Bible (American Standard)/Ephesians

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians
==Chapter 1==
 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of
God, to the saints that are at Ephesus, and the faithful in
Christ Jesus: 
 Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Blessed [be] the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ: 
 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love:
 having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus
Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
 to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely
bestowed on us in the Beloved: 
 in whom we have our
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of his grace, 
 which he made to
abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 
 making known
unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure
which he purposed in him 
 unto a dispensation of the
fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things
in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, [I say,]
 in whom also we were made a heritage, having been
foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all
things after the counsel of his will; 
 to the end that we
should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped
in Christ: 
 in whom ye also, having heard the word of the
truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also
believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 
 which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of
[God's] own possession, unto the praise of his glory. 
 For
this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus
which is among you, and the love which [ye show] toward all the
saints, 
 cease not to give thanks for you, making mention
[of you] in my prayers; 
 that the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of
wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; 
 having the
eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the
hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his
inheritance in the saints, 
 and what the exceeding
greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that
working of the strength of his might 
 which he wrought in
Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at
his right hand in the heavenly [places], 
 far above all
rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is
to come: 
 and he put all things in subjection under his
feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,
 which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in
all.
==Chapter 2==
 And you [did he make alive,] when ye were dead through
your trespasses and sins, 
 wherein ye once walked according
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of
disobedience; 
 among whom we also all once lived in the
lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the
mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:--
 but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith
he loved us, 
 even when we were dead through our
trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye
been saved), 
 and raised us up with him, and made us to sit
with him in the heavenly [places], in Christ Jesus: 
 that
in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his
grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus: 
 for by grace
have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves,
[it is] the gift of God; 
 not of works, that no man should
glory. 
 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should
walk in them. 
 Wherefore remember, that once ye, the
Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that
which is called Circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands;
 that ye were at that time separate from Christ, alienated
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the
covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the
world. 
 But now in Christ Jesus ye that once were far off
are made nigh in the blood of Christ. 
 For he is our
peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of
partition, 
 having abolished in the flesh the enmity,
[even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; that
he might create in himself of the two one new man, [so] making
peace; 
 and might reconcile them both in one body unto God
through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 
 and
he came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace
to them that were nigh: 
 for through him we both have our
access in one Spirit unto the Father. 
 So then ye are no
more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with
the saints, and of the household of God, 
 being built upon
the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus
himself being the chief corner stone; 
 in whom each
several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy
temple in the Lord; 
 in whom ye also are builded together
for a habitation of God in the Spirit.
==Chapter 3==
 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in
behalf of you Gentiles,-- 
 if so be that ye have heard of
the dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to
you-ward; 
 how that by revelation was made known unto me
the mystery, as I wrote before in few words, 
 whereby, when
ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of
Christ; 
 which in other generation was not made known unto
the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy
apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 
 [to wit], that the
Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and
fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the
gospel, 
 whereof I was made a minister, according to the
gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the
working of his power. 
 Unto me, who am less than the least
of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles
the unsearchable riches of Christ; 
 and to make all men see
what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been
hid in God who created all things; 
 to the intent that now
unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly [places]
might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of
God, 
 according to the eternal purpose which he purposed
in Christ Jesus our Lord: 
 in whom we have boldness and
access in confidence through our faith in him. 
 Wherefore
I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which
are your glory. 
 For this cause I bow my knees unto the
Father, 
 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is
named, 
 that he would grant you, according to the riches
of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his
Spirit in the inward man; 
 that Christ may dwell in your
hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and
grounded in love, 
 may be strong to apprehend with all the
saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge,
that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. 
 Now
unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that
we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
 unto him [be] the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
==Chapter 4==
 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to
walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, 
 with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing
one another in love; 
 giving diligence to keep the unity of
the Spirit in the bond of peace. 
 [There is] one body, and
one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your
calling; 
 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 
 one God
and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.
 But unto each one of us was the grace given according to
the measure of the gift of Christ. 
 Wherefore he saith,
When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave
gifts unto men. 
 (Now this, He ascended, what is it but
that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 
 He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all
the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 
 And he gave
some [to be] apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 
 for the
perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the
building up of the body of Christ: 
 till we all attain
unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of
the fulness of Christ: 
 that we may be no longer children,
tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
 but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things
into him, who is the head, [even] Christ; 
 from whom all
the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every
joint supplieth, according to the working in [due] measure of
each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the
building up of itself in love. 
 This I say therefore, and
testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also
walk, in the vanity of their mind, 
 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; 
 who being past feeling gave themselves up to
lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 
 But ye did not so learn Christ; 
 if so be that ye heard
him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 
 that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the
old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 
 and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 
 and
put on the new man, that after God hath been created in
righteousness and holiness of truth. 
 Wherefore, putting
away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for
we are members one of another. 
 Be ye angry, and sin not:
let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 
 neither give
place to the devil. 
 Let him that stole steal no more: but
rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is
good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.
 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such
as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give
grace to them that hear. 
 And grieve not the Holy Spirit
of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.
 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and
railing, be put away from you, with all malice: 
 and be ye
kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even
as God also in Christ forgave you.
==Chapter 5==
 Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;
 and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave
himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an
odor of a sweet smell. 
 But fornication, and all
uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among
you, as becometh saints; 
 nor filthiness, nor foolish
talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving
of thanks. 
 For this ye know of a surety, that no
fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an
idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
 Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of
these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of
disobedience. 
 Be not ye therefore partakers with them;
 For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord:
walk as children of light 
 (for the fruit of the light is
in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 
 proving
what is well-pleasing unto the Lord; 
 and have no
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
even reprove them; 
 for the things which are done by them
in secret it is a shame even to speak of. 
 But all things
when they are reproved are made manifest by the light: for
everything that is made manifest is light. 
 Wherefore [he]
saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and
Christ shall shine upon thee. 
 Look therefore carefully
how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; 
 redeeming the
time, because the days are evil. 
 Wherefore be ye not
foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 
 And
be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be filled with
the Spirit; 
 speaking one to another in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart
to the Lord; 
 giving thanks always for all things in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 
 subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.
 Wives, [be in subjection] unto your own husbands, as unto
the Lord. 
 For the husband is the head of the wife, and
Christ also is the head of the church, [being] himself the
saviour of the body. 
 But as the church is subject to
Christ, so [let] the wives also [be] to their husbands in
everything. 
 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ
also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; 
 that
he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water
with the word, 
 that he might present the church to
himself a glorious [church], not having spot or wrinkle or any
such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
 Even so, ought husbands also to love their own wives as
their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself:
 for no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and
cherisheth it, even as Christ also the church; 
 because we
are members of his body. 
 For this cause shall a man leave
his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two
shall become one flesh. 
 This mystery is great: but I
speak in regard of Christ and of the church. 
 Nevertheless,
do ye also severally love each one his own wife even as himself;
and [let] the wife [see] that she fear her husband.
==Chapter 6==
 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is
right. 
 Honor thy father and mother (which is the first
commandment with promise), 
 that it may be well with thee,
and thou mayest live long on the earth. 
 And, ye fathers,
provoke not your children to wrath: but nurture them in the
chastening and admonition of the Lord. 
 Servants, be
obedient unto them that according to the flesh are your masters,
with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto
Christ; 
 not in the way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers; but
as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
 with good will doing service, as unto the Lord, and not
unto men: 
 knowing that whatsoever good thing each one
doeth, the same shall he receive again from the Lord, whether
[he be] bond or free. 
 And, ye masters, do the same things
unto them, and forbear threatening: knowing that he who is both
their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no respect of
persons with him. 
 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in
the strength of his might. 
 Put on the whole armor of God,
that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but
against the principalities, against the powers, against the
world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of
wickedness in the heavenly [places]. 
 Wherefore take up
the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the
evil day, and, having done all, to stand. 
 Stand
therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put
on the breastplate of righteousness, 
 and having shod your
feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 
 withal
taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one]. 
 And take
the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God: 
 with all prayer and supplication praying
at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all
perseverance and supplication for all the saints, 
 And on
my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my
mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may
speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 
 But that ye also may
know my affairs, how I do, Tychicus, the beloved brother and
faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all
things: 
 whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose,
that ye may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts.
 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God
the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 Grace be with all
them that love our Lord Jesus Christ with [a love] incorruptible.