Study Desk

Brothers and sisters, if someone in your group does something wrong, you who are spiritual should go to that person and gently help make him right again. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin, too.

From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am an apostle because that is what God wanted. To God's holy people living in Ephesus, believers in Christ Jesus:

Because of his love, God had already decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. That was what he wanted and what pleased him,

and it brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely, in Christ, the One he loves.

In Christ we were chosen to be God's people, because from the very beginning God had decided this in keeping with his plan. And he is the One who makes everything agree with what he decides and wants.

In the past you were spiritually dead because of your sins and the things you did against God.

In the past all of us lived like them, trying to please our sinful selves and doing all the things our bodies and minds wanted. We should have suffered God's anger because we were sinful by nature. We were the same as all other people.

Though we were spiritually dead because of the things we did against God, he gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God's grace.

So I ask you not to become discouraged because of the sufferings I am having for you. My sufferings are for your glory.

I am in prison because I belong to the Lord. Therefore I urge you who have been chosen by God to live up to the life to which God called you.

They do not understand, and they know nothing, because they refuse to listen. So they cannot have the life that God gives.

You were taught to leave your old self—to stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do.

So you must stop telling lies. Tell each other the truth, because we all belong to each other in the same body.

Do not let anyone fool you by telling you things that are not true, because these things will bring God's anger on those who do not obey him.

Use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times.

because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. And he is the Savior of the body, which is the church.

because we are parts of his body.

Children, obey your parents as the Lord wants, because this is the right thing to do.

And I know that I am right to think like this about all of you, because I have you in my heart. All of you share in God's grace with me while I am in prison and while I am defending and proving the truth of the Good News.

God knows that I want to see you very much, because I love all of you with the love of Christ Jesus.