Ephesians 2 17 - 3 7

03/25 ~ From New Testament Letters

  🕊️ (In the Order Believed Written)

      Paul’s Letter To The Ephesians

                   (paraphrased)

17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. (1 Pet.3:19-20, 2Pet.2:5) 18 And through Jesus we both (Jew and Gentile) have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 For you are no longer strangers and aliens, but are fellow citizens as believers and members of the household of God. 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus himself being the cornerstone [chief stone] 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in him. 22 And by the Spirit, being built together into a habitation for God.

     3:1 - For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles. 2 If indeed you have heard of the service of God's grace that was entrusted to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 By which reading you can understand this mystery of Christ, 5 which for so long was not made known as it has now been revealed to his holy [hagios - set apart] apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles (the nations) are joint heirs, joint members of the same body, and joint sharers of the same promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel [euaggelion - good news]. {Through the good news gospel. Hearing it. Believing it. Resting and receiving in it.} 

     7 Of this gospel I was made a servant/minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given to me by the working of his power.

                          ~ * ~

🗝️ [  ] - word/language insights, usually from biblehub dot com - peering through translator partial unbelief; cross references, etc.

      {  } - thots

Tomorrows verses - Ephesians 3:8-21

My own studies. Been neglecting Psalms (jan 1-20, feb-20’s, mar-30’s, apr-40’s, etc. dec-120-150) and the Prophets.

A Rugged Realist?

Don't you think the Father Most High is a rugged realist? It's like He is saying to mankind you can't do such and such.. For it leads to death. So why would you do it? In the day that you do it, it will lead to death.

Don't, do it.

Of course all of us humans have been born into it! We're just naturally born imperfect. God is both life and perfection. That makes imperfection the opposite of life. We're not all evil, but the potential's there.. It's a veritable bottomless pit. History my dear proves that, over, and, over. Once a creature walks out of God's will and presence, they become imperfect. An irreparable state.

Irreparable for us, imperfect cannot make itself perfect. But not for Him. Because, of course, He did it. "Reconciled us to Himself while we were still yet sinners!" In the cosmic bank of what we owe, a sort of karma if you will, or just natural consequences and results, Jesus paid it all, including our death. Jesus on the cross. [For "death could not hold Him".]

"If I be lifted up from the Earth" Jesus said, "I will draw all to me". .."The mystery that's been hid for ages, Christ in you." .."Born again.." .."Behold I will make all things new".. "The lion will eat straw like the ox, the bear will graze with the cow." .."Eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, or heart imagined, all that He has prepared.."

The New Covenant

Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Hebrews 10:39-11:2,6
"...We will keep on having faith until we are saved.. Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. It was their faith that made our ancestors pleasing to God... without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and that he rewards everyone who searches for him."
Hebrews 10:19,20
"My friends, the blood of Jesus gives us courage to enter the most holy place, by a new way that leads to life! And this way takes us through the curtain that is Christ himself."
Hebrews 6:18-20
"God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed. We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is right in front of us. This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls. In fact, hope reaches behind the curtain and into the most holy place. Jesus has gone there ahead of us, and he is our high priest forever, just like Melchizedek."
New King James Version (NKJV)
Hebrews 4:16
"Let Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Hebrews 3:14
"For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.."
Hebrews 3:14
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
"We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let’s hold tightly to our faith until the end.."
Colossians 1:27
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
"..to whom God did will to make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this secret among the nations -- which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory,"
Colossians 1:27
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
"God did this because he wanted you to understand his wonderful and glorious mystery. And the mystery is that Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God’s glory."
Ephesians 1:13,14,19,20
Young's Literal Translation (YLT) - Amplified Bible (AMP) - (YLT) - (NKJV)
"..in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth -- the good news of your salvation -- in whom also having believed, ye were sealed** with the Holy Spirit of the promise, That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it—to the praise of His glory".. (it is) "...the exceeding greatness of His power to us who are believing, according to the working of the power of His might, which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead." (Same Spirit which rose Jesus from the grave, is at work in us - "enter His rest" (Hebrews 4:1&11) "recieve the promise" (Galatians 3:14)
**the "seal" and "proof/guarantee" = "because you [really] are His, God has sent the [Holy] Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba Father!" - Galatians 4:6, Amplified Bible (AMP)