For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you have toward all the saints,
Parallel translations
- KJV Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
- BSB For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
- NKJV Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
- NASB For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,
- NLT Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Having heard of the Ephesians' faith and love, Paul is moved to pray for them. It begins his thanksgiving and intercession on their behalf.
Overview
Paul transitions from praise to prayer. He has heard of their 'faith in the Lord Jesus' and 'love toward all the saints' — the twin marks of genuine Christian life, directed Godward and toward fellow believers. Their evident faith and love prompt the thanksgiving and petition that follow.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Phlm 1:5hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints;
- Col 1:3–4We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
- Heb 6:10For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.
- 2 Th 1:3We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds;
- 1 Jn 3:17But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?
- 1 Jn 4:21This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.
- 1 Tim 1:14The grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Th 4:9But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
- 1 Pet 1:22Seeing you have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly affection, love one another from the heart fervently:
- 1 Tim 1:5but the goal of this command is love, out of a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith;
- 1 Th 1:3remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
- Gal 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.
- Ps 16:3As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.
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Christ at the center
Every spiritual blessing is 'in Christ,' the head over all things for the church, in whom Jew and Gentile are made one new man by his blood.
How Ephesians 1:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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