¹Paul, an Apostle of the Anointed Jesus (by the will of God), to the Holy Ones in Ephesus… Those faithful ones in the Anointed Jesus:²May you receive loving care and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Anointed!³Yes, may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One be praised!For He’s blest us with every blessing of his Breath in the heavens through the Anointed One. ⁴Also, He chose us to be in him – before the foundation of the age, so we could become holy and unblemished before Him in love.⁵For He’s pre-designated us^[Syr] to be adopted sons through Jesus the Anointed One, as it pleases His will, ⁶in praise of the glory of the loving care that [is shown by] the one through whom He shows His favor upon us… This one whom He loves[, that is, Jesus].⁷It’s through this one, and his blood, that our ransom has been paid; and it’s through the richness of his loving care that our sins could be forgiven. ⁸[Also, we’ve received] such an abundance of wisdom and good sense [through him].⁹For He’s allowed us to understand the mystery of His will, according to His pleasure. He decided [all] this within Himself ¹⁰for [the purpose of arranging] an administration, at the appointed time, to renew everything both in heaven and earth via the Anointed One.^[Syr]11So, it’s through [Jesus] that we’ve obtained the inheritance that was predetermined by [God’s] purpose for him… Yes, this one, through whom all things are accomplished according to [God’s] council and will!¹²So those who were the first to put faith in the Anointed One might give praise to his glory. ¹³[For, he’s the one] through whom you heard the words of truth (the good news about your salvation), [the one] in whom you put faith, and [the one] who’s sealed you with the promised Holy Breath... ¹⁴Which is the guarantee that he inherited us through the ransom that he paid to purchase us for his glory and praise.¹⁵This is why, when I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus (and of your love for all the Holy Ones), ¹⁶I haven’t stopped giving thanks for you!Yes, I keep mentioning you in my prayers, and ¹⁷asking the God of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One (the glorious Father) to give you the spirit of wisdom, and to reveal to you an accurate knowledge about Him, ¹⁸so that the eyes of your hearts will be enlightened – and you can know the glorious richness of the hope that He’s called you for, and which He holds as an inheritance for the Holy Ones.¹⁹O how great His power is towards those of us who are believers – while it operates through the mightiness ²⁰that He demonstrated in the case of the Anointed One, when He raised him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavens! ²¹Yes, far above every government, authority, power, lordship, and above every name that’s been given... Not only in this age, but also in the one that’s coming, ²²when He’ll put everything under his feet, and make him the ‘head’ of everything to the called ones, ²³those who are his ‘body,’ his fullness, and his completeness.

¹For you have ‘died’ to the ways of sin and error – ²in which you once walked (the ways of this world) when you used to follow the ruler of the power of the air… The spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience, ³which is the way we were all once headed as we followed our human desires and did whatever our bodies wanted.Yes, because of the cravings that we once had, we were like everyone else… The natural children of [God’s] wrath!⁴But due to the love that He has for us, God (who’s so rich in mercy) ⁵made us alive in the Anointed One while we were still ‘dead’ in our failings.So it’s by His loving kindness that we’ve been saved ⁶and raised [to life] together, then seated together in the heavens in the Anointed Jesus, ⁷so that, in ages to come, [God] can show the tremendous richness of His loving care by the kindness that He’s shown towards us through the Anointed Jesus.⁸Yes, it’s because of [His] loving care that you’ve been saved, through a faith that didn’t come from within yourselves, but as a gift from God!⁹No, it didn’t come from anything that you’ve done, so you could boast.¹⁰Instead, we’re His workmanship… We were created through the Anointed Jesus to do the good things that God previously prepared as the ways we should walk in.¹¹Remember:Although you were once other races in the flesh, and were called ‘the uncircumcised’ by those who were circumcised by hand in the flesh, ¹²and you were without the Anointed One (you were aliens to the citizens of IsraEl and strangers to the Sacred Agreement of the promise…
Godless and without any hope in this world)... It was ¹³through the Anointed Jesus, you who were once far away, have now come to be near to him – via his blood.¹⁴So he’s our peace [between us]. For he made the two ([Jews and Gentiles]) one by breaking down the wall that fenced them off from each other.¹⁵Through his flesh, he destroyed the hatred [that was brought about by] the Law of Commandments and rules, so that through himself he could take the two, and create a new man – in order to bring about this peace.¹⁶Therefore, he brought both [types of] people back to God, [united] as one ‘body’ through the upright [execution stake]^[Syr] – using himself to destroy the hatred between them!¹⁷For when he came, he proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away, and to those who were nearby... ¹⁸So that through him, we can all gain access to the Father in [the same] spirit.¹⁹As a result, you’re not strangers or aliens anymore! You’re fellow citizens among the Holy Ones, and family members of God’s household!²⁰You’re being built upon the foundation of the Apostles and the Prophets, and the cornerstone is the Anointed Jesus himself!²¹And through him, the whole building is being fitted together, growing into a Most Holy Place for Jehovah. ²²Through the Spirit, you’re being built into a place for The God to dwell!

