The Book of Ephesians read by Tom Shoneff

Gospel Tom Shoneff: The letter of Paul the Apostle to the believers at Ephesus

Chapter One

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God to the saints who are in

an Ephesus, in our faithful in Christ Jesus, grace to you and peace from God,

our father, in 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,

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should

be holy and blameless before Him.

In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ,

according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of His glorious

grace, which he has blessed us in.

The beloved.

In Him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our

trespasses according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us

in all wisdom and insight he made known to us the secret of his will, according

to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness

of time to unite all things in him.

Things in heaven and things on earth.

In him, we've obtained an inheritance having been predestined according

to the purpose of him who works all things according to the council

of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might

be to the praise of His glory.

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the good news of your

salvation, the gospel and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy

Spirit, who was the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession

of it to the praise of His glory.

For this reason, because I've heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and

your love towards all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you

remembering you in my prayers 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 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened so that you may know what

is the hope to which he has called you.

What are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and what is

the immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe according to

the working of his great might, that he worked in Christ when he raised

him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.

Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that

is named, not only in this age, but also in the one 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 in all.

Chapter Two

And you were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following

the course of this age, following the prince of the power of the air, the

spirit is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once

live in passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the

mind, and were by nature, children of wrath like the rest of mankind.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by

grace, you've been saved- and raised us up with him and enthroned us with him

in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show

the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.

For by grace, you've been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, and

it's the gift of God, not as a result of.

So that no one may boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus

for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh,

called the Uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which

is made in the flesh by hands.

Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from

the Commonwealth of Israel, strangers to the covenants of promise having

no hope and without God in the world.

But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off, have been

brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he himself is our peace who has made us both one and has broken down

in his flesh, the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of

commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself, one

new man in place of the two, and thereby making peace and might reconcile us

both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and

peace to those who were near.

For through him we both have access and one spirit to the father.

So then you're no longer strangers and aliens, but you're fellow

citizens with the saints and members of the household of God built on

the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself, being

the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together,

grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

In Him, you also are being built together into a dwelling

place of God by the Spirit.

Chapter Three

For this reason, I Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you gentiles-

assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was

given to me for you, how the secret was made known to me by revelation,

as I've already written briefly when you read this, you can perceive my

insight into the secret of Christ.

Which was not made known to the sons of men and other generations, as it

has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

This secret is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same

body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Of this gospel I was made a servant according to the gift

of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power.

To me, though I'm the very least of all the saints this grace was given to

preach to the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light

for every one, what is the plan of the secret hidden for ages in God who

created all things, so that through the church, the manifold wisdom of God

might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized

in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

So I ask you not to lose heart over what I'm suffering for

you, which is your glory.

For this reason, I bow my knees before the father, from whom every family

in heaven and on Earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory,

he might grant you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your

inner being, so that Christ through faith may dwell in your hearts -that

you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with

all the saints, what is the breadth and the length and the height and the depth,

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge so that you might

be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now, to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think

according to the power at work within us.

To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all

generations, forever and ever.

Amen.

Chapter Four

I therefore prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the

calling to which you've been called with all humility and gentleness, with

patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity

of the spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one spirit- just as you were called to the one

hope that belongs to your call- one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God, and Father of all who was overall and through all in, in all.

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Therefore, it says when he ascended on high, he led a host of

captives and he gave gifts to men.

Now, in saying he ascended, what does it mean?

But that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens

that he might fill all things.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and

teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the

body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the

knowledge of the son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature

of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children tossed to

and fro by the waves, and carried by every wind of doctrine by human cunning,

by craftiness and deceitful scheming.

Rather speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is

the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body joined and held together by every

joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body

grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no

longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God

because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart,

they've become callous and given themselves up to sensuality, greedy

to practice every kind of impurity.

But this is not the way you learned christ, assuming that you have heard

about him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your

old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through

deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds and to put on

the new self created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Therefore, Having put away falsehood, let each of you speak the truth with this

neighbor, for we are parts of one another.

Be angry, but do not sin.

Do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil.

Let the thief no longer steal, but let him labor, doing honest work with

his own hands so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such is good for

building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were

sealed for the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put

away from you along with all malice.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another

as God in Christ forgave you.

Chapter Five

Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children and walk in love as Christ

loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named

among you as is proper among saints.

Let there be no foolishness or filthiness nor crude joking, which are out of place,

but instead let there be Thanksgiving.

For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral

or impure, or is covetous, for that is an idolater, has no inheritance

in the kingdom of God and Christ.

Let no one deceive you with empty words, because of these things, the wrath of

God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Therefore, do not become partakers with them; for at one time you were darkness,

but now you are light in the Lord.

Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light is found in all

that is good and right and true.

And try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

For, it's a shameful, even to speak of the things they do in secret.

But when anything's exposed by the light, it becomes visible for anything

that becomes visible is light.

Therefore, it says awake oh sleeper and arise from the dead

and Christ will shine on you.

So look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best

use of the time because the days are evil.

Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that's debauchery, but be filled with

the spirit, addressing one another in Psalms and hymms and spiritual songs,

singing, making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always

and for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Submitting to one another out of Reverence for Christ.

Wives submit to your own husbands as to the Lord.

For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church,

his body and is himself, its savior.

Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit

in everything to their husbands.

Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for

her that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with

the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor without

spot or wrinkle or any such thing that she might be holy and without blemish.

In the same way, husband should love their wives as their own bodies.

He who loves his wife, loves himself, for no one ever hated his own

flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it just as Christ does the church

because we're parts of his body.

Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,

and the two shall become one flesh.

This secret is profound, and I'm saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

However, let each one of you love his wife as himself and let the wife

see that she respects her husband.

Chapter Six

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Honor your father and mother, this is the first commandment with the

promise, that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.

Fathers do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the

discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling with the

sincere heart as you would Christ.

Not by the way of eye service as people pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing

the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord

and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does this, he will receive back

from the Lord whether he is slave or free.

Masters, do the same to them and stop your threatening knowing that he was both

their master and yours is in heaven and that there is no partiality with Him.

Finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand

against the schemes of the devil.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,

against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present

darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able

to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand firm.

Stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth and having put on

the breastplate of righteousness and as shoes for your feet have been put on the

readiness given by the gospel of peace.

In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish

all the flaming arrows of the evil one and take the helmet of salvation and the sword

of the spirit, which is the word of God.

Praying at all times in the spirit with all prayer and supplication.

To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all

the saints and for me, that words might be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to

proclaim the secret of the good news for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I

may declare it boldly as I ought to speak.

So that you may know how I'm doing and what I'm doing.

Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the

Lord will tell you everything.

I've sent him to you for this very purpose that you may know how we are

and that he may encourage your hearts.

Peace be to the brothers and love with faith from God the

Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace, be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.