cease to give thanks for YOU, making mention of YOU in my prayers;

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would give to YOU a spirit of wisdom and revelation in true knowledge of him;

18 having the eyes of YOUR heart enlightened, that YOU may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

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

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

21 far above every government and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come:

22 and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,

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

Ephesians 2

1 And YOU, being dead to YOUR trespasses and sins,

2 in which YOU once walked according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience;

3 in whom we also all once were found in the desires of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:--

4 but God, being rich in mercy, through his great love with which he loved us,

5 and we being dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ --by grace have YOU been saved--,

6 and he raised us up together, and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness to us in Christ Jesus:

8 for by grace have YOU been saved through faith; and this is not from YOURSELVES, it is the gift of God;

9 not from works, so that no one should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before, that we might walk in them.

11 Therefore remember, that once YOU, the nations in flesh, the ones called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision, in the flesh made by hand;

12 that YOU were at that particular time apart from Christ, alienated from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

13 But now in Christ Jesus YOU who were once far off became near in the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who made both one, and loosed the middle wall of the fence,

15 having abolished in his flesh the enmity, the law of commandments in decrees, that he might create in himself from the two, one new man, thereby making peace;

16 and he might fully reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the enmity in himself:

17 and he came and preached the gospel of peace to YOU who were far off, and peace to those who were near:

18 for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

19 So really YOU are no longer strangers and sojourners, but YOU are fellow-citizens with the saints and household of God,

20 having been built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus being its high corner stone;

21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord;

22 in whom YOU also are being built up together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Ephesians 3

1 Because of this, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of YOU of the nations,--

2 if, in fact, YOU have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for YOU;

3 that by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I briefly wrote before,

4 so that, reading, YOU can envision my understanding in the mystery of Christ;

5 which to other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it now was revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

6 to wit, that the nations are co-heirs, and co-members of the body, and co-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,

7 of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of the grace of God which was given to me according to the working of his power.

8 To me, less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the nations the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ;

9 and to bring to light what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages has been hidden away in God who has created all things;

10 in order that now to the governments and the authorities in the heavenly places, the manifold wisdom of God might be made known through the church,

11 according to the eternal purpose which he made in Christ Jesus our Lord:

12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through faith in him.

13 Therefore I am asking that YOU not give up because of my tribulations for you, which are YOUR glory.

14 For this reason I bend my knees to the Father,

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

16 that he might grant YOU, according to the riches of his glory, power to be made mighty through his Spirit in the inward man;

17 that Christ through faith may dwell in YOUR hearts in love; being rooted and grounded in love,

18 that YOU might be strong enough to receive with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that YOU may be filled into all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

21 to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations for ever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 4

1 I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech YOU to walk worthily of the calling with which YOU were called,

2 with all lowliness and mildness, with patience, forbearing one another in love;

3 being quick to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace:

4 One body, and one Spirit, just as YOU also were called in one hope of YOUR calling;

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

7 But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 Therefore he says, Having ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.

9 But the “He ascended,” what is it if not that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He that descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, in order that he might fill all things.

11 And indeed he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 for the training of the saints into work of service, into the building up of the body of Christ:

13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the true knowledge of the Son of God, into a perfect man, into the measure of growth of the fullness of Christ:

14 that we may no longer be children, being tossed about by waves and carried around to every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men working to the way of error, (The Greek word translated here as trickery actually means a cube of dice, as used in gambling, but here, indicative of fraud, as a con game.)

15 but maintaining truth in love, we should grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ;

16 from whom all the body, being joined together and made to go together, through every joint supplies according to the working in measure of each part, makes for itself  the growth of the body into the building up of itself in love.

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that YOU no longer walk as the nations also walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18 being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;

19 who having ceased to feel, gave themselves over to loose behavior, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But YOU did not learn Christ like that;

21 if, in fact, YOU heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus:

22 that YOU put off of YOURSELVES, according to former behavior, the old man, the one being corrupted according to the desires of deception;

23 in order to be renewed in the spirit of YOUR mind,

24 and put onto YOURSELF the new man, who has been created in accordance with God in righteousness and loyalty to the truth.

