Ephesians

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This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
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visit LibriVox dot org. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians from
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the World English Bible, read by Leon Meyer, Chapter one.
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Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the will of God,
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to the saints who at Ephesus and the faithful in Christ.
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Jesus Grace to you in peace from God, our Father
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and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and
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Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who has blessed us
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with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
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even as He chose us in him before the foundation
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of the world, that we would be wholly and without
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blemish before Him in love, having predestined us for adoption
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as children through Jesus Christ, to himself according to the
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good pleasure of his desire, to the praise of the
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glory of his grace, by which he freely bestowed favor
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on us and the beloved in whom we have our
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redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according
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to the riches of His grace which he made to
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abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, making known
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to us the mystery of his will according to his
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good pleasure, which he proposed in him to an administration
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on the fullness of the times, to sum up all
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things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the
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things on earth, in Him, in whom also we are
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assigned in inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose
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of Him who works all things after the counsel of
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His will, to the end that we should be to
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the praise of His glory. We who had before hoped
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in Christ, in whom you also having heard the word
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of the truth, the good news of your salvation, in
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whom having also believed, you were sealed with the holy
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spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance
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for the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise
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of His glory. For this cause, I also, having heard
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of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you,
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and the love which you have toward all the saints,
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don't cease to give thanks for you, making mention of
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you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord
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Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give to you
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a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
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having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may
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know what is the hope of his calling, and what
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are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in
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the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His
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power toward us who believe, according to that working of
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the strength of his might, which he worked in Christ,
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when he raised him from the dead and made him
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to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places,
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far above all role and authority, and power and dominion
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in every name that is named, not only in this age,
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but also in that which is to come. He put
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all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him
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to be head over all things, for the assembly which
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is his body, the fullness of Him who feels all
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in all. Chapter two. You were made alive when you
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were dead in transgressions and sins in which you once walked,
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according to the course of this world, according to the
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Prince of the powers of the air, the spirit who
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now works in the children of disobedience, among whom we
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also once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing
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the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and
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were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
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But God, being rich in mercy for his great love
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with which he loved us, even when we are dead,
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through our trust, made us alive together with Christ. By
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grace you have been saved and raised us up with Him,
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and made us to sit with Him in the heavenly
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places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come,
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He might show the exceeding riches of His grace and
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kindness toward us in Christ Jesus, for by grace you
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have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves.
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It is the gift of God, not of works, that
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no one would boast, for we are His workmanship, created
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in Christ Jesus, for good works which God prepared before
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that we would walk in them. Therefore, remember that once you,
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the gentiles in the flesh, who were called uncircumcision by
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that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by hands,
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that you were at that time separate from Christ, alien,
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made from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the
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covenants of the Promise, having no hope and without God.
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But now in Christ Jesus, You who once were far off,
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are made near in the blood of Christ. For He
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is our peace, who made both one and broke down
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the middle wall of partition, having abolished in the flesh
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the hostility the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that
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he might create in himself one new man of the two,
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making peace, and might reconcile them both in one body
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to God through the Cross, having killed the hostility. Thereby
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he came and preached peace to you who were far off,
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and to those who were near, For through him we
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both have our access in one spirit to the Father.
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So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but
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you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the
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household of God, being built on the foundation of the
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apostles and prophets, Christ, Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone,
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in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a
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holy temple in the Lord, and whom you also are
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built for a habitation of God in the Spirit. Chapter three.
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For this cause I call am the prisoner of Christ's
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Jesus on behalf of you gentiles. If it is so
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that you have heard of the administration of that grace
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of God which was given me toward you, how that
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by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as
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I wrote before, in few words, by which when you
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read you can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ,
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which in other generations was not made known to the
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children of men, as it has now been revealed to
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His Holy apostles and prophets, in the spirit that the
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gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the Body,
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and fellow partakers of His promise in Christ Jesus, through
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the good news of which I was made a servant,
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according to the gift of that grace of God which
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was given me, according to the working of the same
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power to me, the very least of all saints. Was
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this grace given to preach to the gentiles the unsearchable
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riches of Christ, and to make all men see what
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is the administration of the mystery which for ages has
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been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ,
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to the intent that now, through the assembly the manifold
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wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities
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and the powers in the heavenly places, according to the
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eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord,
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and whom we have boldness and access and confidence through
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our faith in Him. Therefore I ask that you may
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not lose heart and my troubles for you, which are
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your glory. For this cause I bow my knees to
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the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, from whom every
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family in heaven and on earth is named, that he
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would grant you according to the riches of his glory,
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that you may be strengthened with power through His spirit
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and the inward man Christ may dwell in your hearts
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through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and
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grounded in love, may be strengthened to comprehend with all
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the saints, what is the breadth and length, and height
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and depth, And to know Christ's love which surpasses knowledge,
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that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
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Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
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above all that we ask or think, according to the
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power that works on us, to Him be the glory
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in the assembly and in Christ Jesus, to all generations,
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forever and ever. Amen. Chapter four. I. Therefore the prisoner
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and the Lord beg you to walk worthily of the
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calling with which he recalled, with all lowliness and humility,
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with patience, bearing with one another in love, being eager
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to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond
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of peace. There is one body and one spirit, even
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as you are all also called in one hope of
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your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God
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and Father of all, who is over all and through all,
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and in us all. But to each one of us
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was the grace given according to the measure of the
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gift of Christ. Therefore, he says, when he ascended on high,
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he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men. Now
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this he ascended, What is it but that he also
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first descended into the lower parts of the earth. Who
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descended is also the one who ascended far above all
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the heavens, that he might fill all things. He gave
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some to be apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists,
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and some shepherds and teachers for the perfecting of the saints,
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to the work of serving, to the building up of
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the Body of Christ, until we all attained to the
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unity of the faith, the knowledge of the Son of God,
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to a full grown man to the measure of the
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stature of the fullness of Christ, that we may no
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longer be children tossed back and forth and carried about
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with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men
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and craftiness, after the wiles of error. But speaking truth
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and love, we may grow up in all things into
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Him who is the Head Christ, from whom all the body,
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being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies,
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according to the working and measure of each individual part,
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makes the body increase to the building up of itself
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in love. This I say therefore, and testifying the Lord,
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that you no longer walk as the rest of the
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gentiles also walk, and the futility of their mind being
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darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God,
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because of the ignorance that is in them, because of
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the hardening of their hearts, who having become callous, gave
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themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
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But you did not learn Christ that way, if indeed
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you heard Him and were taught in Him, even as
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truth is in Jesus that you put away as concerning
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your former way of life. The old man that grows
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corrupt after the lust of deceit, and that you be
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renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on
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the new man, who, in the likeness of God has
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been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. Therefore, putting
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away falsehood, speak truth. Each one with his neighbor, for
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we are members of one another. Be angry and don't sin.
