Ephesians

A Literal-Literary Translation by Tim Mackie

Chapter 1

1
Paul, an apostle of Messiah Jesus through the will of God,
to the holy ones who [are in Ephesus] also are believing in
Messiah Jesus, 2grace to y'all and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Messiah.

3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Messiah, who
has blessed us in the heavens through the Messiah, 4because
he chose us in him before the foundation of the cosmos, so
that we would be holy and blameless before him, in love
5
having predestined us for adoption/sonship through Jesus
Messiah unto himself, in accordance with the purpose of his
will 6resulting in praise for the glory of his grace, which he
graced us in the beloved one, 7in whom we have redemption
through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the
richness of his grace, 8which he made abundant for us, with all
wisdom and understanding, 9having made known to us the
open-secret of his will, in accordance with his purpose having
been predestined in accordance with the plan of the one who
works all things according to the decision of his will, which he
pre-planned in him,10for the purpose of arranging the fullness
the times, to head-up all things together in Messiah, things in
the heavens and things in earth in him,11in whom also we have
obtained an inheritance, having been predestined in
accordance with the plan of the one who works all things
according to the decision of his will, 12so that we would praise
his glory, we, who were the first ones to hope in the
Messiah,13in whom also y’all, having heard the word of truth,
the good-news of y’all’s salvation, in whom also, having
believed, y’all were sealed by the promised holy Spirit,14who is
the first installment of our inheritance, for the redemption of
the possession, resulting in the praise of his glory.

15
For this reason, as I heard of y’all’s faith in the Lord Jesus
and the love which is toward all of the holy ones, 16I have not
stopped giving thanks, making remembrance on y’all’s behalf
in my prayers, 17in order that the God of our Lord Jesus
Messiah, the Father of glory, would give y’all a spirit of wisdom
and revelation in order to know him,18the eyes of y’all’s heart
having been illuminated so that y’all would know what is the
hope of his calling, what is the richness of the glory of his
inheritance among the holy ones,19and what is the surpassing
greatness of his power toward y’all who trust, in accordance
with the working of the power of his might, 20which he worked
in the Messiah having raised him from the dead ones and
having seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realm
21
above all rule and authority and power and dominion and
every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the
coming one, 22and ‘he placed all things under his feet and gave
him headship over all things in the church, 23which is his body,
the fullness of the One who fill all in all.

Chapter 2

1
And y’all, being dead in y’all’s transgressions and sins, 2in
which at one time y’all walked according to the age of this
world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the
spirit who is now working in the sons of disobedience, 3among
whom we also all used to live by the passions of our flesh,
doing the will of the flesh and the mindsets, and we were by
nature children of wrath, as also were the rest. 4But God, being
rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved
us, 5and we, being dead in our transgressions, he made us alive
together with the Messiah—by grace y’all have been saved—
6
and he raised us up together and sat us together in the
heavenlies with Messiah Jesus 7in order that he might
demonstrate in the ages which are coming the surpassing
richness of his grace, by kindness to us in Messiah Jesus. 8For it
is by grace that y’all have been saved, through trust, and this is
not from y’all’sselves, it is the gift of God 9[it is] not from works,
in order that no one can boast.10For we are his handiwork,
having been created in Messiah Jesus for good works which
God prepared beforehand, so that we would walk in them.

11
Therefore remember that at one time y’all, the gentiles in
flesh, who are called “uncircumcised” by what is called “the
circumcised” (what is performed by hands in the flesh),12that
y’all were at that time, without Messiah, estranged from the
citizenry of Israel, and foreigners of the covenants of the
promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But
now, in/through Messiah Jesus, y’all who were at one time far
away have become near in/through the blood of the
Messiah.14For he himself is our peace, the one who made the
two into one, and having destroyed the barrier of the wall,
the enmity, in his flesh,15having set aside the Torah of
commandments in decrees, in order that he might create in
himself the two into one new humanity, making peace,16and
that he might reconcile to God the two by means of one body,
through the cross, having killed the enmity in himself. 17And as
he came, he announced good-news of peace to y’all who are
far off, and peace to those near, 18because through him we
both have access to the Father by means of one Spirit.
19
Therefore then, y’all are no longer foreigners and immigrants,
but y’all are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of
God’s household family, 20having been built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, the cornerstone
being Messiah Jesus himself, 21in whom the entire building is
joined together, so that it can grow into a holy temple in the
Lord, 22in whom y’all too are being built together into a
dwelling-building of God, by means of the Spirit.

