Read the Bible

¹ Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the divine appointment to the converts which are at Ephesus, who stand firm in the faith of Christ Jesus: ² grace be to you, and peace from God our father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in Christ's kingdom. ⁴ according as he had chosen us in himself before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, free from vice, and devoted to virtue. ⁵ having predetermin'd to adopt us by Jesus Christ to be his children, according to the good pleasure of his own will, ⁶ to display the glory of his grace, which has render'd us acceptable by his beloved son: ⁷ who has by his blood obtained for us the redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸ out of the over-flowing treasures of his comprehensive wisdom and contrivance. ⁹ for he has discover'd to us the secret of his will, that out of his meer good pleasure, he had purposed in himself, ¹⁰ when the full time of the dispensation was come, to reduce all things both in heaven and on earth, under one head in Christ. ¹¹ It is by him, that we have a share in the inheritance, which was before allotted to us, in consequence of his design, who executes the whole plan, as he himself had contriv'd it: ¹² that we should celebrate his glory, who were the first that plac'd our hopes in Christ. ¹³ by whom you also have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: and having believed in him, ye were mark'd with the seal of the holy spirit, which was promised: ¹⁴ and this is the pledge of our inheritance, being given for the deliverance of his peculiar people, to the display of his glory.

¹⁵ Wherefore having heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and of your love to all christians, ¹⁶ I continually give thanks upon your account, making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, whereby ye may know him: ¹⁸ an enlightned understanding, that ye may see what great expectations he has called you to, and what abundant glory it is to the saints to be the lot of his inheritance. ¹⁹ and how exceedingly great that power is, which he has employ'd upon us who believe, a power corresponding to that energy of his mighty strength; ²⁰ which he exerted in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at the head of his heavenly kingdom, ²¹ far above all the principalities, all the powers, all the potentates, all the dominations, and whatever order can be named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come: ²² for he has subjected all things to him, and constituted him supreme head of the church, ²³ which is his body, a work compleatly finished in all its parts.