3 We praise God, the father of our master Yeshua the messiah.[fn] He is the one who’s blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places—blessings that come from the messiah. 4 He chose us to follow him even before the creation of the world, so that we could become pure and blameless in front of him. Because of his love 5 he decided in advance to adopt us as his children through Yeshua the messiah. His decision gave him great pleasure 6 and now he’s praised for the greatness of his grace which favoured us, as the one he loved 7 [ref]redeemed us by means of his blood and forgave our sins. It was from the riches of his grace 8 that was poured onto us that we gain wisdom and understanding 9 as he revealed the mystery of his will to us according to his great pleasure as he himself planned. 10 He planned for the orchestration of the times, and at the right time he will gather everything, whether in heaven or here on earth, for the messiah 11 and we also have been assigned an inheritance in him. This was also predetermined according to God’s plan and the decisions of his will 12 so that we, the ones who first put our trust in the messiah, would praise his greatness. 13 And you all also, after hearing the message of truth, the good message about being saved, were confirmed by receiving the spirit of pure promise after you believed. 14 This spirit is the deposit on our inheritance until we procure the freedom which has been bought for us, leading us to praise God’s greatness.

15 Because of that, when I heard about your faith in the master Yeshua and your acceptance of all the pure believers, 16 I don’t stop giving thanks for all of you, mentioning you in my prayers, 17 asking the God of our master Yeshua the messiah to give you spiritual wisdom and to reveal the knowledge about him. 18 I ask that your inner thoughts will be enlightened so that you all will know the expectation of what he’s calling you too—the riches of the greatness of his inheritance for the believers 19 and the exceeding greatness of his power to help us who believe, according to the working of the power of his strength. 20 [ref]He worked this power in the messiah when he brought him back to life and seated him in the place of honour in heavenly places—21 giving him authority over every law and government and powerful groups and organisations, and over every earthly title, not only in the present age but also in the age to come. 22 [ref]Everything in existence will be under his authority and God set him in charge of all matters concerning the assembly, 23 which is his body—the completeness of the messiah who completes everything.

2 [ref]You all were dead due to your disobedience and the path of sinning 2 that you once walked along when you followed the trends of this world which in turn come from the ruler of the invisible powers—he’s the spirit that works in the children of disobedience. 3 In the past, we also lived like them inside our fleshly lusts and then living out those desires and fantasies, and so we were children deserving strong anger just like everyone else.

4 But God was generous with his mercy because of the great love that he loved us with, 5 so although we were dead as a result of our disobedience, he make us alive along with the messiah. Yes, we have been saved by God’s grace. 6 And God lifted us up and sat us together with Yeshua the messiah in the heavenly domains 7 so that for the ages to come, he could display the overflowing riches of his grace through his kindness to us via Yeshua the messiah. 8 It’s God’s grace that allows you all to be saved through faith. This grace doesn’t come from you, but rather it’s a gift from God—9 it doesn’t originate from your actions so no one can brag about it. 10 We are God’s workmanship and he’s created us to do good things by following Yeshua the messiah. God has already planned these things for us to do.

11 Because of that, don’t forget that you all were once fleshly unbelievers (nicknamed ‘the uncircumcised ones’ by circumcised Jews who mark the bodies of their males with human hands). 12 At that time you were separated from the citizens of Israel and were strangers to the agreements involving God’s promise. You didn’t have any future hope as you lived in the world without knowing God.

13 But now thanks to Yeshua the messiah, you all who were once far from God have become close by means of the messiah’s blood. 14 He is the source of peace between Jews and non-Jews, having broken the dividing wall that fenced them apart and making the two into one. He took the hostility onto himself, 15 [ref]having declared the old commandments to be now void so that Jews and non-Jews can now be peaceably united. 16 [ref]By his death on the pole, any hostility is destroyed and both groups now become just one body in God’s sight. 17 [ref]When the messiah came, he announced the good message: peace to you all who were far from God, and peace also to the ones who were near, 18 so now both groups have access to the father by means of one spirit through the work of the messiah.

19 As a result, you all are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens of the believers and part of God’s household 20 which has been founded on the teaching of the missionaries and prophets. The cornerstone of this building is Yeshua the messiah. 21 He joins the entire building together, growing us all into a dedicated temple for the master. 22 You all are being built together by following him, becoming a place for God’s spirit to live in.

3 That’s the reason that I, Paul, am a prisoner due to my serving Yeshua the messiah for you non-Jews. 2 Certainly you have heard that God assigned me the task of passing on God’s grace to you. 3 He revealed his incredible plan as I wrote briefly previously 4 [ref]and which you are all able to read to understand my insight into the incredible plan about the messiah. 5 This plan wasn’t explained to humans in previous generations but has now God’s spirit has revealed it to his worthy missionaries and prophets. 6 Now non-Jews can have the same inheritance and become members of the same body and can share in the same promise that was the positive message of Yeshua the messiah.