25 Therefore, having put off falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

26 Be angry, but do not sin: do not let the sun go down upon YOUR wrath:

27 neither give place to the devil.

28 Let the one who steals steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to the one who has need.

29 Let no rotten word proceed out of YOUR mouth, but any that is good for building up as needed, that it might give something of favor to them that hear.

30 And do not be grieving the Holy Spirit of God, in whom YOU were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and anger, and wrath, and screaming, and blasphemy, be lifted up from you, together with all malice:

32 but be kind one to another, compassionate, forgiving each other, even as God in Christ also forgave YOU. (The Greek implies forgiving ourselves, as well as each other. It literally states “forgiving to selves,” which includes ourselves and other’s selves.)

Ephesians 5

1 Therefore, become imitators of God, as beloved children;

2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved YOU, and gave himself up for YOU, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.

3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or greediness, let it not be named among YOU, as is befitting to saints;

4 nor disgracefulness, nor foolish talking, or obscene jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks.

5 For this YOU discern, knowing that any fornicator, nor unclean person, nor greedy person -- who is an idolater --, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

6 Let no man seduce YOU with empty words: for through these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.

7 Therefore do not become partakers with them;

8 For YOU were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light

9 for the fruit of the light is all goodness and righteousness and truth,

10 proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord;

11 and do not fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them;

12 for the things which are done by them in secret it is disgraceful even to be saying.

13 But all things being reproved by the light are made manifest, for everything that is made manifest is light.

14 Therefore he is saying, Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you.

15 Look carefully, therefore, how YOU walk, not as unwise, but as wise;

16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Therefore do not be senseless, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

18 And do not be getting drunk with wine, which doesn’t save (literally, “in which is an unsaving course”), but be filled with the Spirit;

19 speaking one to another (and to self – see note in Eph. 4:32) in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with YOUR heart to the Lord;

20 giving thanks always for all things to our God and Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.

22 Women to their own men, as to the Lord.

23 because the man is head of the woman, as Christ also is head of the church, he is savior of the body.

24 But as the church subjects itself to Christ, so also the women to the men in everything.

25 Men, love the women, just as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it;

26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the bath of the water in a spoken word,

27 that he might present the church to himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it may be holy and unblemished.

28 So also ought the men to love their own women as their own bodies. He that loves his woman loves himself:

29 for no one ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also the church;

30 because we are members of his body.

31 Instead of this a man will leave his father and mother, and shall stick closely to his woman; and the two will be one flesh.

32 This mystery is great: but I am speaking in regard to Christ and the church.

33 Nevertheless each one of YOU let him love his woman as himself; and the woman, that she fear the man.

Ephesians 6

1 Children, obey YOUR parents in the Lord: for this is righteous.

2 Honor your father and mother -- which is the first commandment with a promise:

3 that it may be well with you, and you be a long time on the earth.

4 And, YOU fathers, do not provoke YOUR children to wrath: but nurture them in the discipline and remembrance (“keeping in mind”) of the Lord.

5 Slaves, obey them that according to the flesh are masters, with fear and trembling, in simplicity of YOUR heart, as to Christ;

6 not in the way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the soul;

7 Serving with well-mindedness, as to the Lord, and not to men:

8 knowing that whatever good thing each might do, this shall he receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.

9 And, YOU masters, do the same things to them, and letting up the threatening: knowing that their Master and YOURS is in the heavens, and there is no respect of persons with him.

10 Finally, be empowered in the Lord, and in the mightiness of his strength.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that YOU will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual things of wickedness in the heavenly (places).

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that YOU might be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all things, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded YOUR loins with truth, and having put on to YOURSELVES the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet in readiness of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, having taken up the shield of faith, with which YOU will be able to extinguish all the fiery missiles of the evil one.

17 And accept the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the spoken word of God:

18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and staying awake throughout in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

19 And for me, that a word might be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,

20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it, I may speak boldly, as it is binding me to speak.

21 But that YOU also might discern my affairs, what I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make all things known to YOU:

22 whom I have sent to YOU for this very purpose, that YOU might know about things concerning us, and that he might comfort YOUR hearts.

23 Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruptness.