Efesus 1:7

1:7 In him ¹  we have redemption through his blood, ²  the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

Efesus 1:11

1:11 In Christ ³  we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, ⁴  since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will

Efesus 2:10

2:10 For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. ⁵ 

Efesus 3:5

3:5 Now this secret ⁶  was not disclosed to people ⁷  in former ⁸  generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by ⁹  the Spirit,

Efesus 3:7

3:7 I became a servant of this gospel ¹⁰  according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by ¹¹  the exercise of his power. ¹² 

Efesus 3:20

3:20 Now to him who by the power that is working within us ¹³  is able to do far beyond ¹⁴  all that we ask or think,

Efesus 6:16

6:16 and in all of this, ¹⁵  by taking up the shield ¹⁶  of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

Efesus 6:22

6:22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances ¹⁷  and that he may encourage your hearts.

[1:7]  ¹ tn Grk “in whom” (the relative clause of v. 7 is subordinate to v. 6). The “him” refers to Christ.

[1:7]  ² sn In this context his blood, the blood of Jesus Christ, refers to the price paid for believers’ redemption, which is the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross.

[1:11]  ³ tn Grk “in whom,” as a continuation of the previous verse.

[1:11]  ⁴ tn Grk “we were appointed by lot.” The notion of the verb κληρόω (klhrow) in the OT was to “appoint a portion by lot” (the more frequent cognate verb κληρονομέω [klhronomew] meant “obtain a portion by lot”). In the passive, as here, the idea is that “we were appointed [as a portion] by lot” (BDAG 548 s.v. κληρόω 1). The words “God’s own” have been supplied in the translation to clarify this sense of the verb. An alternative interpretation is that believers receive a portion as an inheritance: “In Christ we too have been appointed a portion of the inheritance.” See H. W. Hoehner, Ephesians, 226-27, for discussion on this interpretive issue.

[1:11]  sn God’s own possession. Although God is not mentioned explicitly in the Greek text, it is clear from the context that he has chosen believers for himself. Just as with the nation Israel, the church is God’s chosen portion or possession (cf. Deut 32:8-9).

[2:10]  ⁵ tn Grk “so that we might walk in them” (or “by them”).

[2:10]  sn So that we may do them. Before the devil began to control our walk in sin and among sinful people, God had already planned good works for us to do.

[3:5]  ⁶ tn Grk “which.” Verse 5 is technically a relative clause, subordinate to the thought of v. 4.

[3:5]  ⁷ tn Grk “the sons of men” (a Semitic idiom referring to human beings, hence, “people”).

[3:5]  ⁸ tn Grk “other.”

[3:5]  ⁹ tn Or “in.”

[3:7]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “of which I was made a minister,” “of which I became a servant.”

[3:7]  ¹¹ tn Grk “according to.”

[3:7]  ¹² sn On the exercise of his power see 1:19-20.

[3:20]  ¹³ sn On the power that is working within us see 1:19-20.

[3:20]  ¹⁴ tn Or “infinitely beyond,” “far more abundantly than.”

[6:16]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “in everything.”

[6:16]  ¹⁶ sn The Greek word translated shield (θυρεός, qureos) refers to the Roman soldier’s large rectangular wooden shield, called in Latin scutum, about 4 ft (1.2 m) high, covered with leather on the outside. Before a battle in which flaming arrows might be shot at them, the soldiers wet the leather covering with water to extinguish the arrows. The Roman legionaries could close ranks with these shields, the first row holding theirs edge to edge in front, and the rows behind holding the shields above their heads. In this formation they were practically invulnerable to arrows, rocks, and even spears.

[6:22]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “the things concerning us.”