Ephesians 1:5

1:5 He did this by predestining ¹  us to adoption as his ²  sons ³  through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure ⁴  of his will –

Ephesians 2:13

2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ⁵ 

Ephesians 2:20

2:20 because you have been built ⁶  on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, ⁷  with Christ Jesus himself as ⁸  the cornerstone. ⁹ 

Ephesians 3:4

3:4 When reading this, ¹⁰  you will be able to ¹¹  understand my insight into this secret ¹²  of Christ.

Ephesians 4:7

4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Ephesians 5:20

5:20 always giving thanks to God the Father for each other ¹³  in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Ephesians 6:6

6:6 not like those who do their work only when someone is watching ¹⁴  – as people-pleasers – but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. ¹⁵ 

[1:5]  ¹ tn Grk “by predestining.” Verse 5 begins with an aorist participle dependent on the main verb in v. 4 (“chose”).

[1:5]  ² tn Grk “to himself” after “through Jesus Christ.”

[1:5]  ³ tn The Greek term υἱοθεσία (Juioqesia) was originally a legal technical term for adoption as a son with full rights of inheritance. BDAG 1024 s.v. notes, “a legal t.t. of ‘adoption’ of children, in our lit., i.e. in Paul, only in a transferred sense of a transcendent filial relationship between God and humans (with the legal aspect, not gender specificity, as major semantic component).” Although some modern translations remove the filial sense completely and render the term merely “adoption” (cf. NAB, ESV), the retention of this component of meaning was accomplished in the present translation by the phrase “as…sons.”

[1:5]  ⁴ tn Or “good pleasure.”

[2:13]  ⁵ tn Or “have come near in the blood of Christ.”

[2:20]  ⁹ tn Grk “having been built.”

[2:20]  ¹⁰ sn Apostles and prophets. Because the prophets appear after the mention of the apostles and because they are linked together in 3:5 as recipients of revelation about the church, they are to be regarded not as Old Testament prophets, but as New Testament prophets.

[2:20]  ¹¹ tn Grk “while Christ Jesus himself is” or “Christ Jesus himself being.”

[2:20]  ¹² tn Or perhaps “capstone” (NAB). The meaning of ἀκρογωνιαῖος (akrogwniaio") is greatly debated. The meaning “capstone” is proposed by J. Jeremias (TDNT 1:792), but the most important text for this meaning (T. Sol. 22:7-23:4) is late and possibly not even an appropriate parallel. The only place ἀκρογωνιαῖος is used in the LXX is Isa 28:16, and there it clearly refers to a cornerstone that is part of a foundation. Furthermore, the imagery in this context has the building growing off the cornerstone upward, whereas if Christ were the capstone, he would not assume his position until the building was finished, which vv. 21-22 argue against.

[3:4]  ¹³ tn Grk “which, when reading.”

[3:4]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “you are able to.”

[3:4]  ¹⁵ tn Or “mystery.”

[5:20]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “for all.” The form “all” can be either neuter or masculine.

[6:6]  ²¹ tn Grk “not according to eye-service.”

[6:6]  ²² tn Grk “from the soul.”