https://www.humanreligions.info/ephesians.html
By Vexen Crabtree 2017
Included as holy:
Protestant Bibles
Title: Ephesians
Section: New Testament
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Next: Philippians
Catholic Bible
Title: Ephesians
Section: New Testament
Prev: Galatians
Next: Philippians
Eastern Orthodox Bibles
Title: Ephesians
Section: New Testament
Prev: Galatians
Next: Philippians
Rejected by:
Jewish Tanakh
The epistle to the Ephesians was written between 80-100 CE by an unknown author. Although Ephesians 1:1 claims that it is written by Paul, it certainly was not1. It was also not written to Christians in Ephesus - that's a phrase that was added to later copies of the manuscript2,3. The letter doesn't have a clear recipient - it contains none of Paul's usual friendliness and the personal details revealed in his other letters. Paul is writing in order to convince gentiles that they can be Christians without having to adopt most Jewish laws. Wives are to submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24), children are to obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1) and servants are to obey their masters (Ephesians 6:5). The epistle is full of pleas for Christians to be unitary and have peace between themselves (i.e. Ephesians 4:1-3) - the requirement for such a call may be the reason that the letter was forged. For such a small text, Ephesians manages to rack up quite a number of inconsistencies: it isn't written in the same simple Greek that Paul speaks and does not know Paul's life; it contradicts some core teachings of Jesus and contradicts the writings of Paul in his other letters.
#bible #christianity #epilepsy #gnosticism #mithraism #new_testament #paul
13 of the books of the Christian New Testament are the epistles (letters) of St. Paul, which form the oldest text in the New Testament4. Seven were probably written by Paul himself and six others have been written in his name by (anonymous) followers, some up to 80 years after his death. By the time the official Bible canon was produced, no-one knew that only some were genuine. The historical Paul probably did write 1 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Philemon and Romans. Letters forged in the name of Paul are 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Ephesians, Colossians and 2 Thessalonians.5,6,7,8. Paul was born in Tarsus as "Saul" and adopted the name of Paul after converting to what is now Christianity. He was an early leader of the growing Christian churches around the Roman Empire, and the writings of St. Paul are the earliest existing Christian writings known to historians. Despite this, Paul never met Jesus and appears to rely mostly on Greek myths and legends, many of which he copied, placing Jesus at the center of them instead of their original heroes.
For more, see:
Ephesians 1:1 makes the claim that the letter was written by Paul. It certainly was not. It was forged by someone in Paul's name. All ancient manuscripts differ from each other and the scribes that copied the letters made insertions and edits according to their own assumptions and beliefs. The ulterior motives and evidences for this in the case of the Ephesians are partially discussed on this page.
“[Professor J. Christiaan Beker wrote a] massive and influential study of Paul's theology, one of the truly great studies ever to be published on the matter. Beker was thoroughly convinced that Paul had not written Ephesians. [...] Today the majority of biblical scholars agree. Ephesians may sound like Paul, but when you start digging a bit deeper, large differences and discrepancies appear. [...]
A number of scholars think that whoever forged Ephesians used Colossians as one of this sources for how Paul wrote. Unfortunately, he used a book that Paul almost certainly did not write. [...]
Paul usually writes in short, pointed sentences; the sentences in Ephesians are long and complex. In Greek, the opening statement of thanksgiving (1:3-14) - all twelve verses - is one sentence. [...] In the hundred or so sentences in Ephesians, 9 of them are over 50 words in length. Compare this with Paul's own letters. Philippians, for example, has 102 sentences, only 1 over 50 words. The book also has an inordinate number of words that don't otherwise occur in Paul's writings, 116 altogether, well higher than average.”
The Catholic Encyclopedia iterates through several of the same shortcomings mentioned here and add some other details. The author of Ephesians engages in extended discussion of some themes that Paul doesn't expand upon in his other letters; Ephesians has a strong emphasis on the Church rather than on Christ (which makes sense if it was written later than expected). They do follow it up with some attempted justifications, but they are not convincing enough to reproduce here, and, research conducted since their Encyclopedia have anyway confirmed their concerns about Ephesians.
