Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints that are {Some very ancient authorities omit at Ephesus.}at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be {Or, God and the Father See Romans 15:6 margin}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 {Or, him: having in love foreordained us}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, {Or, wherewith he endued us}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,
{Or, wherewith he abounded}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 {Greek: seasons.}times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things {Greek: upon.}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 {Or, have}had before hoped in Christ:
in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the {Or, good tidings. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}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 {Or, in}among you, and {Many ancient authorities omit the love.}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 {Greek: age.}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.
Querverweise zu Epheser 1,9 Eph 1,9
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;
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;
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,
according to the {Or, purpose of the ages}eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
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 generations 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 {Or, good tidings. See marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}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 {Greek: bring good tidings of the &c. Compare chapter 2:17.}preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
and to {Some ancient authorities read bring to light what is.}make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;
But {Or, he is one}he is in one mind, and who can turn him?And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
For he performeth that which is appointed for me:And many such things are with him.
{Some ancient authorities omit verse 25-27. Compare the end of chapter 14.}Now to him that is able to establish you according to my {See marginal note on chapter 1:1}gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal,
but now is manifested, and {Greek: through.}by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the {Or, Gentiles}nations unto obedience {Or, to the faith}of faith:
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, {Some ancient authorities omit to whom.}to whom be the glory {Greek: unto the ages.}for ever. Amen.
The counsel of Jehovah standeth fast for ever,The thoughts of his heart to all generations.
{Some ancient authorities read For.}But unto us God revealed {Or, it}them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God.
But we received, not the spirit of the {See verse 6.}world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God.
Jehovah of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulder.
This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.
For Jehovah of hosts hath purposed, and who shall annul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
For neither did I receive it from {Or, a man}man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.
declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure;
to reveal his Son in me, that I might {See marginal note on Matthew 11:5.}preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood:
calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of {Another reading is, his.}my counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it.
even the mystery which hath been hid for {Or, from all the ages &c. Greek: from the ages and from the generations.}ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested to his saints,
to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;
Wherefore will ye contend with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith Jehovah.
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; {The word God, in place of He who, rests on no sufficient ancient evidence. Some ancient authorities read which.}He who was manifested in the flesh,Justified in the spirit,Seen of angels,Preached among the {Or, Gentiles}nations,Believed on in the world,Received up in glory.
Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?
him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of {Or, men without the law See Romans 2:12.}lawless men did crucify and slay:
to do whatsoever thy hand and thy council foreordained to come to pass.
And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of {Many ancient authorities read the Lord.}God: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
And we know that to them that love God {Some ancient authorities read God worketh all things with them for good.}all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.
who saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus {Or, long ages ago}before times eternal,