7 I have become a servant of that message as a result of the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by means of the working of his power. 8 Although I was the least of the ones dedicated to this message, I was given the grace to preach this positive message to the non-Jews, to tell them about the endless riches of the messiah 9 and to enlighten everyone about the assignment of God’s incredible plan. God, the one who created everything, hid this plan away over the ages 10 so that the wide-ranging wisdom of God could be revealed now through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. 11 God did this according to his plan for the ages which he established in our master, Yeshua the messiah. 12 It’s through our faith in Yeshua that we can have boldness and confident access to God. 13 Because of that, I’m asking you not to become discouraged over my current difficulties as I serve you all, in fact you are honoured by them.

14 That’s why I’m kneeling to ask the father 15 (the one that every father in the heavens and on earth is named after) 16 that he would cause you to be strengthened inside your minds by the power of his spirit and from the riches of his greatness. 17 Through your faith, the messiah can live in your hearts so that love will become your root and foundation 18 so that just like the dedicated ones, you all will also be strong enough to understand the width and length and height and depth of 19 the messiah’s love, and to know that having this love exceeds having knowledge so that you all can be filled with God’s completeness.

20-21 20-21Now we offer praise to God in the church and for all the generations to come and to Yeshua the messiah—God who, through the power that works in us, is able to do far more than we can ask for or even understand. May it be so.

4 Because of that, I, a prisoner for the master, am urging you all to walk worthily of the calling to which you were called 2 [ref]with all humility, gentleness, and patience, putting up with one another because of your love for them, 3 being serious about keeping the unity of God’s spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one spirit, just as you all were called to one hope when you were called. 5 There’s one master, one system of faith, one immersion, 6 one God and father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

7 Yet each one of us has been given a measure of grace as a gift from the messiah, 8 just as it was written,

“When he ascended to heaven,

he eliminated captivity

and gave gifts to people.”[ref]

9 Of course, he couldn’t ascend if he hadn’t first descended down to earth. 10 So the one who descended is the very one who also ascended above all the heavens so that he could fill all locations. 11 Then he gave some as missionaries, some as prophets, some as announcers of the good message, some as pastors and teachers 12 so as to complete the dedicated ones for the work of service—for building the body of the messiah 13 until we can reach the unity of our faith and of our knowledge about God’s son—becoming mature people measured against the stature of the fullness of the messiah. 14 Then we’ll no longer be like children in our faith, tossed around by waves and being blown by every wind of teaching used to trick us or by crafty people who scheme how to deceive us. 15 Instead, by lovingly speaking the truth, we will grow up into every aspect of him—the messiah who is the head 16 [ref]that integrates the entire body together and holds it together by every one of its joints. When each component does its work, the body grows and builds itself up with love.

17 So I’ll say this at the master’s direction: you all are no longer to walk like unbelieving pagans who trust in their own futile thinking. 18 Their minds have been darkened because their ignorance has drawn them away from the life of God due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 They stopped caring about what’s right and wrong, and then greedily indulged themselves in their own impure lusts.

20 But you all didn’t learn that about the messiah. 21 If you had heard him and listened to his teaching, you would have heard the truth from Yeshua: 22 [ref]that you reject the former conduct of the old corrupted you, those seductive desires, 23 and allow the spirit driving your thoughts to be renewed 24 [ref]and so to remodel yourself as a godly person created to obey God and follow the pure truth.

25 [ref]So steer clear of lies—always speak the truth to those around you because we are members of each other. 26 [ref]Even when you’re angry, don’t sin, and don’t carry your anger through to the next day—27 don’t let the devil get his foot in. 28 If you’ve been stealing, then stop it. Instead you should be a hard worker, doing good things with your hands, so that you’ll earn enough to be able to help those who are in need. 29 Don’t let any bad talk come out of your mouths, but rather words that are helpful to encourage others and to show grace to them. 30 And don’t sadden God’s holy spirit, because he is the one who recorded your names for the day when the price will be paid to buy you all back. 31 So get rid of all bitterness, and rage and severe anger, uproars and slander, and any kind of malice. 32 [ref]Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving each other just like God forgave you all through the work of the messiah.

5 So imitate God like valued children would imitate their father 2 [ref]and immerse yourselves in love just as the messiah loves you all and allowed himself to suffer for us as an offering and sacrifice which is like a pleasant fragrance to God.