Chapter 3

1
For this reason, I Paul, the prisoner of the Messiah Jesus on
behalf of y’all the nations — 2if indeed y’all have heard of the
arranged plan of the grace of God which was given to me for
y’all, 3that it would be made known to me according to
revelation the open-secret, just as I earlier wrote about in brief,
4
into which you are, after reading, able to comprehend my
insight into the open-secret of the Messiah, 5which in other
generations was not made known to the sons of humanity as it
is now revealed by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets,
6
that the nations are co-inheritors and co-body-members and
co-possessors of the promise in Messiah Jesus through the
good-news, 7of which I became a servant according to the gift
of God’s grace which was given to me in accordance with the
working of his power. 8To me, the lowest-in-status of all the
holy ones, was given this grace, to announce good-news to the
nations of the incomprehensible richness of the Messiah, 9and
to illuminate for everyone what is the arranged-plan of the
open-secret which was hidden from the ages in God, who
created all things, 10in order that now would be made known, to
the rulers and to the authorities in the heavenlies, through the
church, the multi-faceted wisdom of God, 11in accordance with
the plan of the ages which he accomplished in Messiah Jesus
our Lord, 12in whom we have boldness and access with
confidence through his faithfulness [or: faith in him].
13
Therefore, I request that there be no discouragement about
my difficulties on your behalf, which are your glory.

14
For this reason, I bow my knee to the Father, 15from whom
every family-clan in the heavenlies and on the earth is named,
16
so that he would give to y’all, according to the richness of his
glory, power to be strengthened through his Spirit in your inner
human,17that the Messiah would dwell in your hearts through
faith, having been rooted and established in love 18so that y’all
would be empowered to comprehend along with all of the holy
ones what is the width and length and height and depth—19to
know the far-beyond knowing love of the Messiah so that y’all
would be filled up unto all the fullness of God.

20
Now to the one who is powerful beyond all things to do over
abundantly more than what we would ask or conceive,
according to the power which is at work in us, 21to him be glory
in the church and in Messiah Jesus for all generations of the
age of the ages, amen.

Chapter 4

1
Therefore I urge y’all, I the prisoner in the Lord, to walk in a
manner worthy of the calling with which y’all have been called,
2
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with
one another in love, 3being zealous to keep the one-ness of the
Spirit with the bond of peace: 4one body and one Spirit, just as
y’all were called by one hope of y’all’s calling, 5one Lord, one
faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of everyone, who is
over all and through all and in all.
7
But to each one of us was given grace/gift according to the
measure of the gift of the Messiah. 8Therefore it says:

“Having ascended to the height,

9
Now, what is “he ascended,” except that he also descended to
the lower regions of the land? 10The one who descended, he is
also the one who ascended high above all things in the
heavenly realms, in order that he might fulfill all things. 11And he
gave some on the one hand as apostles, and some prophets,
and some evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers,
12
for the equipping of the holy ones for the work of the
ministry, for the building of the body of the Messiah, 13until we
all attain unto the unity of the faith and unto the knowing of the
Son of God, unto a mature man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fullness of the Messiah, 14so that we might no
longer be babies, tossed by waves and driven by every wind of
teaching done by the trickery of humans, in the craftiness of a
scheme of deception, 15but doing-truth in love, let us grow up
in everything into him, who is the head, Messiah, 16from whom
all the body, being joined together and being united together
through every supporting joint, according to the working by
the measure of each one of the parts, produces the growth of
the body for the building up of itself in love.

17
Therefore I say and I testify by the Lord, and being united
together through every supporting joint, that you should walk
no longer as the nations walk in the futility of their
mindset,18having been in the dark in their mindset, estranged
from the life of God because of the ignorance which is in them,
on account of the hardness of their heart, 19who, after making
themselves calloused, they gave themselves over to a lack of
self-control resulting in deeds of every kind of impurity along
with insatiable desire. 20But in such a way you did not learn the
Messiah, 21if indeed you have heard of him and were taught in
him, as truth is in Jesus,22that y’all are to take off the old
humanity of y’all’s former way of life, which is being corrupted
by its deceptive desires, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of
your mind, 24and to put on the new humanity which has been
created in accordance with God, in justice and true piety.

25
Therefore, having put off the lie, “speak truth each one with
his neighbor,” because we are members of one another. 26“Be
angry and do not sin. ”Do not let the sun set on your anger,
27
and don’t give an opportunity to the slanderer. 28The one who
steals, let him no longer steal, but rather let him labor,
producing good with his own hands, so that he can have
something to share with the one who has need. 29Any rotten
word, don’t let it come out of y’all’s mouth, but only what is
good for building up what is needed, so that it might give
grace to those who hear. 30And do not grieve the holy Spirit of
God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31All
bitterness and anger and wrath and blasphemy, let it be taken
from you, along with all wickedness. 32But be kind to one
another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in
the Messiah forgave you.

