Study Desk

For this reason I too, ^(C1)having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and ^(F1)your love for ^(C2)all the ^(F2)saints,

^(C1)do not cease giving thanks for you, ^(C2)while making mention of you in my prayers;

that the ^(C1)God of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(C2)the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of ^(C3)wisdom and of ^(C4)revelation in the ^(F1)knowledge of Him.

I pray that ^(C1)the eyes of your heart ^(F1)may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the ^(C2)hope of His ^(C3)calling, what are ^(C4)the riches of the glory of ^(C5)His inheritance in ^(C6)the ^(F2)saints,

and what is the ^(F1)boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. ^(C1)These are in accordance with the working of the ^(C2)strength of His might

which He brought about in Christ, when He ^(C1)raised Him from the dead and ^(C2)seated Him at His right hand in ^(C3)the heavenly places,

far above ^(C1)all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every ^(C2)name that is named, not only in ^(C3)this age but also in the one to come.

And He ^(C1)put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him ^(C2)head over all things to the church,

which is His ^(C1)body, the ^(C2)fullness of Him who ^(C3)fills ^(C4)all in all.

And ^(F1)you ^(F2)were ^(C1)dead ^(F3)in your offenses and sins,

in which you ^(C1)previously walked according to the ^(F1)course of ^(C2)this world, according to ^(C3)the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in ^(C4)the ^(F2)sons of disobedience.

Among them ^(F1)we too all ^(C1)previously lived in ^(C2)the lusts of our flesh, ^(F2)indulging the desires of the flesh and of the ^(F3)mind, and were ^(C3)by nature ^(C4)children of wrath, ^(C5)just as the rest.

But God, being ^(C1)rich in mercy, because of ^(C2)His great love with which He loved us,

even when we were ^(C1)dead ^(F1)in our wrongdoings, made us alive together ^(F2)with Christ (^(C2)by grace you have been saved),

and ^(C1)raised us up with Him, and ^(C2)seated us with Him in ^(C3)the heavenly places in ^(C4)Christ Jesus,

so that in the ages to come He might show the ^(F1)boundless ^(C1)riches of His grace in ^(C2)kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

For ^(C1)by grace you have been saved ^(C2)through faith; and ^(F1)this is not of yourselves, it is ^(C3)the gift of God;

^(C1)not a result of works, so that ^(C2)no one may boast.

For we are His workmanship, ^(C1)created in ^(C2)Christ Jesus for ^(C3)good works, which God ^(C4)prepared beforehand so that we would ^(C5)walk in them.

Therefore remember that ^(C1)previously ^(C2)you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "^(C3)Uncircumcision" by the so-called "^(C3)Circumcision" which is performed in the flesh by human hands—

remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, ^(F1)(C1)excluded from ^(F2)the people of Israel, and strangers to ^(C2)the covenants of the promise, having ^(C3)no hope and ^(C4)without God in the world.

But now in ^(C1)Christ Jesus you who ^(C2)previously were ^(C3)far away ^(F1)have ^(C3)been brought near ^(F2)(C4)by the blood of Christ.

For He Himself is ^(C1)our peace, ^(C2)who made both groups into one and broke down the ^(F1)barrier of the dividing wall,

^(F1)by ^(C1)abolishing ^(F2)in His flesh the hostility, which is ^(C2)the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might ^(F3)(C3)make the two ^(C4)one new person, in this way establishing ^(C5)peace;

and that He might ^(C1)reconcile them both in ^(C2)one body to God through the cross, ^(F1)by it having ^(C3)put to death the hostility.

And ^(C1)He came and preached ^(C2)peace to you who were ^(C3)far away, and peace to those who were ^(C3)near;

for through Him we both have ^(C1)our access in ^(C2)one Spirit to ^(C3)the Father.

