American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church;
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:
and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.
where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me {Or, in power}mightily.
whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me {Or, in power}mightily.
For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the {Or, fulness}full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, {The ancient authorities vary much in the text of this passage.}even Christ,
preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a {Greek: bondservant.}servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the {Or, fulness}full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, {The ancient authorities vary much in the text of this passage.}even Christ,
in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.
because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the {Greek: good tidings: and so elsewhere; see marginal note on Matthew 4:23.}gospel,
which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth;
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
to walk worthily of the Lord {Or, unto all pleasing, in every good work, bearing fruit and increasing &c.}unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing {Or, by}in the knowledge of God;
{Greek: made powerful.}strengthened {Or, in}with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all {Or, stedfastness}patience and longsuffering with joy;
giving thanks unto the Father, who made {Some ancient authorities read you.}us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;
{Or, See whether}Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the {Or, elements See Galatians 4:3 margin}rudiments of the world, and not after Christ:
for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,
and in him ye are made full, who is the head of all principality and power:
in whom ye were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circumcision of Christ;
having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses;
having blotted out {Or, the bond that was against us by its ordinances}the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;
{Or, having put off from himself the principalities &c.}having despoiled the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day:
which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ's.
Let no man rob you of your prize {Or, of his own mere will, by humility &c.}by a voluntary humility and {The Greek word denotes an act of reverence, whether paid to a creature, or to the Creator.}worshipping of the angels, {Or, taking his stand upon}dwelling in the things which he hath {Many authorities, some ancient, insert not.}seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.
If ye died with Christ from the {Or, elements See Galatians 4:3 margin}rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances,
Handle not, nor taste, nor touch
(all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men?
Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity to the body; but are not of any {Or, honor}value against the indulgence of the flesh.
As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
rooted and builded up in him, and established {Or, by}in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding {Some ancient authorities insert in it.}in thanksgiving.
As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
rooted and builded up in him, and established {Or, by}in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding {Some ancient authorities insert in it.}in thanksgiving.
and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increaseth with the increase of God.
As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the beginning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, and in the Father.
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden {Greek: lampstands.}candlesticks:
Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, {Or, holding a straight course in the word of truth Or, rightly dividing the word of truth}handling aright the word of truth.
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it;
Forasmuch as ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly precious things,
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able;
Of {Or, which}whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing.
For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again {Or, that one teach you which are the rudiments}that some one teach you the rudiments of the {Greek: beginning.}first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.
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:
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not irksome, but for you it is safe.
Wherefore I shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth which is with you.
And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
But if I do them, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.
Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my {Or, departure}decease to call these things to remembrance.
And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity.
And the Lord's {Greek: bondservant.}servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing,
in all things showing thyself an ensample of good works; in thy doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity,
sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us.
Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; {Or, interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men}combining spiritual things with spiritual words.