¹I give thanks that I (Paul) am a slave of the Anointed Jesus on your behalf… Yes for you – the people among the other races!²Perhaps you’ve heard about the responsibility that I was given (by the loving care of God) concerning you, ³and of how this mystery, that I wrote to you about briefly in the past, was revealed to me.⁴So as you read on, hopefully you can grasp [how well] I understand the mystery of the Anointed One.⁵[Although this mystery] wasn’t revealed to past generations of the sons of men, it’s now been revealed through his holy Apostles and Prophets via [God’s] Breath…⁶[The mystery is this:] That other races will also be fellow heirs, fellow members of the ‘body,’ and fellow partakers of the promise (in the Anointed Jesus), through the Good News.⁷And I became a servant of this [Good News] through the gift given to me by the loving care of God, and in harmony with His Power.⁸This loving care was revealed to me (a man who’s less than the least of all the Holy Ones) so that I should preach the good news about the unimaginable richness of the Anointed One to the other races, ⁹and to shine a light on how this mystery –which was hidden throughout the ages in The God who created all things– shall work out! ¹⁰Yes, so that governments and heavenly powers might now learn about the vast wisdom of The God via His called ones. ¹¹[This] has been His age-long purpose through the Anointed Jesus our Lord.¹²And it’s through our confidence and faith in him that we’ve been given this direction and this freedom to speak out.¹³It’s also because of this that I’m asking you not to tire of the concern I have for you, because it glorifies you.¹⁴For it’s over this that I thankfully bend my knees to the Father ¹⁵(out of whom all lines in heaven and on earth get their paternal names) ¹⁶to [ask Him to] grant you (by the richness of His glory) the power to become strong in His Spirit, and to make the persons you are on the inside ¹⁷alive in the Anointed One, through the faith in your hearts, along with love... And to give you sufficient roots and foundation ¹⁸to be able to understand (along with the rest of the Holy Ones) the width, the length, the height, and the depth…¹⁹Yes, to recognize the love of the Anointed One (which is more than you can comprehend), and to fill you with all the fullness that can only come from The God!²⁰Now, to the One who, through His power that operates in us, can do far more than anything we can ask or even conceive:²¹May He be glorified by the called ones and by the Anointed Jesus throughout all generations and into ages of ages…May it be so!

