New Testament · Letter

Ephesians 1

The Cosmic Plan

From the heights of God's eternal purpose to the details of daily relationships, Ephesians holds the biggest and smallest things together.

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1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

15Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Understand This

Ephesians 1, explained

What Ephesians 1 is saying

Paul opens with a majestic berakah (blessing) tracing the sweep of salvation from pre-temporal election to eschatological inheritance. The Father chose believers in Christ before the foundation of the world; redemption comes through Christ's blood; the mystery (mystērion) of God's will is to unite all things in Christ. The Spirit serves as the arrabon (down payment/guarantee) of the inheritance. Paul's prayer for the Ephesians requests wisdom, revelation, and comprehension of the surpassing greatness of God's power—the same power that raised Christ and seated Him above all authority.

The background behind it

Ephesians may be a circular letter to multiple Asian churches, which would explain the absence of personal greetings despite Paul's long Ephesian ministry. The berakah form follows Jewish liturgical blessing patterns. The 'heavenly places' (epouraniois) framework, unique to Ephesians, establishes a cosmic scope for the letter's theology.

Themes running underneath

The trinitarian structure of salvation—the Father elects, the Son redeems, the Spirit seals—provides the theological architecture. The mysterion of cosmic unity in Christ anticipates the letter's central theme. The resurrection-enthronement of Christ establishes His supremacy over every competing power and authority in the cosmos.

Why it still matters

This chapter invites believers to see their individual lives within the vast sweep of God's eternal purpose. Identity is grounded not in personal achievement but in being chosen, redeemed, and sealed before time began.

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Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.