Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is the Epistle of
St. Paul to the Ephesians, chapters 1 through
6. Chapter 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ
by the will of God, to the saints who are in
Ephesus and 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 with
every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places
in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before
the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before Him in love, having
predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ
to Himself, according to the good pleasure of
His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace,
by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
In him we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of his grace, which he made to abound toward
us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known
to us the mystery of his will, according to his
good pleasure which he purposed in himself, that
in the dispensation of the fullness of the times
he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are
on earth in him. In Him also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestined according to
the purpose of Him who works all things according
to the counsel of His will, that we, who first
trusted in Christ, should be to the praise of
His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you
heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
In Him also, having believed, you were sealed
with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee
of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession. to the praise of his glory.
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith
in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
do not cease to give thanks for you. making mention
of you in my prayers that the god of our lord
jesus christ the father of glory may give to
you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding
being enlightened that you may know what is the
hope of his calling what are the riches of the
glory of his inheritance in the saints and what
is the exceeding greatness of his power toward
us who believe according to the working of his
mighty power, which 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 principality and power and might and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this
age, but also in that which is to come. And he
put all things under his feet, and gave him to
be head over all things to the church, which
is his body, the fullness of him who fills all,
in all. Chapter 2 fulfilling the desires of the
flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children
of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is
rich in mercy, because of his great love with
which he loved us, even when we were dead in
trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.
By grace you have been saved, and raised us up
together, and made us sit together in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come,
He might show the exceeding riches of His grace
in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For
by grace you have been saved through faith, and
that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God,
not of works, lest anyone should 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 you, once Gentiles in the flesh, who are
called uncircumcision, By what is called the
circumcision made in the flesh by hands. That
at that time you were without Christ. Being aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel. And strangers
from 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 both one. And has broken
down the middle wall of separation. having abolished
in his flesh the enmity, that is, the law of
commandments contained in ordinances, so as to
create in himself one new man from the two, thus
making peace, and that he might reconcile them
both to God in one body through the cross, thereby
putting to death the enmity. And he came and
preached peace to you who were afar off and to
those who were near. For through him we both
have access by one spirit to the Father. Now
therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints and members
of the household of God, having been built on
the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone,
in whom the whole building, being fitted together,
grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom
you also are being built together for a dwelling
place of God in the Spirit. for this reason i
paul the prisoner of christ jesus for you gentiles
if indeed you have heard of the dispensation
of the grace of god which was given to me for
you how that by revelation he made known to me
the mystery as i have briefly written already
by which when you read you may understand my
knowledge in the mystery of christ which in other
ages was not made known to the sons of men as
it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his
holy apostles and prophets, that the Gentiles
should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers
of his promise in Christ through the gospel,
of which I became a minister according to the
gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective
working of his power. To me, who am less than
the least of all the saints, this grace was given.
that i should preach among the gentiles the unsearchable
riches of christ and to make all see what is
the fellowship of the mystery which from the
beginning of the ages has been hidden in god
who created all things through jesus christ to
the intent that now the manifold wisdom of god
might be made known by the church to the principalities
and powers in the heavenly places, according
to the eternal purpose which he accomplished
in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness
and access with confidence through faith in him.
Therefore, I ask that you do not lose heart at
my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole
family in heaven and earth is named, that he
would grant you, according to the riches of his
glory, to be strengthened with might through
his Spirit in the inner man. that Christ may
dwell in your hearts through faith, that you,
being rooted and grounded in love, may be able
to comprehend with all the saints what is the
width and length and depth and height, to know
the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that
you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly,
Above all that we ask or think, according to
the power that works in us, to him be glory in
the church by Christ Jesus to all generations,
forever and ever. Amen. But to each one of us,
grace was given according to the measure of Christ's
gift. Therefore he says, what does it mean but
that he also first descended into the lower parts
of the earth? He who descended is also the one
who ascended far above all the heavens that he
might fill all things. And he himself gave some
to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,
and some pastors and teachers for the equipping
of the saints for the work of ministry. for the
edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come
to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge
of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that
we should no longer be children tossed to and
fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine
by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness
of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth
in love, may grow up in all things into him who
is the head, Christ. from whom the whole body,
joined and knit together by what every joint
supplies, according to the effective working
by which every part does its share, causes growth
of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord,
that you should no longer walk as the rest of
the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
having their understanding darkened. being alienated
from the life of God because of the ignorance
that is in them, because of the blindness of
their heart, who, being past feeling, have given
themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness
with greediness. But you have not so learned
Christ, if indeed you have heard him, and have
been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus,
that you put off concerning your former conduct.