¹So as a prisoner in the Lord, I’m urging you to be sure that you’re worthy of the calling you’ve received – ²in all humility, gentleness, and patience, while you lovingly put up with each other.³Try hard to recognize the unifying force of [God’s] Breath, and its power to bring you together in peace. ⁴For there’s just one ‘body’ and one Spirit, according to the one hope you were called towards (when you were called)…⁵There’s just one Lord, one faith, one immersion, ⁶and one God and Father of everyone, who’s over all, through all, and in all.⁷Now, the amount of loving care that was shown to each of us depends upon how much of the Gift the Anointed One measured out to us.⁸For he says:‘To the highest places, he’s stepped up, And he’s taken captives into captivity; Then, he gave gifts to the people.’ [Psalm 68:18]⁹So when it says ‘he stepped up,’ this also means that he first had to step down to the lower places… [that is,] to the earth.¹⁰So the one who stepped down, also stepped back up – high above the skies – so he could bring everything to a completion.¹¹Then he assigned some to be Apostles, some to be Prophets, some to be messengers of the Good News, and some to be shepherds and teachers, ¹²in order to prepare the Holy Ones for the work of serving and strengthening the body of the Anointed One, ¹³until we all become one in the faith and in knowledge of the Son of The God – to the point where we’re a complete man who fully measures up to the stature of the Anointed One.¹⁴Yes, so we won’t be [spiritual] ‘babies’ anymore, being troubled and confused by every breeze of deceitful teachings from people who’ll use any cunning scheme to seduce you.^[Syr]15Therefore, while holding onto the truth (and in love), let’s develop in every way into this one who’s the ‘head’ [of the ‘body’] – the Anointed One.¹⁶For he brings the whole ‘body’ firmly together at its joints, and supplies enough of the gift to each part according to its needs, so the ‘body’ will grow itself in love.^[Syr]17I say and advise this from the Lord:Don’t continue in the same path that the nations are following, because their thoughts are worthless, ¹⁸their minds have been darkened to any understanding, and they’re aliens to a god-fearing life because they’re ignorant [of God] and blind in their hearts!¹⁹For since they’re cut off from any hope,^[Syr] they’ve surrendered themselves to debauchery, and greedily doing filthy things.²⁰However, that isn’t what you’ve learned to be true of the Anointed One ²¹(if you for a fact heard and were taught about him), because truth comes through Jesus.²²Therefore, you must get rid of the former man (who’s corrupted by sinful desires) ²³and create a new personality.²⁴Then put on this new person… Yes, [someone] created by God in righteousness and true purity.^[Syr]25Also, get rid of lying… You must always tell your neighbors the truth, because we’re all fellow ‘body parts’ of each other!²⁶[Yes, you can] get irritated, but don’t sin… For the sun will never set on reasons to be irritated!²⁷Nor should you allow any room for the Slanderer [to act].²⁸So if you’ve been a thief, you shouldn’t steal anymore. Instead, you should work hard and do good things with your hands, so you’ll have something to share with the needy.²⁹Nor should you allow any foul words to come out of your mouths. Instead, use good words that are upbuilding (as needed) to show that you care about everyone who listens to you.³⁰Don’t impede the Holy Breath of The God, with which you’re sealed for the day of salvation.³¹Yes, get rid of all the bitterness, anger, wrath, screaming, and slandering, and everything bad, ³²and be kind to each other… Be sympathetic and graciously forgive each other, as God (through the Anointed One) has graciously forgiven you.

¹Become imitators of God as His beloved children, ²and keep on walking in love – in the same way that the Anointed One loved you and gave himself up for you, as an offering and a sweet-smelling sacrifice to The God.³Don’t allow sexual immorality or any type of uncleanness or greediness to be even mentioned among you – as would be expected of holy people.⁴Nor [should you share in] shameful conduct, foolishness, or dirty jokes (which are all unbecoming), but instead, [share] in the giving of thanks.⁵[For it’s easy] to recognize those who are immoral, unclean, and greedy (which really amounts to being idol worshipers); and you know that such ones won’t receive an inheritance in the Kingdom of the Anointed One and of The God.⁶So don’t allow anyone to seduce you with empty words; for the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient sons [of mankind] because of things like that!⁷Therefore, don’t go along with them... ⁸Because, although you were once dark, you’ve now become light in the Lord!So instead, keep on walking as children of the light!⁹For the fruitage of light is every sort of goodness, righteousness, and truth… ¹⁰Things that prove to be pleasing to the Lord.¹¹So don’t share in the unproductive deeds of darkness. Rather, speak out against them!¹²It’s shameful to speak about things that are only done in private, ¹³because everything that the light speaks against is being exposed, since the light illuminates everything.