መልእክተ፡ ጳውሎስ፡ ኀበ፡ ሰብአ፡ ኤፌሶን፡

Chapter 1 Concerning the Incarnation of Christ From Paul, the apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and the believers in Jesus Christ. Peace to you and the grace of God, our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. May God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, be blessed, who blessed us with every blessing of the Holy Spirit, which is in the heavens through Christ Jesus. As he chose us for himself before the world was created, that he might make us holy and pure before him without blemish. And by his love he ordained for us the dispensation of his Son, concerning Jesus Christ, according to the consent of his will. For the glory and praise, by his grace which he bestowed upon us through his beloved Son. On account of which we have found salvation, and the forgiveness of our sins through his blood, according to the abundance of his grace.

He has poured out upon us all wisdom and counsel, and he has shown us the counsel of his will according to his pleasure, in that he has created us for his sake. And he has established it until his age is fulfilled, so that all that is in heaven and on earth may be renewed. And he has divided us in that which he has created, the Lord, and he has helped us according to the counsel of his will, so that he may give us counsel and praise to those who have trusted in Christ Jesus. And you also have heard the word of righteousness, the teaching of your life, and you have believed and have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, which he has bestowed. Which is the pledge of our inheritance and the salvation of our life in the glory of his praise, by reason of the hope of his covenant. And because of this, I have heard of your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and how you love all the saints. And I also have remembered you for your sake and have made mention of you in my prayer, so that the Lord God, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and may reveal to you that you may know.

And he will enlighten the eyes of your hearts, and you will know what his hope is for your calling, and what is the abundance of the glory of the inheritance of the saints. And what is the strength of the firm power that is above us, for those who believe, according to the greatness of the power that he wrought in Christ? He who raised him from the dead and set him at his right hand in the heavens, above all angels, archangels, powers, lords, and every name that is named—not only in this world, but also in the world to come. And he made all things subject under his feet. And him, who is above all, he appointed as head of the Church, which is his body. And he is the completion of all, and he completes all in all. Chapter 2 Concerning deliverance from sin through Christ. And you also, while you are dead in your sin, by which you have gone astray after the possession of the ordinance of this world, like the desire of an angel, the ruler of the vision of the wind, which now deceives the children of the heretics.

And we also, all of us, were a burden in the desire of our flesh, and we did the will of our flesh and what we had, and we were children of wrath like all sinners. But the Lord, by the breadth of his glory and by the abundance of his love which he loved us, while we were dead in our sin, he gave us life in Christ and saved us by his grace. And he raised us up and placed us with him in the heavens, through Jesus Christ, so that he might show in the world which is to come the abundance of his grace, by his mercy which he multiplied through Jesus Christ. For by his grace we are saved, and by faith; and his grace belongs to the Lord, and it is not theirs. And it is not by our deeds, as if there is none who can be praised. For his deed is that he created us through Jesus Christ for good works, the Lord having first prepared a way in which we might live, reminding us of the former life. And you, the nations, remember the burden of the law of the flesh which you have; and the people of circumcision will tell you, and the people of circumcision will tell you this. For circumcision is a work of the hand of man which is done on the flesh.

And they did not know Christ, who is the one who reconciled and united you who were far from the law of Israel and strangers to the ordinance of hope, and you had no heart, and they did not know God in the world. And now, only you who were far off have approached through the blood of Christ, the peace of both. For he is our peace, who made them one for both of them, and he removed the veil of the middle with his flesh. And he destroyed enmity and abolished the law of commandment with his ordinance, so that he might make them one new thing for both of them, and he made peace. And he brought both of them together in his one flesh to God on his cross, and he killed enmity there. And he came and gave us peace for the far-off and peace for the near. For he is our guide and brought both of us to his Father through the Holy Spirit, the state of the people of his house. From now on, you are no longer a stranger and a foreigner. Rather, you are the people of their city, the saints, and the people of the house of God.

For you have been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ is the head cornerstone of the building, in whom all the building dwells and the shelter of his sanctuary for God is made firm. And you yourselves have been built as a dwelling place of God in the Holy Spirit. Chapter 3 How he revealed the mystery of his incarnation to the apostles And I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ, say this to you Gentiles. When you heard of the gift of grace of God which he gave to me for your sake, for he revealed counsel to me and showed me how I wrote to you briefly. In which you may understand, when you read and perceive my mind in the counsel of Christ, which no other generation of the children of the sons of men understood, as now it has been revealed to the holy apostles and his prophets in the Holy Spirit, that he might grant to the Gentiles his inheritance and his flesh, and that they might dwell in hope in Jesus Christ through the teaching of the Gospel.

