Ephesians 1 NIV

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

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

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, ¹⁰to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

¹¹In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, ¹²in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. ¹³And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

¹⁵For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, ¹⁶I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. ¹⁷I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²²And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.


Question 1 —

 Read Ephesians 1:3–14.

List all the spiritual blessings believers receive in Christ. Write them out in your own words.

 

Question 2 —

 According to Ephesians 1:4–8, what actions does God take toward believers?

What words describe why He does this?

 

Question 3 —

 Read Ephesians 1:9–10.

What do these verses reveal about God’s plan for the world and for Christ?

Question 4 —

 In Ephesians 1:11–14, what role does the Holy Spirit play in the believer’s life?

What does it mean to be “sealed” with the Spirit?

 

Question 5 —

 Which spiritual blessing mentioned in this chapter do you most often forget or undervalue in daily life? Why?

 

Question 6 —

 Paul prays in Ephesians 1:17–19 for spiritual wisdom and understanding.

How might your prayers change if you prayed more for knowing God than for changing circumstances?

 

Study Notes

 Before Paul explains how believers should live, he first lifts our eyes to who God is and what He has already done. Ephesians opens not with instructions, but with praise — because understanding God’s work changes how we see everything else.

 Paul explains that God’s plan was set before the foundation of the world. Salvation was not a reaction to human failure, but part of God’s loving and purposeful design. From the beginning, God planned to bless His people through Jesus Christ.

 In Ephesians 1:3–14, Paul describes these blessings in detail. Believers are chosen, adopted into God’s family, redeemed and forgiven through Jesus, and sealed with the Holy Spirit. These blessings do not come from our effort or circumstances, but from being in Christ. They show God’s generosity, faithfulness, and power to keep His promises.

 These gifts are not given only for personal comfort. They are part of a bigger purpose. God’s plan is to bring all things together under Christ and to show His glory through those who belong to Him. The Holy Spirit’s seal reminds believers that God will finish the work He has started.

 Paul responds to these truths with prayer. He asks that believers would grow in wisdom and understanding — not just knowing about God’s blessings, but truly grasping the hope they have, their value to God, and the power God provides for daily life.

 Ephesians 1 invites us to see our lives through the lens of God’s plan rather than our present circumstances. When we begin to understand what God has already done, worship, gratitude, and trust naturally follow.

 God’s plan reveals our blessing, and our blessing points to His glory.