“The doctrines on justification, the Law, faith, the flesh, etc., that are characteristic of the great Pauline Epistles, are not totally lacking in the Epistle to the Ephesians, being recognizable in chapter ii (1-16). However, the writer's subject does not lead him to develop these particular doctrines [...] [ + EXPAND + ]
This Epistle, even more than that to the Colossians, is remarkable for the length of its periods. The first three chapters contain hardly more than three sentences and these are overladen with relative or participial causes that are simply strung together, frequently without being connected by the logical particles that occur so frequently in St. Paul. Each particular clause is itself encumbered with numerous prepositional modifiers (especially with en and syn) of which it is difficult to state the exact meaning. Often, too, several synonyms are in juxtaposition and in very many cases a noun has an explanatory genitive, the sense of which differs but very slightly from that of the noun itself.
For all of these reasons the language of the Epistle, heavy, diffuse, and languid, seems very different from the dialectical, animated, and vigorous style of the Apostle's uncontested letters.”"Epistle to the Ephesians" by P. Ladeuze (1909)3
The epistle is full of pleas for Christians to be unitary and to have peace between themselves. Chapter 4 in particular; Ephesians 4:3,13-14 says he is "endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit... till we all come in the unity of the faith... that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine". It was clearly written during a time when multiple Christian communities were debating fiercely amongst themselves (see: Types of Christianity in History: Who Were the First Christians?). The requirement for a call to unity may be the reason that the letter was forged and why it was addressed to no-one in particular - it was a circular, designed to be passed around. Naturally the call to unity was joined with the addition of a few subtle points of theology to indicate which true church the others should be uniting under. History was written by the victors, as they say, and this forged letter was duly included in the New Testament canon because it agreed with the opinions of the Church that won the battle - the Cappadocian/Nicenes/Pauline Christianity that we know today.
See:
In all of Paul's letters he greets people he knows lovingly and addresses them personally; even when talking to strangers he is friendly and familiar with them. So, we should expect to find the same features in this epistle too. Very early in his career, Paul visited Ephesus for three months (Acts 18:19-21). The very next year, he visited again for three years - this duration is mentioned in his farewell words to them in Acts 20:18-25 - Acts 20:31 in particular.
But this letter is coldly impersonal - the author of this Epistle did not know anyone at Ephesus. Also the author wasn't adequate at copying Paul's friendliness. The Catholic Encyclopedia states honestly that "the examination of the Epistle does not warrant the belief that it was addressed to the church in which the Apostle had sojourned longest"3.
The confusion can be ended with some historical evidence. The earliest manuscripts of Ephesians do not contain the address "to the Ephesians". Over a hundred years ago it had already been noted that Codices B and Aleph lack the words 'en Epheso' from Ephesians 1:13. It was only added to later copies of the manuscript2. Also one of the first and earliest Christian communities were the Marcionites; their tutor, Marcion, had this epistle addressed to the Laodiceans2 and Catholic Encyclopedia suspect it was addressed to Churches in Asia Minor that were not well known to Paul.
The only solution is to submit to the historical evidence, and cede that this letter was written by a forger a generation later than traditionally accepted, and was forged before the time when there were authorised collections of St Paul's letters in circulation from which the author might have learnt how to write more like Paul. It might be tempting to think that because the "Ephesians reference" was added later, therefore, it doesn't matter that the epistle doesn't reflect the truth about Paul's stay in Ephesus - it wasn't addressed to them, so, it is not a contradiction that he doesn't greet them personally. But that doesn't make sense. The editor who changed the text of this manuscript to add "to the Ephesians" could have known that Paul had been to Ephesus and therefore the addition wouldn't make sense. Therefore, the later editor did not yet have a collection of the books of Paul.
Ephesians was written at a time when there were multiple fractious communities of Christians, which also indicates a later composition - scholars state 80-100CE.