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Don't let the sun go down on your wrath. Neither
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give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal
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no more, but rather let him labor working with his
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hands a thing that is good, that he may have
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something to give to him who has needs. Let no
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corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as
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as good for building up as the need may be,
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that it may give grace to those who hear. Don't
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grieve the Holy Spirit of God in whom you re
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sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry,
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and slander be put away from you with all malice,
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and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other,
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just as God also in Christ forgave you. Chapter five.
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Be therefore imitators of God as beloved children, walk in love,
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even as Christ also loved you and gave himself up
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for us in offering and a sacrifice to God for
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a sweet smelling fragrance. But sexual immorality and all uncleanness
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or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you.
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Become saints, nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which
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are not appropriate, but rather giving of thanks. Know this
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for sure that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person,
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nor covetous man who is an idolater, has any inheritance
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in the Kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one
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deceive you with empty words, for because of these things
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the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. Therefore,
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don't be partakers with them, for you were once darkness,
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but are now light in the Lord. Walk is children
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of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in
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all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is well
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pleasing to the Lord. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful
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works of darkness, or rather even reprove them, for the
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things which are done by them in secret. It is
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a shame even to speak of in all things when
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they are reproved or revealed by the light. For everything
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that reveals is light. Therefore, he says, awake you who sleep,
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and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Therefore,
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watch carefully how you walk that is unwise, but as wise,
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redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, don't
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be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
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Don't be drunken with wine and which is dissipation, but
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be filled with the spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns,
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and spiritual songs, singing and singing praises in your heart
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to the Lord, giving things always concerning all things, in
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the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even
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the Father. Subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear
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of Christ. Wives be subject to your own husbands as
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to the Lord. For the husband is the head of
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the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly,
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being himself the savior of the body. But as the
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assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also
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be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives,
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even as Christ also loved the assembly and gave himself
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up for it, that he might sanctify it, having cleansed
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it by the washing of water with the word, that
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he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having
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spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it
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should be holy and without blemish. Even so, husbands also
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ought to love their own wives as their own bodies.
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He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no
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man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it,
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even as the Lord also does the assembly, because we
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are members of his body, of his flesh and bones.
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For this cause a man will leave his father and
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mother and will be joined to his wife. The two
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will become one flesh. This mystery is great, but I
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speak concerning Christ and of the Assembly. Nevertheless, each of
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you must also love his own life even as himself.
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And let the wife see that she respects her husband.
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Chapter six. Children, obey your parents and the Lord, for
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this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is
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the first commandment, with the promise that it may be
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well with you, and you may live long on the earth.
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You fathers, don't provoke your children to wrath, but nurture
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them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Servants,
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be obedient to those who, according to the flesh, are
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your masters. With fear and trembling and singleness of your
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heart as to Christ, not in the way of service
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only when eyes are on you as men pleasers, but
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as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from
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the heart with good will, doing service as to the Lord,
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and not to men, knowing that whatever good each one does,
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he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether
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he is bound or free. You masters, do the same
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things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that He
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who is both their master and yours, is in heaven,
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and there is no partiality with him. Finally, be strong
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in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
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Put on the whole armor of God, that you may
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be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
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For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but
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against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers
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of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual
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forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on
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the whole armor of God, that you may be able
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to withstand in the evil day. And having done all
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to stand, stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth
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buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate
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of righteousness, and having fitted your feet with the preparation
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of the good news of peace. Above all, taking up
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the shield of faith, with which you will be able
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to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one,
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and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of
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the Spirit, which is the spoken word of God. With
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all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the spirit,
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and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and
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request for all the saints on my behalf, that utterance
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may be given to me in opening my mouth to
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make known with boldness the mystery of the good news
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for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in
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it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak,
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but that you may also know my affairs. How I
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am doing Tichchus the beloved Brother and faithful servant. And
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the Lord will make known to you all things whom
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I have sent to you for this very purpose, that
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you may know our state, and that He may comfort
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your hearts. Peace be to the brothers in love with
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faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ,
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with incorruptible love. Amen. This ends Paul's letter to the Ephesians.
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Recording by Leon Meyer