Efesus 3:20

3:20 Now to him who by the power that is working within us ¹  is able to do far beyond ²  all that we ask or think,

Efesus 4:15

4:15 But practicing the truth in love, ³  we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.

Efesus 4:28

4:28 The one who steals must steal no longer; rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need.

Efesus 5:3

5:3 But ⁴  among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, ⁵  or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. ⁶ 

Efesus 5:28

5:28 In the same way ⁷  husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

¹ sn On the power that is working within us see 1:19-20.

² tn Or “infinitely beyond,” “far more abundantly than.”

³ tn The meaning of the participle ἀληθεύοντες (alhqeuonte"; from the verb ἀληθεύω [alhqeuw]) is debated. In classical times the verb could mean “to speak the truth,” or “to be true, to prove true.” In the LXX it appears five times (Gen 20:16; 42:16; Prov 21:3; Isa 44:26; Sir 34:4) and translates four different Hebrew words; there it is an ethical term used of proving or being true, not with the idea of speaking the truth. In the NT the only other place the verb appears is in Gal 4:16 where it means “to speak the truth.” However, in Ephesians the concept of “being truthful” is the best sense of the word. In contrast to the preceding verse, where there are three prepositional phrases to denote falsehood and deceit, the present word speaks of being real or truthful in both conduct and speech. Their deceit was not only in their words but also in their conduct. In other words, the believers’ conduct should be transparent, revealing the real state of affairs, as opposed to hiding or suppressing the truth through cunning and deceit. See H. W. Hoehner, Ephesians, 564-65, and R. Bultmann, TDNT 1:251.

⁴ tn The term “But” translates the δέ (de) in a contrastive way in light of the perfect obedience of Jesus in vv. 1-2 and the vices mentioned in v. 3.

⁵ tn Grk “all impurity.”

⁶ tn Grk “just as is fitting for saints.” The καθώς (kaqws) was rendered with “as” and the sense is causal, i.e., “for” or “because.” The negative particle “not” (“for these are not proper for the saints”) in this clause was supplied in English so as to make the sense very clear, i.e., that these vices are not befitting of those who name the name of Christ.

⁷ tn Grk “So also.”