The passage
      v3. Paul opens by praising God for the wonderful blessings that were given to the saints (blessings which Gentiles similarly share as members of Christ). These blessings are every "spiritual" blessing and they are experienced in the "heavenly realms". Seeing we are in a relationship with Christ, we are in a sense, one with him in the heavenly realms.
      v4-6. Paul identifies the first spiritual blessing: Set apart as a holy people, God like, Christ like. The people of Israel were chosen for this purpose, to be holy and blameless in the sight of God. Holiness involves: i) possessing personal existence, able to relate to others, to love; ii) being moral, righteous, good; iii) being free, powerful.
      v7-8. The second spiritual blessing is redemption. Through identification with Christ a representative group of Israelites, namely, the apostles and other Jewish believers, were redeemed, purchased from their slavery of sin by the sacrificial death of Christ.
      v9-10. Paul now identifies the third blessing: We have come to know and understand a mystery long hidden. The saints, Jewish believers, are privileged to share in a secret once hidden, but now revealed. This mystery concerns the fulfilment of God's gracious intention to gather a people to himself, both Jew and Gentile, and shower upon this new community life in all its fullness - "the unsearchable riches of Christ", 3:8.
      v11-12. Paul finally identifies the fourth spiritual blessing, namely, assurance. The new Israel of God is destined for glory, for the living God has purposed it and for this, let his name be praised.
      v13-14. Paul now includes his Gentile readers in the spiritual blessings which belong to the saints, but which are now extended to all - "you also were included in Christ." Being included in the family of God, being a child of God, once meant being part of the people of Israel. Yet, God's ultimate intentions, once hidden now revealed, have changed all that. Initially, God's sovereign will defined the family of Abraham as inheritors of the blessings, now all those who respond to the gospel are inheritors of the blessings. We Gentiles share in the blessings of the kingdom when we hear and believe the gospel.

We praise him for all his blessings
      From the introduction of Paul's letter to the Ephesians we are able to draw out quite a few truths that touch our Christian lives. Three of these truths are worth considering in detail. They are three blessings which are ours in the here and now, in Christ. We should note that up till verse 12, Paul applies the blessings to the apostles and other Jewish believers. None-the-less, his point in v13 is that we Gentiles also share the blessings along with Jewish believers.
      First. We are told in v4-5 that God has determined to "adopt" us "as his sons through Christ" that we might be "holy and blameless in his sight"; we are set apart to be made a holy people. Everyone who accepts the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ automatically becomes a member of the chosen people of God - the set apart people of God, the children of God. As God's sons, the day is coming, and in a sense now is, when we will take upon ourselves the qualities of divinity. We certainly do not deserve to become as God, but out of his abundant grace we will be as Christ is. Jesus has gone before us and on the day of resurrection we will put on glory, the glory that he now possesses. That will be glory indeed!
      Second. In v8 we are told that God has "made known to us the mystery of his will." We now possess the secrets of the universe. "What is truth?" asked Pilate. Since the beginning of time mankind has asked the same question. Ultimate truth is the possession of God's people in the here and now. The mystery, a secret we possess, is the wonderful truth of the gospel of God's sovereign grace. It is the truth that God in Christ is gathering a people to himself to share his divinity for eternity. God has determined that those who share this blessing are not limited to a special family (descendants of Abraham), or to a special religious group (people who keep the law), but rather to all who reach out to Jesus in faith. This community of faith will be the instrument to unite all things under Christ - an eternal united new creation.
      Third. In v13-14, we are told that we are sealed with "the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance". Actually, this is where Paul says "you" to remind his Gentile readers of their equal possession of sonship. The gift of the Holy Spirit is a "deposit" - a down payment of the blessings to come. He is also a "seal" - a guarantee of the glory to come. It is the Spirit who expedites in our flesh the shape of holiness which is already eternally ours in Christ. He slowly moulds us into the image of Christ. Through the interplay of the circumstances of life and the renewing work of the Holy Spirit, we are adopting the character of our Creator. Becoming what we are is a work of grace appropriated through faith. It images something of the glory to come.