For this I have been sent, I, the least and the lowly, as the gift of his grace which he gave to me by the power of his might. To me, who am lower than all the saints, he gave this grace of his, as if from among them, for the nations, the greatness of Christ which has no bound, and he revealed it to all, concerning the hidden counsel. What is the ordinance of this hidden counsel, which is hidden from the world, with God who created all? So that now it may be known to the ancients and to the angels who are in the heavens, concerning the church, the wisdom of God, which has many forms. Which he ordained from before the world and completed in Jesus Christ our Lord. In whom we have found grace and favor, and he led us into the hope of faith. And concerning this, I have confessed to God, that my suffering which I received for your sake may not be cut off, for your honor. And I bow to the Father with the knee of my heart. Whom all the travelers in the heavens and on the earth call upon.

as I have given you according to the greatness of his praise, and I will strengthen you by the power of the Holy Spirit, on account of the presence of Christ in the heart of man. For it is within man that Christ dwells by faith in your heart through love, while it becomes a firm root and foundation for you, so that you may be able to be found with all the saints. What is his mercy, his grace, his compassion, and his favor? To ask for much understanding of the love of Christ, so that you may be perfected in every end for God. That which is able to strengthen you, you shall do all, and you shall multiply that which is little and that which is great, as his power helps us. Whose is praise in the church, in Jesus Christ, in every generation and forever and ever. Amen. Chapter 4 Concerning the calling of the faithful and the bond of peace. I have besought you, I, the humble in Christ, that you may walk in that which is fitting for your calling, to which you have been called, while you humble your heads in every gift, and you are patient, and you say, "Yes," to your neighbor, and you strive for love and unity.

and be on guard with one spirit and in the bond of peace, so that you may be one body and one spirit, as I have called you to your one hope. One Lord, one faith, and one baptism. And one Lord, the Father of all, who is above all, and from whom is all, and who is in all. And to each one of us his grace has been given according to the measure of his gift for Christ, on account of the descent and ascent of Christ. For he said, “He ascended into the height; your dust is dust, and you gave your grace to the son of the living one.” And what then is his ascent, when he descended beneath the earth? He who descended is the same, and he who ascended is the same. And he who is above the heavens, that he may fulfill all. And it is he who gave grace and crowned us, and appointed from among his own people apostles, and from among them prophets and teachers, and from among them the righteous and from among them the laity, by which the saints are strengthened for the work of his mission and for the building up of the body of Christ.

until we are all one in the faith and in the understanding of the Son of God, and we become as one perfect man, full of the measure of the fullness of Christ. So that we may not be like children who are shaken and troubled by every wind, at the vanity of the teaching of the children of men, who are puffed up in their ignorance as if to deceive. But let us be justified rather in love, and let us increase in all that is in us in Christ, who is the head. In whom every body dwells and is united in every member, each according to the measure of his gift, which is given to each one individually from the gifts, in what the body lacks, and it is completed as its building is completed in love, because of separation from the Gentiles. This I say and make heard to the Lord for your sake, that you may not walk as the Gentiles who walk according to the thought of their heart. And their thought is dark, and they are alienated from the life of God by their pride and the darkness of their heart.

those whose hopes are cut off, and who have bowed their heads to shame, to filth, and to defilement. But you are not like that, you who have been taught Christ. And if you truly listen to him and are instructed by him, righteousness; for righteousness is in Jesus Christ. The interpretation of the Geʿez text is as follows: The interpretation is from me, your Geʿez text. I speak concerning the old man who is tested by the desire of the flesh. Renew the spirit of your heart. And clothe the new man, whom God has renewed in righteousness, in uprightness, and in purity. And because of this, abandon falsehood and speak righteousness, all of you, with your strength; for we are one body. Be amazed and do not be ashamed, and before the sun sets, hasten your repentance. And do not give a path to Satan. Let him who would steal not steal, but let him work; and let him who would fast, fast, with his own hands, for the good, in that which helps the needy. And let every word that is sealed not come out of your mouth, except for good, in that which builds up your character, so that those who hear you may find favor.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit, who has covered you since you were saved. All bitterness, curse, wrath, malediction, and hatred, and shame—remove them from yourselves, along with every evil. And be merciful in your zeal, and be reconciled among yourselves, as God reconciled you through Christ. Chapter 5 On Likeness to God Be like God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved you. And offer yourself as a sacrifice and offering to God for a good fragrance. But let no slander, nor any impurity, nor deceit be heard among you, as is fitting for the saints. And let no word of shame, nor word of ruin, nor word of mockery that is not fitting be spoken, except to condemn evil in its place. And know this: that everything that is foul, impure, perverse, and abominable has no place in the kingdom of Christ, which is God's.