Chapter 5

1
Therefore, become imitators of God as beloved children, 2and
walk in love, just as the Messiah loved us and gave himself as
an offering and a sacrifice to God as a pleasant aroma.
3
But sexual immorality and all impurity or greedy desire, should
not be named among y’all, as is fitting for holy ones, 4also
obscenity or foolish talk or inappropriate humor; such things
have no place, but rather grateful thanksgiving. 5For y’all
should surely know this: that no sexually immoral or impure or
greedy person (who is an idolator) has an inheritance in the
kingdom of the Messiah and of God.

6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, because on
account of such things the wrath of God comes upon the sons
of disobedience. 7Therefore, do not participate with them. 8For
you were at one time darkness, but now (you are) light in the
Lord. Walk as children of light 9for the fruit of the light is in all
goodness and justice and truth 10discerning what it is that
pleases the Lord, 11and don’t share together in the fruitless
deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For what is done
in hiding by them is shameful even to mention, 13but everything
that is exposed by the light is made visible, 14for everything that
is made visible is light. Therefore one says:

Awake, Sleeper!
Rise from among the dead ones!
And the Messiah will shine on you!

15
Therefore, watch carefully how y’all walk, not as unwise, but
as wise,16redeeming the time, for the days are evil. 17Because of
this, don’t be foolish, but discern what is the will of the Lord.
18
And don’t be drunk with wine, which is recklessness; but be
filled by the Spirit, 19speaking to each other in psalms, hymns,
and spiritual poems, creating poems and singing in y’all’s
hearts to the Lord, 20giving thanks always to God the Father for
all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah, 21submitting
to one another in reverence of the Messiah,

22
wives to their own husbands as to the Lord 23because the
husband is the head of the wife as the Messiah is head of the
church he the deliverer of the body. 24But as the church
submits to the Messiah, so also wive [submit] to their husbands
in every way.

25
Husbands, be loving your wives, as the Messiah loves the
church and gave himself on her behalf, 26so that he could set
her apart having purified by washing of water with a word, 27so
he could present the church to himself glorious, having no
stain or wrinkle or any such thing but that she would be set
apart and blameless. 28In this way, the husbands are obligated
to love their own wives as their own bodies; the one who loves
his own wife, loves himself. 29For no one ever hated his own
flesh, but he raises and nurses it, just as Messiah does for the
church, 30because we are members of his body. 31”For this
reason, a man will leave the father and mother and he will be
joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32This
open-secret is great, but I am speaking about the Messiah and
the church. 33Nevertheless, each one of y’all should love his
own wife in this way, and the wife should revere her husband.

Chapter 6

1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
2
“Honor your father and mother” which is the first
commandment with a promise 3“so that it may go well for you
and you will be in the land a long time.”

4
And fathers, do not provoke your children, but raise them in
the training and instruction of the Lord.

5
Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh, with serious
reverence, in sincerity of your heart, as to the Messiah, 6not as
a human-pleaser doing “eye-service” but as slaves of Messiah,
doing the will of God from your very being, 7with goodwill,
serving as to the Lord not humans, 8knowing that each person,
whatever good he might do, that one will receive from the
Lord, whether a slave or a freeman.

9
And masters, do the same things to them, giving up threats,
knowing that their Lord and your own is in the heavenlies, and
there is no favoritism with him. 10Finally, find strength in the
Lord and in the power of his might. 11Put on the full armor of
God, so that y’all have power to stand against the schemes of
the slanderer, 12because our battle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against
the cosmic-powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces
of evil in the heavenlies.13Because of this, take up the armor of
God, so that y’all have power to stand in resistance on the day
of evil, and having fulfilled one’s duty, to stand.14Stand,
therefore, having girded y’all’s loins with truth, and having put
on the breastplate of justice, 15and having tied y’all’s feet with
the good news of peace, 16in all situations having taken up the
shield of faith, by which y’all have power to extinguish the
flaming arrows of the evil one. 17And take the helmet of
salvation, and the Spirit’s sword, which is the word of God.

18
With every prayer and petition, praying on every occasion in
the Spirit, and for this reason staying alert with all endurance
and petition for all of the holy ones, 19and for me, so that a word
would be given to me when I open my mouth, to make known
with boldness the open-secret of the good news, 20on behalf of
which I am an ambassador in chains, so that by it I might be
bold as I am obligated to speak.
21
So that y’all also might know how things are with me, what
I’m doing, Tychicus will make everything known to y’all, that
beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, 22whom I sent
to y’all for this reason, so that y’all might know how things are
with us and that he might comfort y’all’s hearts.

23
Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith,
from God the father and from Lord Jesus the Messiah.
24
Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Messiah with
incorruptible [love].