EphesiansChapter 1

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Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

For he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love.

He destined us beforehand for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, bringing us to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

to the praise of his glorious grace, which he lavished on us in the Beloved.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

which he poured out on us in all wisdom and understanding.

He has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he set forth in Christ:

a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things together under one head, Christ — all things in heaven and all things on earth, in him.

In him we also were given our inheritance, having been destined beforehand according to the purpose of the one who works all things out according to the counsel of his will,

so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be for the praise of his glory.

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and came to faith, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

who is the down payment of our inheritance until we take full possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

For this reason, ever since I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,

and that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,

and how surpassingly great is his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his mighty strength.

He exercised that power in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

far above every ruler and authority, every power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.

And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all things in every way.

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Summary3

Chapter 1

Main Theme: Paul praises God for His eternal plan of salvation in Christ and prays that the church may receive spiritual insight.

Content: Paul greets the church in Ephesus and praises God for every spiritual blessing in Christ. He explains how, before the foundation of the world, God chose and predestined us to be adopted as His children, and how we have redemption and forgiveness of sins through Christ's blood. God's plan is to bring everything together in heaven and on earth into one unity in Christ. Believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of their inheritance. Paul prays that the church may receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know God's power—the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand, far above all rule and authority, for the sake of the church, which is His body.

Key Words/Images:

Chosen (ἐξελέξατο): God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless.
Redemption (ἀπολύτρωσις): Liberation and forgiveness of sins obtained through Christ's blood.
Seal of the Spirit (ἐσφραγίσθητε): The Holy Spirit as a guarantee and down payment on the coming inheritance.
Head and Body (κεφαλή/σῶμα): Christ is the head over all things for the church, which is His body and fullness.

About Ephesians

Ephesians

About the book: The letter to the Ephesians was written by the apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus, likely while he was in prison. The letter explores God’s eternal plan of salvation in Christ and how this creates unity between Jews and Gentiles in one church. It combines deep theology with practical guidance for Christian living.

Main theme: God’s plan to unite all things in Christ, and how believers are to live as one body in love and holiness.

Outline:

Introduction and God’s plan of salvation (Chapter 1)
From death to life – unity in Christ (Chapter 2)
Paul’s ministry and the mystery of Gentile inclusion (Chapter 3)
Unity, spiritual gifts, and growth in the body of Christ (Chapter 4)
Living in the light – a new life in love (5:1–21)
Family relationships, work, and spiritual armor (5:22–6:24)

Key themes:

Election and grace: God chose believers before the foundation of the world, and salvation is entirely by grace through faith (1:4–5; 2:8–9).
Unity in Christ: Christ has broken down the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles and created one new humanity in himself (2:14–16).
The church as the body of Christ: The church is Christ’s body, where each part has its function, and Christ is the head over all things (1:22–23; 4:15–16).
The new life: Believers are called to put off the old self and put on the new self, created after God’s likeness (4:22–24).
Spiritual warfare: Believers are to put on the full armor of God to stand against the devil’s cunning attacks (6:10–18).

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Ephesians 1

Key Concepts

This chapter introduces central theological concepts through Greek terms with special cultural significance. The word υἱοθεσία (hyiothesia, "adoption as sons", v. 5) was a well-known legal term in Roman law. When a person was adopted, they received full inheritance rights and all the privileges of a biological son. The adopted person was legally freed from their former family and given an entirely new identity. This image was especially powerful for readers living under Roman law.

The concept ἀπολύτρωσις (apolytrosis, "redemption/deliverance", vv. 7, 14) is drawn from the slave market, where it described the price paid to free a slave. Ἀρραβών (arrabōn, "down payment/pledge", v. 14) was a commercial term for an advance payment that guaranteed full payment later—a concept well known in the trading city of Ephesus. The word σφραγίζω (sphragizō, "to seal", v. 13) refers to the practice of sealing documents or goods with a seal that indicated ownership and authenticity.

Events and Customs

The praise in verses 3–14 follows the structure of a berakah, a Jewish blessing formula that begins with "Blessed be God" (Εὐλογητὸς ὁ θεός). This liturgical form was well known from synagogue worship and Jewish prayer practice. Paul adapts this Jewish tradition to a Christian context by focusing on the blessings that come through Christ. The entire passage in Greek forms one long sentence (vv. 3–14), reflecting the elevated, praising style of Jewish liturgy.

Textual Critical Notes

The textual critical brackets around [ἐν Ἐφέσῳ] ("in Ephesus") in verse 1 reflect that several early and important manuscripts, including Papyrus 46 (c. AD 200) and the original versions of Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, lack the place name. This has led to discussion about whether the letter was originally a circular letter intended for multiple churches in Asia Minor, where the place name could be filled in locally. Regardless of how this question is resolved, the content of the letter remains relevant to the church in Ephesus as one of its primary recipients.

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