3 Blessed be our God and father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us in every spiritual blessing in heaven in Christ, 4 in the way he has chosen us in himself, before he set down the foundation of the world, that we may be holy and blameless before him through love, 5 who predestined that we shall be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ, in himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 that the glory of his grace may be praised, who gave us grace by love 7 through which we have redemption by his blood, the remission of sins according to the riches of his grace, 8 in which he abounded in us to impart in all wisdom and prudence; 9 that the arcane things of his will be made known to us according to his good pleasure, which he has proposed in himself, 10 until the issuance of the fulness of time, that he might gather together all things by Christ, both those things which are in heaven, and those which are upon the land, for each, 11 by whom and in whom we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to his own purpose, who has made all things according to the decree of his will, 12 that we be in the praise of his glory, we who had hoped in Christ, 13 in whom we also hope, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in which also afterward you have believed, you were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, 14 who is the earnestness of our inheritance, until the redemption of the acquired possession, in the praise of his glory.
15 Therefore also, I, when I heard those things which in you are faith in the Lord Jesus and love in all the holy people, 16 have not ceased to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation by his knowledge, 18 the eyes of your mind being illumined, that you may know which are the hopes to which he has called you, and which richness of glory is his inheritance in the holy people, 19 and of what may be the excellent magnitude of his power in us who believe according to the effectiveness of the strength of his power, 20 which was exercised in Christ when he was raised up from the dead and made to sit on his right in the heavenly places, 21 above every principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name which shall be named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. 22 And everything has been placed under his feet; and given him the headship over his entire community, 23 which is his body, the fulness of the one who fills all things in all people.
11 Therefore keep in mind that you were once the nations in flesh, called uncircumcision, from that which is called circumcision in flesh, which circumcision is done with hands; 12 that you were in that time without Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and outside the testament of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. 13 But now by Christ Jesus you, who were once far, are made near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who made the two one, and has broken down the dividing wall between us by his flesh, 15 abolishing the law of commandments in decrees, that of the two he might make in himself a new, single person, thereby making peace; 16 and that both may be reconciled in one body to God by a cross, slaying enmity thereby. 17 And coming, he has evangelized you peace, both those who were afar, and those who were near. 18 For also by him we both have access in one spirit to the father. 19 Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but co-citizens with the holy people, and of the household of God, 20 built upward upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Jesus Christ himself the head stone of the corner, 21 in whom whatever building firmly structured grows into a holy temple, in the Lord, 22 in whom also you are built up together into a home for God by the spirit.
4 One body and one spirit, as also you have been called into one hope of your calling. 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and father of all, who is above all people, and for all things, and in all of us. 7 But to each of us is given grace according to the measure of the giving of Christ.
8 Therefore it is said: “When he ascended on high he took captivity captive, and gave a gift to people.” 9 But that he ascended, what is it, unless he had also first descended to the lowest parts of the earth? 10 The one who descended is the very same who also ascended above all the heavens, that all things may be fulfilled.
11 And the same gave certain others as apostles, but others as prophets, and others as evangelists, and others as shepherds and teachers, 12 to the completion of the holy people in the work of ministering, into the building-up of the body of Christ, 13 until we all come into the unity of faith and knowing of the son of God, into a perfected man, in the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ, 14 that we may no more be little children who are tossed to and fro and blown around with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of people, by cunning deceit, in which they lie in wait to deceive us, 15 but dividing the truth in love, growing in him by all things, who is the head—that is to say, Christ— 16 in whom the whole body well joined and packed together by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectiveness in measure to each and every part, making the body to grow and build itself up by love.
17 This I therefore say, and bear witness by the Lord: Do not walk henceforth as also the rest of the nations walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 which mind they have darkened, distanced from the life of God because of the ignorance which is in them, and the blindness of their hearts, 19 who being past feeling gave themselves up to lustfulness, to work all uncleanness with greed.
20 But you did not thus learn Christ, 21 if it so be that you heard him, and in him you were taught, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to doff according to the former behavior the old person who has been corrupted according to the errors of his lusts, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and don the new person, who is founded according to God, by righteousness and the holiness of truth.
25 Therefore put away lying; speak the truth each to his neighbor, for we are members of each other. 26 Be angry, but do not sin; may the sun not set on your anger, 27 lest you give place to the slanderer; 28 the one who stole must no more steal, but should toil the greater, working with the hands that which is good, that he may impart to the one who has need. 29 No wicked word shall proceed from your mouth; but that which shall be good to the building-up, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the holy spirit of God, by whom you have been sealed in the day of redemption. 31 All bitterness and fury and anger and cursing ought to be borne away from you, along with all malice. 32 And be yourselves kind one to another, merciful, forgiving each other, as also God has forgiven you through Christ.
“Awake, you who sleep;
and rise up from the dead,
and Christ shall shine upon you.”
15 See therefore how circumspectly you walk, not like the unwise, but like the wise; 16 redeeming the time, for the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but discerning what the will of God may be. 18 And do not get drunk on wine, in which is excess, but be filled with the spirit, 19 speaking among yourselves by psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and God the Father.
21 Subject yourselves one to another with the fear of God. 22 Wives, be subjected to your husbands as to the Lord, 23 for the man is the head of the woman, just as Christ is the head of the community, and he is the same one who gives health to the body. 24 Therefore just as the church is subject to Christ, thus also women ought to be subjected to their husbands in all things. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the community, and gave himself over for it, 26 that he might sanctify it, cleansing it with the washing of water by the word, 27 that he might present it to himself a glorious community having not a spot or blemish, or any such thing, but that it may be holy and blameless. 28 In such a way men ought to love their wives, as their very own bodies. The one who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For there is no one who has hatred for his own flesh; rather, he nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the community; 30 for we are members of his body, from his flesh and from his bones. 31 For this reason a man will leave behind his father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and from the two will be made one flesh.
32 This mystery is great, but I am speaking of Christ and of the community. 33 Nevertheless also, each of you ought individually to love his wife like himself; and the wife to revere the husband.
10 Furthermore, my brothers, be strong through the Lord, and through the strength of his power. 11 Don the entire armor of God, so that you can stand against the assault of the devil, 12 for our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the lords of the darkness of this world and age, against spiritual darkness in the heavens. 13 Therefore, take up the entire armor of God, so that you can resist in the evil day, and stand, perfected in all things. 14 Stand therefore, belted around the waist with truth, and having donned the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and feet shod that you may be prepared to the gospel of peace; 16 above all take up the shield of faith, with which you can put out all the flaming darts of evil. 17 And receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit—which is to say the word of God— 18 in all prayer and request, praying at all times in spirit; and watching thereto with all perseverance and prayer for all the holy people, 19 and for me, that word be given me in the opening of my mouth with boldness, that I may make known the mystery of my gospel, 20 on which I am an ambassador in chains, that in it I may be bold, as I must speak; 21 and also, that you may know for yourselves that which pertains to me, and how I am doing. Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all matters. 22 I sent him to you for this reason—that you may know of our matters, and that your hearts may be comforted. 23 The peace of the brothers, and love with faith, from God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 May grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with sincerity. Amen.