There is none who will lead you astray with vain words, for soon the wrath of God will come upon the children of iniquity. Do not liken yourselves to them, for you were darkness, but now you have become light through our Lord. Walk as children of light. For the fruit of light is every good deed, righteousness, and mercy, on account of the counsel that pleases God. And counsel that which pleases God. And do not associate with those who have no fruit of deed, who are of darkness entirely; rather, rebuke them. For those who act in secret bring shame upon the day. And whatever is hidden, all of it is known in the light, for everything that is manifest is light. For it is said, "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine for you." Arise now, for you have been transformed like the wise in purity, and not like the lost. While you diminish this world, for its days are evil.

Concerning this, do not be destroyers, but rather fulfill the will of God. And do not become drunk with wine, for it is bitterness, but rather be filled with the Holy Spirit. And recite psalms, praise, and holy hymns; glorify and sing to God with your heart. And always bow down for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father, concerning the builder of the house. Humble your heads to your knees in the fear of God. And women also shall be obedient to their husbands, as to our Lord. For the man is the head of the woman, as Christ is the head of the Church and the savior of her body. And as the Church is obedient to Christ, so also women shall be obedient to their husbands in all things. Husbands shall love their wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for her. As he sanctifies and purifies through the water of baptism and through his word.

And give honor to the church, so that it may not find filth and defilement upon it, but rather that it may be pure and holy. Likewise, husbands should love their wives as their own souls. He who loves his wife loves himself, and there is no one who can hate his own body completely. Feed and clothe her as Christ does the church, for she is a member of his body. And because of this, a man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh. This is a great matter, and I speak it concerning Christ and concerning the church. But you also, all of you, love your wives likewise as your own souls, and a wife also fears her husband. Chapter 6 Concerning Children and Parents Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is righteousness. And the first commandment in the law: honor your father and your mother.

...so that it may be good for you and prolong your days upon the earth. And you, fathers, do not neglect your children, but rather nurture and discipline them in the teaching of God, on account of the master and their lords. And you, masters, obey your lords, those who rule over you in your flesh, with fear and trembling and a humble heart, as for Christ. And not as one who serves the eye of man, but as servants of Christ, those who do the will of God. And with your whole soul, submit to them in love, as for God, and not as for man. While knowing that every good deed is stored up with God, whether of a master or of a lord. And you, lords, do rightly for them, while restraining your anger and forgiving them their offenses. Know that with you the Lord in heaven, who does not look upon the face, on account of the struggle with the spirits. For be strong in God and in the strength of his power.

...and put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist the princes of Satan. For you have already fought with those of flesh and blood, without the princes of darkness and evil demons who are under the sky. And because of this, take up the armor of God, that you may be able to resist the evil day, and be steadfast in all things, that you may prevail. Stand now, with your loins girded with righteousness, and put on the garment of zeal for righteousness. Take up the power of the Gospel, which is in peace. And with all this, take up the weapon of the field of faith, that you may be able to destroy all the thorns of the evil root. And take up the sword of salvation over your head, and take up the sword of the Holy Spirit in your hands, which is the word of God, through prayer and vigilance. In all prayer and supplication, as you pray at all times, be vigilant in spirit, and be constant in prayer at all times for all the saints.

And concerning me, as he gave me the word, and my mouth is silent, that I may declare openly the mystery of the teaching. Concerning her, I speak the truth, that I may declare openly concerning her. As it is fitting, I declare. And if you wish, you yourselves also know my story, how I do everything. Tychicus, our brother whom we love, sent by the Lord God, the faithful, will inform you. I have sent him to you for this reason, that you may know my story, and your heart may rejoice. Peace to our brothers, and love with faith from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. And his grace with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with perfect love. Amen.