:

ticular, he recommends union, purity of manners, veracity, and meekness he enjoins charity, and forbids every species of licentiousness; he enforces the duty of wives, of husbands, of children, of fathers, of servants, of masters; he recommends watchfulness and firmness in the Christian warfare; and concludes the epistle with a general benediction.

CHAP. I.

1 After the salutation, 3 and thanksgiving for the Ephesians, 4 he treateth of our election, 6 and adoption by grace, 11 which is the true and proper fountain of man's salvation: 13 and because the height of this mystery cannot easily be attained unto, 16 he prayeth that they may come 18 to the full knowledge and 20 possession thereof in Christ.

A. D. 64. PAUL, an apostle by the will of God, to the at Ephesus, and to the

c

Jesus :

of Jesus Christ saints which are faithful in Christ

2 Grace be to you,' and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places 2 in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him 2 things. chap. vi. 12. A. V. CHAP. I.

1 with you. Co. Bi.

a See on 1 COR. i. 1.

b See on 2 Cor. i. 1.

See Acтs, chapters xix. xx.

41 Cor. iv. 17: Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord. EPH. vi. 21: Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord. CoL. i. 2: To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ.

See on ROM. i. 7.

f See on ROм. XV. 6.

* Ver. 17. MAT. xxvii. 46: Jesus-My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? JOHN, XX. 17: Jesus saith-Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

h ROM. viii. 28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 2 THES. ii. 13: But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the

k

i before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love :

5 'Having predestinated us unto the "adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, "according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, P wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. JAMES, ii. 5: Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 1 PET. i. 2: Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you,, and peace, be multiplied.

i See on 2 TIM. i. 9.

TIT. ii. 12: Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. See on 1 COR. i. 8.

Ver. 11. ROM. viii. 29, 30: Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called.

m 2 COR. vi. 18: And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. See on ROM. viii. 15.

n Ver. 9. MAT. xi. 26: Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. LUKE, xii. 32: Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 1 COR. i. 21: For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

1 PET. ii. 9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

PROM. iii. 24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." do. v. 15: But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded

unto many.

7 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9 "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the

fulness of times he might gather together in one all things

Χ

1 PET. ii. 5: Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

'MAT. iii. 17: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. do. xvii. 5: While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. JOHN, iii. 35: The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. do. x. 17: Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

ROM. iii. 24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. See on ACTS, xx. 28.

u

V

See on ROM. ii. 4.

See on ROM. xvi. 25. ·

See on 2 TIM. i. 9.

See on MARK, i. 15.

* GEN. xlix. 10: Unto him [Shiloh] shall the gathering of the people be. ISA. xlii. 4: The isles shall wait for his law. HAG. ii. 7: The desire of all nations shall come. 1 COR. iii. 22, 23: Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. do. xi. 3 : The head of every man is Christ. 'EPH. ii. 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. do. iii. 15: Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

Y PHI. ii. 9, 10: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. COL. i. 20: By him to reconcile all things unto himself.

in Christ, both which are in heaven,3 and which are on earth; even in him:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being a predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye e heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased

h

3 Gr. the heavens. A. V.

k

hoped. A. V.

TIT. iii. 7: That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. JAMES, ii. 5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? See on Acts, xx. 32. a See on ver. 5.

b ISA. xlvi. 10, 11: Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

© Ver. 6, 14. 2 THES. ii. 13: But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. See on 1 COR. X. 31.

d See on HEB. xii. 23.

ROM. X. 17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

JOHN, i. 17: The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 2 COR. vi. 7: By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness. 8 See on ROM. viii. 16.

h See on ROM. viii. 16.

i LUKE, xxi. 28: When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. ROM. viii. 23: And not only they, but our

possession, unto the praise of his glory. 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge

of him :

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

$ for the acknowledgement. COL. ii. 4. A. V.

selves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. EPH. iv. 30: Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

* ACTS, xx. 28: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

1 Ver. 6, 12.

TM COL. i. 3, 4 : We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints. PHILE. 5: Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints.

P1 COR. xii. 8: To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. do. xiv. 6: What shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? CoL. i. 9: We-do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge" of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

4 See on ACTS, xxvi. 18.

EPH. ii. 12: do. iv. 4: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.

EPH. iii. 16: That he would grant you, according to the