3 It’s fitting for dedicated believers to not even entertain thoughts of sexual immorality or impurity or greed. 4 Nor is dirty or foolish talk or crude joking fitting, but rather thankfulness. 5 You should realise that anyone who is sexually immoral or impure or is a covetous or idolatrous person won’t have an inheritance in the kingdom of the messiah and of God.

6 Don’t let anyone seduce you with empty talk, because this is exactly what will induce God’s strong anger on those who’re disobedient. 7 So don’t get caught up with them 8 because you yourselves were once in the darkness but now that you are in the master’s light, you should behave like children of light. 9 The results of this light should be goodness and doing what is right and being honest 10 as you aim to please our master. 11 Don’t join in with the works of darkness which don’t lead to positive results, but instead you all should expose them 12 because the things that unbelievers do in secret are disgraceful to even talk about. 13 But everything will eventually have the light shone on it and all these things will then be exposed. 14 That’s why it says:

You who’re asleep get up,

You who’re dead come back to life,

The messiah will shine his light on you.

15 Because of that, take great care in exactly how you’re living. Don’t live like fools, but like wise people, 16 [ref]making good use of your time, because there’s lot of evil these days. 17 So don’t be foolish, but rather strive to discover what the master wants for you.

18 And don’t get drunk on alcohol because that’s excessive. Instead, be filled with God’s spirit, 19 [ref]sharing scriptures with each other and singing hymns and songs to praise our master, 20 always expressing thanks for everything to our father God in the authority and name of our master, Yeshua the messiah. 21 And show your honour of the messiah by placing yourselves under each other’s authority.

22 [ref]Wives should place themselves under their own husbands, just like they’re under the master, 23 because the husband is the leader of the wife just like the messiah is the head and saviour of his body, the church. 24 Wives should place themselves under their husbands in everything just like the church should place itself under the messiah.

25 [ref]You husbands must love your wives, just like the messiah loved the church and gave himself completely for it, 26 so that he could separate the church from the world and wash it clean with the water of the good message 27 in order to present the splendid church to himself—without any stains or wrinkles or anything like that—just pure and unblemished. 28 So husbands should love their wives just like their own bodies—anyone who loves his wife is loving himself. 29 No one hates their own body, but they feed and look after it, just like the messiah does for the church 30 and we are parts of his body. 31 [ref]That’s the reason why a man leaves his father and mother and becomes joined with his wife and the two of them become one unit. 32 This is an amazing mystery but I’m talking about the messiah and the church. 33 But it applies to you all: each one of you should love your wife like yourself and the wife should respect her husband.

6 [ref]It’s right for children following the master to obey your parents. 2 [ref]Honour your father and mother (that’s the first commandment that’s followed by a promise) 3 so that things will go well for you and you’ll have a long life on the earth.

4 [ref]Fathers, don’t provoke your children to anger, but bring them up caringly and teach them disciplines and instructions from the master.

5 [ref]Slaves, submit to your human masters with respect and fear, being sincere in your hearts as if serving the messiah. 6 Don’t just please them when they’re watching, but work as slaves of the messiah, genuinely wanting to obey God 7 by serving the master with good will. When you serve as if serving the master and not people, 8 whether you’re a slave or free, it’s him who will reward you.

9 [ref]Masters, do the same towards your slaves. You know that both the slaves and you have the same master in the heavens, so don’t threaten them because our master has no favourites.

10 Concluding then, be enabled by the master and from the power which comes from his strength. 11 Wear God’s complete armour because it will enable you to stand up against the devil’s schemes. 12 Our struggle isn’t against people, but against rulers, authorities, the powers of this world’s darkness, and the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places. 13 Because of that, make use of every piece of God’s armour so that you’ll be able to resist those powers in the evil day and having done everything, to remain standing.

14 [ref]So then, stand with the belt of truth around your waist, wearing the breastplate of righteousness, 15 [ref]and ready your feet with the good message of peace. 16 Whatever arises, hold up the shield of faith which you all will be able to use to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the evil one. 17 [ref]Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of God’s spirit which is the message from God.

18 Make your requests as you pray in the spirit at every occasion and similarly staying alert and persevering as you make requests on behalf of all the dedicated believers 19 and also ask on my behalf for God to give me words to say as I open my mouth to boldly teach the good message about God’s incredible plan 20 that’s led me as an missionary to now be in prison. Ask that I would speak boldly as I should.

21 [ref]Now Tychicus, a dear brother and faithful servant of our master, will let you know about me and how I’m doing. 22 I’ve sent him to you for that reason—so that you all will know about us here and that he would comfort your hearts.

23 Peace, love, and faith to the brothers and sisters from God the father and from Yeshua the messiah. 24 Grace to all who love our master, Yeshua the messiah, with a love that won’t decay.