Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Study Note
Study Note
The opening berakah (blessing) of Ephesians — 'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places' — launches the letter's distinctive 'heavenly places' theology and identifies the source, agent, and sphere of all blessing. The past tense 'has blessed' (aorist: eulogēsas) presents the spiritual blessings as already given in their entirety, grounding the ethical imperatives of chapters 4-6 in an accomplished indicative. The 'heavenly places' (ta epourania) — the realm where Christ is seated (1:20) and where believers are seated with him (2:6) — defines Christian identity as simultaneously earthly and heavenly. The sustained structure of the sentence (verse 3-14 is one sentence in Greek) places election, predestination, redemption, inheritance, and sealing by the Spirit within a single comprehensive doxology.
Other Translations
Blessedbethe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ:
Blessed <FI>is<Fi> the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who did bless us in every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us every blessing of the Spirit in the heavens in Christ:
Cross References
And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall …
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us …
And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord …
And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, …
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for …
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: …
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for …
And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for …
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, …
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, …