“In this forged letter, the author does not know Paul as well as we do now, with hindsight and with access to all of Paul's letters. So Ephesians says that Paul 'includes himself as someone who, before coming to Christ, was carried away by the 'passions of the flesh, doing the will of the flesh and senses.' This doesn't sound like the Paul of the undisputed letters, who says that he had been 'blameless' with respect to the 'righteousness of the law' (Phil. 3:4). There are other specific theological mistakes that the author of Ephesians makes with Pauline terminology.”
Paul, who battled with the apostles, who was distrusted and dismissed by them, and who went out of his way to find alternate sources of legitimacy than personal discipleship, is not one to put the apostles on a pedestal. And yet in Ephesians 3:5 the author has Paul call the apostles "holy". This mistake confirms two things; (1) Ephesians was not written by Paul, and (2) it was written later. Richard Heard says it "sounds strange from Paul's pen, although natural to a writer of the next generation"12.
“Paul always says that believers will be saved, when Christ returns, by the grace of God. But in Ephesians the future tense of Paul is forgotten, and believers are said to have already been saved. Not so, according to Paul. Likewise, in Paul's teachings (Romans 6:1-4 and 1 Corinthians 15 for example), dead Christians will be raised at the end of time, to enjoy their afterlife. But again in Ephesians, the author has moved this into the past tense and says that dead Christians are already 'up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places' (2:5-6). This is precisely the view that Paul argued against in his letters to the Corinthians!”
Ephesians 6:1-2 says "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise". But this text, written by someone in the name of Paul, manages to contradict Jesus and contradict the other letters of Paul.
But this isn't necessarily the vision of the rest of the New Testament.
Ephesians 6:1-2 Contradicts Jesus: The concept of "Honour Thy Parents" was washed away by Jesus in the New Testament. It contradicts Jesus, who says: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father ... and a man's foes shall be they of his own household" (Matthew 10:34-37 and Luke 12:51-53). And in Luke 14:25-26 and 18:29, Jesus says "If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple".
Jesus taught that Christian families must tear themselves apart, but, he also put into practice his dismissal of the family in his own personal life. Jesus in Mark 3:31-35 leaves his "brethren and his mother" outside after they call for him; giving no reason at all for shunning them. He instead says that instead of his family, his fans were his brethren and mother. Luke 2:41-49 tells a story of a 12-year-old Jesus; he wonders off for three days and his parents search for him, before finding him in a temple. They exclaim to him that they've been looking for him sorrowfully, and his cold response is covered by the last two verses of that story: "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them". In both places a little courtesy would have cost nothing. The lack of respect continues in another story in Luke:
“When one of his women listeners was so entranced by his teaching that she cried out 'Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts that you sucked!' Jesus shrugged off this praise of his mother. She was irrelevant: 'Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it.' (Luke 11:27-28).”
"The Gospel According to Woman: Christianity's Creation of the Sex War in the West" by Karen Armstrong (1986)13
Jesus only speaks to his mother three times in the Bible. The first time is the story above, where he reprimands her for not guessing where he was (when he was 12). The second time, at the feast in Cana, Jesus says to his mum, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?". And the third time was during the crucifixtion, when he said to her: "woman, behold thy son". Not a single positive comment from Jesus to his mum14! In "The Woman's Bible" by Elizabeth Cady Stanton15, the author despairs at the misogyny, and asks:
“How is it that not one word is said about the death of Mary, not one word about the death of Joseph? How did it happen that Christ did not visit his mother after his resurrection?”
"The Woman's Bible" by Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1898)14
Ephesians 6:1-2 Contradicts Other Letters of Paul when it cites the commandments of the Old Testament "for this is right", and yet, the forger of Ephesians obviously didn't have Paul's letter to the Romans at hand, in which Paul says the Old Testament laws no longer apply (Romans 3:28, 6:14, 7:6 and Romans 10:4). Paul also dismisses the Old Testament in Galatians 3:13 and 5:18. And the same in Colossians 2:14 where Paul also says to obey your parents, and masters. But doesn't cite the Old Testament. The author of the Epistle to the Ephesians didn't have the full collections of Paul's letters as we do now, and didn't know just how much of the rest of Paul he was contradicting!