the old man which grows corrupt according to
the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit
of your mind, and that you put on the new man
which was created according to God in true righteousness
and holiness. Therefore, putting away lying,
let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,
for we are members of one another. Be angry and
do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your
wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who
stole steal no longer. but rather let him labor,
working with his hands what is good, that he
may have something to give him who has need.
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth,
but what is good for necessary edification, that
it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not
grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were
sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness,
wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put
away from you with all malice, and be kind to
one another. tender -hearted, forgiving one another,
even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore
be imitators of God as dear children, and walk
in love, as Christ also has loved us and given
himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to
God for a sweet -smelling aroma. But fornication
and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not
even be named among you, as is fitting for saints.
neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor
coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather
giving of thanks. For this you know, that no
fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man,
who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive
you with empty words, for because of these things
the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Therefore do not be partakers with them. For
you were once darkness, but now you are light
in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the
fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness
and truth. Finding out what is acceptable to
the Lord. and have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather expose them. For
it is shameful even to speak of those things
which are done by them in secret. But all things
that are exposed are made manifest by the light,
for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore
he says, Awake, you who sleep, arise from the
dead, and Christ will give you light. See then
that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but
as wise, redeeming the time. because the days
are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand
what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk
with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled
with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks
always for all things to God the Father, in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to
one another in the fear of God. Wives, submit
your own husbands as to the Lord. For the husband
is head of the wife, as also Christ is the head
of the church, and he is the Savior of the body.
Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ,
so let the wives be to their own husbands in
everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as
Christ also loved the church and gave himself
for her. that he might sanctify and cleanse her
with the washing of water by the word, that he
might present her to himself a glorious church,
not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
but that she should be holy and without blemish.
So husbands ought to love their own 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 the Lord
does the church, for we are members of his body.
of his flesh and of his bones. For this reason
a man shall leave his father and mother and be
joined to his wife, and the two shall become
one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak
concerning Christ and the Church. Nevertheless,
let each one of you, in particular, so love his
own wife as himself, and let the wife see that
she respects her husband. For this is right.
Honor your father and mother, which is the first
commandment with promise, that it may be well
with you and you may live long on the earth.
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children
to wrath, but bring them up in the training and
admonition of the Lord. Bondservants, be obedient
to those who are your masters according to the
flesh, with fear and trembling. in sincerity
of heart as to Christ, not with eye service as
men pleasers, but as bond servants of Christ,
doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill
doing service as to the Lord and not to men,
knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will
receive the same from the Lord, whether he is
a slave or free. And you, masters, do the same
things to them, giving up threatening, knowing
that your own master also is in heaven, and there
is no partiality with him. Finally, my brethren,
be strong in the Lord and in the power of his
might. Put on the whole armor of God that you
may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
against spiritual hosts of wickedness 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.
Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with
truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and having shod your feet with the preparation
of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the
shield of faith, with which you will be able
to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword
of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance
and supplication for all the saints. And for
me, that utterance may be given to me, that I
may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery
of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in
chains, that in it I may speak boldly as I ought
to speak. but that you also may know my affairs
and how I am doing. Tychicus, a beloved brother
and faithful minister in the Lord, will make
all things known to you, whom I have sent to
you for this very purpose, that you may know
our affairs and that he may comfort your hearts.
Peace to the brethren and love with faith from
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace
be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ
in sincerity. Amen. I hope you enjoyed today's
reading as much as I did and I look forward to
seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.