v3
      euloghtoV adj. "praise be to" - blessed. Possibly "worthy of praise/blessing", but "is praised/blessed" is better.
      oJ euloghsaV (eulogew) aor. part. "who has blessed" - the one having blessed, praised. Participle as a substantive. The eulogy gives praise to God on the ground of the his blessing to us.
      en pash/ eulogia/ pneumatikh/ "with every spiritual blessing" - in/with all/every spiritual blessing. The blessing is "spiritual". "Spiritual blessings" means those elements of life that are ours in our association with the Spirit, as outlined in verses 3-14.
      hJmaV "us" - There is debate over whether Paul includes his readers in the "us". It is likely that the "us" are Jewish believer, or even the apostles. In v13 his readers, "you", are included in the blessings, in that the Gentiles get to share in the blessings poured out on God's historic people. The Gentiles are "included in Christ", along with God's chosen people Israel.
      toiV epouranioiV adj. "the heavenly realms" - the heavenlies. A substantive use of the adjective. The phrase may simply mean "heaven", but it could also mean "heavenly sphere of influence", in which case it touches both earth and heaven. Powers, both good and evil exist within its sphere, 1:3, 20, 2:6, 3:10, 6:12. It is "the sphere of the blessings which are related to the Spirit", A.T. Lincoln
      en Cristw/ "in Christ" - Modifying the verb "blessed". The spiritual blessings come through our incorporation in Christ, by grace through faith.

v4
      kaqwV "for" - as, just as. The NIV reads the clause as causal, "because", although an explicative (explaining) sense seems better. "God has blessed us in that he has ......."
      exelexato (eklegw) aor. "he chose" - he chose out, selected. The aorist tense may indicate a single act, but not necessarily. The first element of God's kindness, his blessing, is his divine election of a people. Commentators with a reformed leaning tend to argue for an individual sense to the blessing of predestination. Yet, it is likely that a corporate sense is intended in that God chose Abraham and through his seed (ultimately Christ) he gathered an eternally secure people to himself. Today, a person is incorporated into this chosen people, this new Israel, through faith in Christ.
      en autw/ "in him" - Probably "in Christ." Through our incorporation in Christ we are the elect people of God.
      pro katabolhV kosmou "before the creation of the world" - before foundation (also deposit, sowing in the sense of conception) of world. God's choice of a people, including his determination of a how a person can join with this people (namely, by grace mediated on the basis of the faithfulness of Christ appropriate through faith), was made "before creation."
      aJgiouV (oV) "holy" - Certainly an ethical sense is intended here, "goodness / purity / without fault", but pushing toward "divine like." See sample sermon above.
      amwmouV (oV) adj. "blameless" - unblemished, blameless. Used of pure sacrificial animals and of moral rectitude. The purpose of divine election is the creation of a people who will stand holy and blameless, perfect, in the last day. Such perfection can only be found in identification with Christ, rather than by striving toward ethical purity in the here and now. Of course, our status of purity in Christ prompts a desire for purity in our daily lives. "Unblemished", Moffatt; "innocent", CEV.
      en agaph/ "in love" - Whose love and to whom? Either God's love, or our love and if our love, is it love to the neighbor, or to God? The NIV has "in love" as the opening words of v5, in which case it is God's love, but the words can also end the sentence, in which case "in love" amplifies "holy and blameless", or the words can stand by themselves; "to be full of love", REB.

v5
      proorisaV (proorizw) aor. part. "he predestined" - having limited, decided beforehand, foreordained, predestined. Although it is unclear as to the intention of the participle here, it looks very much like an attendant circumstance participle identifying action accompanying the main verb "he chose" - "he chose us ..... predestining us in love to be ...." The word is used 6 times in the NT. In choosing a people for himself, God destines that people for a particular end, namely, adoption as sons. Again, this does not necessarily define how an individual becomes a member of the corporate entity which is both chosen and destined. A Calvinist will argue that God determines membership, while an Arminian will argue that membership is a matter of human decision.
      eiV uiJoqesian (a) "to be adopted" - to, into, toward adoption, sonship. The word "adoption" is used 5 times by Paul. It is often argued that the word comes out of Graeco-Roman social practice, although Jewish society also practiced adoption. Paul is here referring to Israel's adoption as sons of God, a privilege that belongs to remnant Israel, Hos.11:1, Rom.9:4.
      eudokian (a) "pleasure" - good pleasure, satisfaction. The word is often used of divine good pleasure, but sometimes of human happiness (satisfaction or contentment is closer to the mark, given that it is very difficult to know what the word "happiness" means). Here though it is most likely a close synonym to "will", that is, God's intention / purpose. So, rather than "contentment", we are better to go with a meaning like "passionate concern", "delighted intent."

v6
      eiV epainon (oV) "to the praise" - The calling out of a people and their adoption as sons is a product of God's grace and is to be eternally praised.
      doxhV (a) gen. "glorious" - glory. The genitive noun here is being used adjectivally, limiting "grace". The grace is truly glorious, a brilliant display of God's character; "that glorious generosity of his", Phillips.
      thV caritoV (iV ewV) "grace" - grace, favor. The word describes God's covenant mercy in gathering a people to himself through the faithfulness/worthiness of Christ.
      ecaritwsen (carizw) aor. "[which] he has freely given [to us]" - he bestowed favor upon, favoured highly. Here the substantive "grace" is emphasized by adding its cognate verb. The literal meaning is something like "his grace, by which he has endowed us with grace."
      en tw/ hgaphmenw/ "in the one he loves" - in the beloved. This is possibly a messianic title applied here to Jesus, although Paul may just be saying that God's grace is expedited in the Son of his love, namely, Christ. The term is descriptive of intimacy, even a pet name. "In his Beloved", Barclay.