KJV | YLT | Notes | |
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1 | And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; | Also you -- being dead in the trespasses and the sins, | Some comments on Ephesians 2:4-10 are on Is the Christian God Evil? Evidence from Scripture and Nature: 5. No Free Will in the New Testament For more on Ephesians 2:4-10 see Biblical Christianity Denies Free Will Ephesians 2:4-10: See Biblical Christianity Denies Free Will: 1.1. Ephesians Ephesians 2:4-10 appears on Monotheism and Free Will: God, Determinism and Fate: 4.1. Christianity Ephesians 2:4-10 appears on The Illusion of Choice: Free Will and Determinism: 7.3. Free Will in the Christian Bible Ephesians 2:5-6 is mentioned on this page in 5.2. Ephesians Moves Future Events of the Second Coming to the Present Ephesians 2:14-16 is referenced on The Old Testament Versus the New Testament: Do Christians Still Have to Observe OT Law?: 1. The Old Testament Versus the New Testament: Do Christians Still Have to Observe OT Law? Ephesians 2:14-16 comments: Biblical Dress Codes: God's Laws on Clothes: 3. All Laws of the Bible Must be Followed, Both Old and New For more on Ephesians 2:14-16 see The Gradual Instruction of Humankind by a Series of Prophets from God: 3.2. Christianity: Does the New Testament Represent a New Revelation Which Overrides the Jewish Scriptures? Ephesians 2:15 is referenced on SAB: Are the laws of the Old Testament still binding? Some Bible Verses Say Yes, Others Say No |
2 | Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: | in which once ye did walk according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, | |
3 | Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. | among whom also we all did walk once in the desires of our flesh, doing the wishes of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath -- as also the others, | |
4 | But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, | and God, being rich in kindness, because of His great love with which He loved us, | |
5 | Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) | even being dead in the trespasses, did make us to live together with the Christ, (by grace ye are having been saved,) | |
6 | And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: | and did raise `us' up together, and did seat `us' together in the heavenly `places' in Christ Jesus, | |
7 | That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. | that He might show, in the ages that are coming, the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus, | |
8 | For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: | for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you -- of God the gift, | |
9 | Not of works, lest any man should boast. | not of works, that no one may boast; | |
10 | For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. | for of Him we are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God did before prepare, that in them we may walk. | |
11 | Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; | Wherefore, remember, that ye `were' once the nations in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands, | |
12 | That at that time ye 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: | that ye were at that time apart from Christ, having been alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope, and without God, in the world; | |
13 | But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. | and now, in Christ Jesus, ye being once afar off became nigh in the blood of the Christ, | |
14 | For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; | for he is our peace, who did make both one, and the middle wall of the enclosure did break down, | |
15 | Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; | the enmity in his flesh, the law of the commands in ordinances having done away, that the two he might create in himself into one new man, making peace, | |
16 | And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: | and might reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity in it, | |
17 | And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. | and having come, he did proclaim good news -- peace to you -- the far-off and the nigh, | |
18 | For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. | because through him we have the access -- we both -- in one Spirit unto the Father. | |
19 | Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; | Then, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the household of God, | |
20 | And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; | being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being chief corner-`stone', | |
21 | In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: | in whom all the building fitly framed together doth increase to an holy sanctuary in the Lord, | |
22 | In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. | in whom also ye are builded together, for a habitation of God in the Spirit. |
KJV | YLT | Notes | |
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1 | For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, | For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you the nations, | Ephesians 3:5 is mentioned on this page in 5.1. The Author of the Epistle to the Ephesians Did Not Know Paul Well |
2 | If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: | if, indeed, ye did hear of the dispensation of the grace of God that was given to me in regard to you, | |
3 | How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, | that by revelation He made known to me the secret, according as I wrote before in few `words' -- | |
4 | Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) | in regard to which ye are able, reading `it', to understand my knowledge in the secret of the Christ, | |
5 | Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; | which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit -- | |
6 | That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: | that the nations be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in the Christ, through the good news, | |
7 | Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. | of which I became a ministrant, according to the gift of the grace of God that was given to me, according to the working of His power; | |
8 | Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; | to me -- the less than the least of all the saints -- was given this grace, among the nations to proclaim good news -- the untraceable riches of the Christ, | |