So then you are no longer ^(C1)strangers and foreigners, but you are ^(C2)fellow citizens with the ^(F1)saints, and are of ^(C3)God's household,

having been ^(C1)built on ^(C2)the foundation of ^(C3)the apostles and prophets, ^(C4)Christ Jesus Himself being the ^(C5)cornerstone,

^(C1)in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into ^(C2)a holy ^(F1)temple in the Lord,

in whom you also are being ^(C1)built together into a ^(C2)dwelling of God in the Spirit.

For this reason I, Paul, ^(C1)the prisoner of ^(C2)Christ Jesus ^(C3)for the sake of you ^(C4)Gentiles—

if indeed you have heard of the ^(C1)administration of God's grace which was given to me for you;

^(C1)that ^(C2)by revelation there was ^(C3)made known to me ^(C4)the mystery, ^(C5)as I wrote before briefly.

^(F1)By referring to this, when you read you can understand ^(C1)my insight ^(F2)into the ^(C2)mystery of Christ,

which in other generations was not made known to ^(F1)mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy ^(C1)apostles and prophets ^(F2)in the Spirit;

to be specific, that the Gentiles are ^(C1)fellow heirs and ^(C2)fellow members of the body, and ^(C3)fellow partakers of the promise in ^(C4)Christ Jesus through the gospel,

^(C1)of which I was made a ^(C2)minister, according to the gift of ^(C3)God's grace which was given to me ^(C4)according to the working of His power.

To me, ^(C1)the very least of all ^(F1)saints, this grace was given, to ^(C2)preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable ^(C3)riches of Christ,

and to ^(F1)enlighten all people as to what the plan of the ^(C1)mystery is which for ages has been ^(C2)hidden in God, ^(C3)who created all things;

so that the multifaceted ^(C1)wisdom of God might now be ^(C2)made known through the church to the ^(C3)rulers and the authorities in ^(C4)the heavenly places.

This was in ^(C1)accordance with the ^(F1)eternal purpose which He ^(F2)carried out in ^(C2)Christ Jesus our Lord,

in whom we have boldness and ^(F1)(C1)confident ^(C2)access through faith ^(F2)in Him.

Therefore I ask ^(F1)you not ^(C1)to become discouraged about my tribulations ^(C2)in your behalf, ^(F2)since they are your glory.

For this reason I ^(C1)bend my knees before the Father,

from whom ^(F1)every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,

that He would grant you, according to ^(C1)the riches of His glory, to be ^(C2)strengthened with power through His Spirit in ^(C3)the inner ^(F1)self,

so that ^(C1)Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being ^(C2)rooted and ^(C3)grounded in love,

may be able to comprehend with ^(C1)all the ^(F1)saints what is ^(C2)the width and length and height and depth,

and to know ^(C1)the love of Christ which ^(C2)surpasses knowledge, that you may be ^(C3)filled to all the ^(C4)fullness of God.

^(C1)Now to Him who is ^(C2)able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, ^(C3)according to the power that works within us,

^(C1)to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations ^(F1)forever and ever. Amen.

Therefore I, ^(C1)the prisoner of the Lord, ^(C2)urge you to ^(C3)walk in a manner worthy of the ^(C4)calling with which you have been ^(C5)called,

with all ^(C1)humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another ^(C2)in love,

being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the ^(C1)bond of peace.

There is ^(C1)one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one ^(C2)hope of your calling;

^(C1)one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God and Father of all ^(C1)who is over all and through all and in all.

But ^(C1)to each one of us ^(C2)grace was given ^(C3)according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Therefore ^(F1)it says, "^(C1)WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE ^(C2)LED CAPTIVE THE CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO PEOPLE."

(Now this expression, "He ^(C1)ascended," what ^(F1)does it mean except that He also ^(F2)had descended into ^(C2)the lower parts of the earth?

He who descended is Himself also He who ascended ^(C1)far above all the heavens, so that He might ^(C2)fill all things.)