v7
      en wJ/ "in whom" - "In the beloved / in Jesus we possess redemption."
      ecomen (ecw) pres. "we have" - we have, posses. This verb in the present tense, surrounded by aorist verbs, stresses the fact that we have redemption now as an ongoing reality.
      thn apolutrwsin (iV ewV) "redemption" - the ransoming, deliverance, liberation, emancipation... The deliverance of Israel from Egypt colors the meaning of this word in the scriptures, although Leon Morris argues that in the New Testament, redemption invariably conveys the idea of release from bondage on the payment of a ransom price. Certainly here we note the price paid is "blood", the blood sacrifice of Jesus.
      thn afesin (iV ewV) "forgiveness" - the releasing, forgiveness. Some argue that forgiveness here is a synonym for redemption, yet it is more likely that it is in apposition to redemption in that it further describes the substance of redemption. Redemption is not the same as forgiveness, but what we can say is that a redeemed person is forgiven of all their sins.
      twn paraptwmatwn (a toV) "sins" - the transgression, trespass, falling away, lapse.... Paul means here individual sins, transgressions of God's law. Note that he usually refers to "sin" singular, in the sense of the corrupting power that entered the human race through Adam and infected the whole of humanity such that it is now impossible for a person not to transgress God's law, even though they may desire to keep it.
      kata + acc. "in accordance with" - according to. This preposition, followed by the accusative, expresses the idea that redemption is shaped by its relation to the wealth of God's grace. It may though, sometimes expressess consequence; "because of God's grace."

v8
      hJV "that" - which. Introducing a relative clause, "which he lavished on us."
      eperisseusen (perisseuw) aor. "he lavished" - he lavished, overflowed, abounded. "This grace he gave us in superabundance", Barclay.
      en "with" - in [all wisdom]. Possibly introducing a new sentance; "God has great wisdom and understanding", CEV.
      fronhsei (iV ewV) "understanding" - insight. "Understanding" is either a synonym of "wisdom" (ie. "insight" and "wisdom" are the same), or in apposition to "wisdom" (ie. "insight" further describes the substance of "wisdom"). "Wisdom and understanding" is either, another aspect of "the riches of God's grace" poured out on us, or, if linked to the next sentence, an aspect of God's character by which he makes known to us the mystery ......"

v9
      gnwrisaV (ginwrizw) aor. part. "he made known" - making known. Best does not think that the participle "is a second element in God's grace but represents a new step in the eulogy", none the less it does look like an attendant circumstance participle identifying action accompanying the verb "we have [redemption]". In revealing his intention "God has shown us his secret/hidden plan."
      hJmin "to us" - Clearly the "us" here is the apostles.
      to musthrion (on) "mystery" - In scripture, a mystery is a hidden truth, and this sense of the word is far safer than a meaning based on a pagan source, namely "mysterious". Paul uses the word to describe a secret, or hidden truth, which is now revealed. It was once a secret, but now that the secret is revealed it is no longer a mystery. Debate rages as to the substance of this truth, eg. "All one in Christ", "Christ in you, the hope of glory", Col.1:27, "through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel", Eph.3:6. The mystery does seem to relate in some way or other to "membership in the people of God", Best, of Jew and Gentile together as one in Christ. Yet, such is probably the product of the mystery and so it is likely that the mystery is the gospel of God's grace, or better, the gospel (in the sense of important message) which concerns God's grace. The phrase "the unsearchable riches of Christ" in 3:8, may come close to defining what Paul means by "the mystery."
      proeqeto (protiqhmi) aor. mid. "he purposed" - he place before. In the middle voice it is either "display publicly", or "plan / purpose". "Did what he had purposed", TEV.