9 | And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: | and to cause all to see what `is' the fellowship of the secret that hath been hid from the ages in God, who the all things did create by Jesus Christ, | |
10 | To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, | that there might be made known now to the principalities and the authorities in the heavenly `places', through the assembly, the manifold wisdom of God, | |
11 | According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: | according to a purpose of the ages, which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord, | |
12 | In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. | in whom we have the freedom and the access in confidence through the faith of him, | |
13 | Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. | wherefore, I ask `you' not to faint in my tribulations for you, which is your glory. | |
14 | For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, | For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, | |
15 | Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, | of whom the whole family in the heavens and on earth is named, | |
16 | That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; | that He may give to you, according to the riches of His glory, with might to be strengthened through His Spirit, in regard to the inner man, | |
17 | That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, | that the Christ may dwell through the faith in your hearts, in love having been rooted and founded, | |
18 | May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; | that ye may be in strength to comprehend, with all the saints, what `is' the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, | |
19 | And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. | to know also the love of the Christ that is exceeding the knowledge, that ye may be filled -- to all the fulness of God; | |
20 | Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, | and to Him who is able above all things to do exceeding abundantly what we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us, | |
21 | Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. | to Him `is' the glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus, to all the generations of the age of the ages. Amen. |
KJV | YLT | Notes | |
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1 | I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, | Call upon you, then, do I -- the prisoner of the Lord -- to walk worthily of the calling with which ye were called, | Ephesians 4:1-3 is mentioned on this page in a different section Ephesians 4:3,13-14 comments in 3. The Call to Unity Makes Sense Only a Generation After Paul's Time Ephesians 4:24-25 appears on Instruct with Great Patience: How Christians Should Preach and Debate, According to the Bible Ephesians 4:24-25 is referenced on Scriptural Debating Style: Christians and Muslims Must be Patient and Courteous: 1. Christianity: With Patience, Gentleness and Respect |
2 | With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; | with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, | |
3 | Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. | being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of the peace; | |
4 | There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; | one body and one Spirit, according as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; | |
5 | One Lord, one faith, one baptism, | one Lord, one faith, one baptism, | |
6 | One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. | one God and Father of all, who `is' over all, and through all, and in you all, | |
7 | But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. | and to each one of you was given the grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, | |
8 | Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. | wherefore, he saith, `Having gone up on high he led captive captivity, and gave gifts to men,' -- | |
9 | (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? | and that, he went up, what is it except that he also went down first to the lower parts of the earth? | |
10 | He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) | he who went down is the same also who went up far above all the heavens, that He may fill all things -- | |
11 | And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; | and He gave some `as' apostles, and some `as' prophets, and some `as' proclaimers of good news, and some `as' shepherds and teachers, | |
12 | For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: | unto the perfecting of the saints, for a work of ministration, for a building up of the body of the Christ, | |
13 | Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: | till we may all come to the unity of the faith and of the recognition of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to a measure of stature of the fulness of the Christ, | |
14 | That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; | that we may no more be babes, tossed and borne about by every wind of the teaching, in the sleight of men, in craftiness, unto the artifice of leading astray, | |
15 | But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: | and, being true in love, we may increase to Him `in' all things, who is the head -- the Christ; | |
16 | From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. | from whom the whole body, being fitly joined together and united, through the supply of every joint, according to the working in the measure of each single part, the increase of the body doth make for the building up of itself in love. | |
17 | This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, | This, then, I say, and I testify in the Lord; ye are no more to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind, | |
18 | Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: | being darkened in the understanding, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart, | |
19 | Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. | who, having ceased to feel, themselves did give up to the lasciviousness, for the working of all uncleanness in greediness; | |
20 | But ye have not so learned Christ; | and ye did not so learn the Christ, | |
21 | If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: | if so be ye did hear him, and in him were taught, as truth is in Jesus; | |
22 | That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; | ye are to put off concerning the former behaviour the old man, that is corrupt according to the desires of the deceit, | |