¹⁴That’s why it’s said:‘Wake up, sleepy! Rise from the house of the ‘dead’… Then the Anointed One will shine upon you.’ [possibly a quote from a popular hymn]¹⁵So you must pay close attention to the ways that you’re walking… That it’s not like foolish ones, but like wise ones. ¹⁶Buy the time [to do this], because these are wicked days.¹⁷Yes, don’t be foolish, but start learning what the Lord’s will for us is.¹⁸And don’t be getting drunk on wine, which leads down an unsavory path. Instead, fill yourselves with the Breath [of God], ¹⁹and speak to each other in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs… Sing and create music in your hearts to Jehovah ²⁰in the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One.Yes, always give thanks to our God and Father for everything!²¹You should also submit to each other in the same way that you show reverential fear for the Anointed One.²²Wives should submit to their husbands like they would to the Lord, ²³because a husband is the head and origin of his wife, just as the Anointed One is the head and origin of the congregation, that is, the savior of that ‘body.’²⁴So, just as the congregation submits to the Anointed One, that’s how wives should [submit] to their husbands in everything.²⁵Men:Love your wives as the Anointed One loved the congregation and gave himself up to make it holy.²⁶He washed it in a bath of water (so to speak), ²⁷in order to present a glorious gathering to himself that doesn’t have any spots, wrinkles, or any such things, but which is holy and without any blemishes.²⁸Yes, that’s how the men should love their wives… As their own bodies.So, the man who loves his wife is really showing love for himself… ²⁹And nobody ever hates his own flesh. Rather, he feeds it and takes pride in it, just as the Anointed One does the congregation.³⁰And we’ve become parts of [Jesus’] ‘body’… Of his very flesh and his bones!³¹[So as the scripture says]:‘A man will leave his father and mother and stick with his woman, and the two will become one flesh.’ [Genesis 2:24]³²Now, this is a great mystery, because I’m comparing [the relationship between husbands and wives] to the Anointed One and [his love for] the congregation.³³But this is how each man should love his wife… As he does himself.And women should have a reverential fear of their husbands.

¹Children:Obey your parents in our Lord, because this is righteous. ²Honor your father and mother, for this is the first Commandment that came with a promise:³‘...that things would go well for you, and that you may live a long time on the land.’ [Exodus 20:12 or Deuteronomy 5:16]⁴Fathers:Don’t frustrate your children, but bring them up in the discipline and council of our Lord.⁵Slaves:Be obedient to those who are your fleshly masters with reverential fear and sincere hearts, like you would to the Anointed One.⁶Don’t just put on a good show to please men, but as slaves of the Anointed One, do the will of God whole-souled.⁷Be willing slaves as to the Lord (not of men), ⁸because you know that whatever good you do will be rewarded by the Lord, whether you’re a slave or a free man.⁹Masters:Keep on doing the same for [your slaves]… And don’t be threatening them, because you know that there’s a Master who’s over both them and you in the heavens, and He doesn’t recognize any difference [between you].¹⁰[To all:]Finally, become powerful in the mightiness and strength of the Lord. ¹¹Put on the complete suit of God’s armor, so that you can resist the methods of the Slanderer.¹²For our fight isn’t against flesh and blood, but against the governments, the authorities, the mighty ones of this worldly darkness, and against the unseen wicked powers in the heavens.¹³So because of this, take up the complete suit [that comes from] God, so you can fight in that wicked day and still be found standing.¹⁴Yes, stand firm with your hips wrapped in the truth and wearing the breastplate of righteousness!¹⁵Wrap your feet and prepare them with the good news of peace.¹⁶And above all else, pick up the large shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked one!¹⁷Also, accept the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (which are the things that God has said).¹⁸Keep on praying and begging [God] about everything in Spirit throughout each season. Be aware of this, and never stop petitioning [God] on behalf of all the Holy Ones.¹⁹Also [pray] for me… That the words may be given to me to open my mouth and speak freely so I can make the mystery of the good news known [to others].²⁰Indeed, that’s why I’m now an ambassador in chains… So that I can speak boldly about these things and to say the things that I’m supposed to say.²¹Now, so you can know how I’m getting along and what I’m doing, TychiKos (a beloved brother and faithful servant of the Lord) will explain everything to you.²²This is why I’m sending him to you… To let you know what’s happening to us and to bring comfort to your hearts.²³Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus the Anointed One.²⁴May all those who have an uncorrupted love for our Lord Jesus the Anointed One receive [His] loving care.May it be so!