And He ^(C1)gave ^(C2)some as apostles, some as prophets, some as ^(C3)evangelists, some as ^(F1)pastors and ^(C4)teachers,

^(C1)for the equipping of the ^(F1)saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of ^(C2)the body of Christ;

until we all attain to ^(C1)the unity of the faith, and of the ^(F1)(C2)knowledge of the Son of God, to a ^(C3)mature man, to the measure of the stature ^(F2)which belongs to the ^(C4)fullness of Christ.

^(F1)As a result, we are ^(C1)no longer to be children, ^(C2)tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by ^(C3)craftiness ^(F2)in ^(C4)deceitful scheming;

but ^(F1)speaking the truth ^(C1)in love, ^(F2)we are to ^(C2)grow up in all aspects into Him who is the ^(C3)head, that is, Christ,

from whom ^(C1)the whole body, being fitted and held together ^(F1)by what every joint supplies, according to the ^(F2)proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself ^(C2)in love.

^(C1)So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, ^(C2)that you are to no longer walk just as the ^(F1)Gentiles also walk, in the ^(C3)futility of their minds,

being ^(C1)darkened in their understanding, ^(F1)(C2)excluded from the life of God because of the ^(C3)ignorance that is in them, because of the ^(C4)hardness of their heart;

and they, having ^(C1)become callous, ^(C2)have given themselves up to ^(C3)indecent behavior ^(F1)for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

But you did not ^(C1)learn Christ in this way,

if indeed you ^(C1)have heard Him and have ^(C2)been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,

that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to ^(C1)rid yourselves of the ^(C2)old ^(F1)self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the ^(C3)lusts of deceit,

and that you are to be ^(C1)renewed in the spirit of your minds,

and to ^(C1)put on the ^(C2)new ^(F1)self, which ^(F2)(C3)in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Therefore, ^(C1)ridding yourselves of falsehood, ^(C2)SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE OF YOU WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, because we are ^(C3)parts of one another.

^(C1)BE ANGRY, AND YET DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

and do not ^(C1)give the devil ^(F1)an opportunity.

The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather ^(C1)he must labor, ^(C2)producing with his own hands what is good, ^(C3)so that he will have something to share with the one who has need.

Let no ^(F1)(C1)unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for ^(C2)edification ^(F2)according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

^(C1)Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, ^(F1)by whom you were ^(C2)sealed for the day of redemption.

^(C1)All bitterness, wrath, anger, ^(F1)clamor, and slander must be ^(C2)removed from you, along with all ^(C3)malice.

^(C1)Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, ^(C2)just as God in Christ also has forgiven ^(F1)you.

^(C1)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

and ^(C1)walk in love, just as Christ also ^(C2)loved ^(F1)you and ^(C3)gave Himself up for us, an ^(C4)offering and a sacrifice to God ^(F2)as a ^(C5)fragrant aroma.

But ^(C1)sexual immorality ^(F1)or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among ^(F2)saints;

and there must be no ^(C1)filthiness ^(F1)or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which ^(C2)are not fitting, but rather ^(C3)giving of thanks.

For this you know with certainty, that ^(C1)no sexually immoral or ^(F1)impure or greedy person, which ^(F2)amounts to an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom ^(C2)of Christ and God.

^(C1)See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things ^(C2)the wrath of God comes upon ^(C3)the ^(F1)sons of disobedience.

Therefore do not become ^(C1)partners with them;

for ^(C1)you were once ^(C2)darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as ^(C3)children of light

(for ^(C1)the fruit of the light consists in all ^(C2)goodness, righteousness, and truth),

^(F1)(C1)as you try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

^(C1)Do not participate in the useless ^(C2)deeds of ^(C3)darkness, but instead even ^(C4)expose them;

for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

But all things become visible ^(C1)when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

For this reason ^(F1)it says, "^(C1)Awake, sleeper, And arise from ^(C2)the dead, And Christ ^(C3)will shine on you."