23 | And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; | and to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, | |
24 | And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. | and to put on the new man, which, according to God, was created in righteousness and kindness of the truth. | |
25 | Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. | Wherefore, putting away the lying, speak truth each with his neighbour, because we are members one of another; | |
26 | Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: | be angry and do not sin; let not the sun go down upon your wrath, | |
27 | Neither give place to the devil. | neither give place to the devil; | |
28 | Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. | whoso is stealing let him no more steal, but rather let him labour, working the thing that is good with the hands, that he may have to impart to him having need. | |
29 | Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. | Let no corrupt word out of your mouth go forth, but what is good unto the needful building up, that it may give grace to the hearers; | |
30 | And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. | and make not sorrowful the Holy Spirit of God, in which ye were sealed to a day of redemption. | |
31 | Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: | Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice, | |
32 | And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. | and become one to another kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as also God in Christ did forgive you. |
KJV | YLT | Notes | |
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1 | Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. | The children! obey your parents in the Lord, for this is righteous; | Ephesians 6:1 comments in a different section Ephesians 6:1-2 is mentioned on this page in 5.3. Ephesians 6:1-2 (Obey and Honour Your Parents) Contradictions Ephesians 6:2 appears on Christian Moral Theory and Morality in Action: Biblical Morals and Social Disaster: 4.4. The Good For more on Ephesians 6:5 see Religion and Abolition of the Historical Slave Trade: 3.4. The New Testament Ephesians 6:5: See Christian Moral Theory and Morality in Action: Biblical Morals and Social Disaster: 6.5.2. The New Testament For more on Ephesians 6:5 see St Paul - History, Biblical Epistles, Gnosticism and Mithraism: 8. A Few of Paul's Funky Laws Ephesians 6:5 is discussed on this page in a different section |
2 | Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; | honour thy father and mother, | |
3 | That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. | which is the first command with a promise, `That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live a long time upon the land.' | |
4 | And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. | And the fathers! provoke not your children, but nourish them in the instruction and admonition of the Lord. | |
5 | Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; | The servants! obey the masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to the Christ; | |
6 | Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; | not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but as servants of the Christ, doing the will of God out of soul, | |
7 | With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: | with good-will serving, as to the Lord, and not to men, | |
8 | Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. | having known that whatever good thing each one may do, this he shall receive from the Lord, whether servant or freeman. | |
9 | And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. | And the masters! the same things do ye unto them, letting threatening alone, having known that also your Master is in the heavens, and acceptance of persons is not with him. | |
10 | Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. | As to the rest, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; | |
11 | Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. | put on the whole armour of God, for your being able to stand against the wiles of the devil, | |
12 | For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. | because we have not the wrestling with blood and flesh, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual things of the evil in the heavenly places; | |
13 | Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. | because of this take ye up the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to resist in the day of the evil, and all things having done -- to stand. | |
14 | Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; | Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about in truth, and having put on the breastplate of the righteousness, | |
15 | And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; | and having the feet shod in the preparation of the good-news of the peace; | |
16 | Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. | above all, having taken up the shield of the faith, in which ye shall be able all the fiery darts of the evil one to quench, | |
17 | And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: | and the helmet of the salvation receive, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the saying of God, | |
18 | Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; | through all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and in regard to this same, watching in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints -- | |
19 | And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, | and in behalf of me, that to me may be given a word in the opening of my mouth, in freedom, to make known the secret of the good news, | |
20 | For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. | for which I am an ambassador in a chain, that in it I may speak freely -- as it behoveth me to speak. | |
21 | But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: | And that ye may know -- ye also -- the things concerning me -- what I do, all things make known to you shall Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful ministrant in the Lord, | |
22 | Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts. | whom I did send unto you for this very thing, that ye might know the things concerning us, and that he might comfort your hearts. | |
23 | Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. | Peace to the brethren, and love, with faith, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ! | |
24 | Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. | The grace with all those loving our Lord Jesus Christ -- undecayingly! Amen. |