1 ³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has bestowed on us in Christ every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. 1 ⁴ In Christ he chose us before the world was founded, to be dedicated, to be without blemish in his sight, to be full of love, 1 ⁵ and he Or: ... sight. In his love he ... destined us?such was his will and pleasure?to be accepted as his sons through Jesus Christ, 1 ⁶ in order that the glory of his gracious gift, so graciously bestowed on us in his Beloved, might redound to his praise. 1 ⁷ For in Christ our release is secured and our sins are forgiven through the shedding of his blood. 1 ⁸ Therein lies the richness of God's free grace lavished upon us, imparting full wisdom and insight. 1 ⁹ He has made known to us his hidden purpose—such was his will and pleasure determined beforehand in Christ— 1 ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the time was ripe: namely, that the universe, all in heaven and on earth, might be brought into a unity in Christ.

1 ¹¹ In Christ indeed we have been given our share in the heritage, as was decreed in his design whose purpose is everywhere at work. 1 ¹² For it was his will that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, Or: who already enjoyed the hope of Christ; Or: whose expectation and hope are in Christ. should cause his glory to be praised. 1 ¹³ And you too, when you had heard the message of the truth, the good news of your salvation, and had believed it, became incorporate in Christ and received the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 1 ¹⁴ and that Spirit is the pledge that we shall enter upon our heritage, when God has redeemed what is his own, to his praise and glory.