v10
      oikonomian (a) "[to be] put into effect" - ordering, arranging, implementing, stewardship. Referring to the divine managing of the mystery in human history toward its ultimate realization in the fullness of time
      anakefalaiwsasqai (anakefalaiow) aor. pas. inf. "to bring [all things ......] under one head" - to sum up, gather up into one. The infinitive is possibly verbal, forming a purpose clause, although better epexegetic explaining an element of the mystery. Commentators now tend to agree that the word expresses the idea of "summary", the summing up of an idea, the gathering together of an idea's salient points, rather than "head". Everything is "summed up" in the sovereign grace of God expedited in Christ. So the main clause, introduced by this verb, is: "to sum up all things in Christ, things in heaven and on earth."
      en tw/ Cristw/ "in Christ" - The preposition here is possibly instrumental, Christ is the means by which the grace of God is applied, "by Christ", or better, local, that Christ is the sphere within which all things are summed up, the focal point, "in Christ". The meaning of the term "in Christ" is dictated by the context. For example, it is often used to refer to a believer's identification with Christ, although not here.
      ta epi toiV ouranoiV kai ta epi thV ghV "things in heaven and on earth" - the things on the heavens and the things on the earth. Christ is the focal point of God's sovereign grace, operative in the heavenlies and on earth, influencing the heavenly powers and authorities and lost humanity.
      en autw/ "in him" - "One perfect whole in Christ", Barclay.

v11
      en wJ/ "in him" - in whom. The paragraph break in the NIV is made for easy reading, but does not reflect the Greek text. The sentence which began at v3 continues. In Christ, here in the sense of "through our incorporation with Christ."
      eklhrwqhmen (klhrow) "chosen" - aor. pas. we were appointed by lot, destined, chosen, made an inheritance. The sense here is probably not the same as the point already made in v4, so a meaning of "destined" or "assigned" is better. Paul is speaking about assurance rather than election. "We have been given our share in the heritage" through incorporation with Christ, NEB; "in whom also we have obtained an inheritance", AV.
      proorisqenteV (proorizw) aor. pas. part "having been predestined" - having been foreordained. The participle is adverbial, modal, expressing the manner in which the action of the verb "chosen" is accomplished. Paul now harks back to v4, 5, reinforcing the truth that all this is according to God's plan and decisive resolve.
      kata + acc. "according to" - according to. "In accordance with", or "because of his own purpose", TEV.
      kata + acc. "in conformity with" - according to. "Based on what he had decided from the beginning", TEV.
      thn boulhn (h) "the purpose" - the counsel, decision, purpose, plan. Expressing the idea of deliberation; "directs the course of all things according to his own counsel and decree", Bruce.

v12
      eiV + inf. "in order that" - for [us] to be. The preposition with the infinitive of the verb to-be, either forms a final (purpose) clause, as NIV, or an imperatival clause, as TEV.
      touV prohlpikotaV (proelpizw) perf. part. "who were the first to hope" - the ones who first hoped. The participle forms a substantive. The faithful remnant of Israel, the chosen son, is Christ, and the first to rest on the faithful son for eternal salvation, were the apostles. The prefix to the verb takes the sense "beforehand". Those who hoped beforehand were the small, but representative, group of believers from Israel.
      eiV epainon doxhV autou "for the praise of his glory" - to praise of glory of him. Commentators tend to argue that the gathering of a people in Christ has as its end, the glory of God, which glory is praised by those who dwell in heaven and on earth. We were given our share in the heritage "that we should be to the praise of his glory", Robinson. "The praise of his glory is the object for which those who first hoped in Christ were chosen", O'Brien. Yet, we need to qualify this point. It is obvious that God does not act to promote his own glory, for his radiant character is a fact in itself. Our God acts toward us because of whom he is, not because he desires (and certainly not because he needs) to prove, or demonstrate, his character. God's move toward us in Christ is totally of grace and does not add to his being in any way. It is quite possible that the preposition here means "to", and that Paul is simply using a liturgical turn of phrase to praise God's glory, so vividly demonstrated in his mercy toward humanity. "Let us then, who were the first to hope in Christ, praise God's glory!", TEV.

v13
      en wJ/ kai uJmeiV "and you also .... [were] included in Christ" - in Christ and you. "You" Gentiles were included in the blessings of sonship along with Israel. Note that the verb to be "were" is not in the Greek, but is added to make the English clear. "Included", or "incorporated", helps to clarify the meaning of the Greek "in Christ".
      akousanteV (akouw) aor. part. "when you heard" - hearing. The participle forms a temporal clause. The Gentiles were incorporated in Christ along with representative Israel (the apostles), when they heard the gospel ("the word of truth"), believed and received the Holy Spirit.
      pisteusanteV (pisteuw) aor. part. "having believed" - believing. Possibly best to take the participle as forming a temporal clause, "when you believed."
      esfragisqhte (sfragizw) "[when you believed] you were marked with a seal" - [believing] you were sealed. Verse 13 is a single sentence with "sealed" as the main verb. Note the technical difficulty here. Normally, when an aorist participle ("believing") precedes the main verb ("sealed"), the action of the participle would precede the action of the main verb. Therefore, belief would precede the reception of the Holy Spirit. This verse could then be used to support second-blessing theology. None-the-less, the rule does not always apply and so it is best to understand the two participles "hearing" and "believing" as modifying "sealed", all describing a single event.