Ephesians: Word Come Alive

By Martin Manser

Word Come Alive:
• is an expanded translation of the New Testament of the Bible by respected editor Martin Manser
• supplies linking phrases and background information in italics within the text to help make its message more immediately understandable
• aims to express the sense of the original in contemporary, natural English that will have a powerful effect on readers, with a fresh, incisive quality that will make readers sit up and think.

Who is behind Word Come Alive?
Martin Manser, a professional reference-book editor. He has compiled or edited more than 200 reference books, particularly Bible-reference titles, English-language dictionaries and business-skills books. He is also a Language Trainer and Consultant with national and international companies and organisations.

Word Come Alive: an extended translation (paraphrase) of the New Testament that shows additional explanatory phrases in italics in actual text. For example, Ephesians 2:4-6:

But God – what marvellous words these are: ‘but God’! God intervened in this desperate situation simply because of who he is. He is infinitely rich in mercy, so he did not deal with us as we deserve. As a result of his great love, with which he loved us, he made us spiritually alive together with Christ. Because we are joined to Christ, God brought us to a new spiritual birth and into a living relationship with him. God made us alive, even when we were spiritually dead because we disobeyed him. You’ve been rescued only because of his grace – his kind love, his generous favour, that gives us life that we don’t deserve in the slightest. Stop and reflect on this: you and I have been rescued from slavery to sin, God’s just anger and death. We’re now alive to God because we’ve been brought into a living relationship with God through Jesus Christ – and all this is only because of God’s incredible love. Even more than this: God raised us up from spiritual death to life together with Christ ...

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781483578651

Martin Manser

Martin Manser is a professional writer and researcher. He is responsible for ‘The Penguin Wordmaster’ and ‘The Guinness Book of Words’.

Book preview

6

Ephesians 1

Opening greeting

<1>From Paul, an apostle commissioned directly by the risen Christ Jesus according to God’s glorious will. To God’s holy, distinctive people who live in Ephesus, the faithful believers in Christ Jesus, those who have trusted in Christ for salvation and belong to him. <2>May you all enjoy more grace – special undeserved love, kindness and favour and peace – spiritual health and a full life, all of which come from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Passionate praise

<3>As I consider all the breath-taking privileges that God has lavished on us because we are joined to Christ, my heart wells up with passionate praise and thanksgiving. I bless and praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for all the great blessings that we enjoy in Christ. Spiritually speaking, at this very moment we are seated in the heavenly realms with Jesus Christ. Stop what you’re doing right now, recall all the blessings that are ours in Christ and then turn to him in praise <4>because:

He chose us in Christ even before the world was created. God’s heart went out to us: he chose you and me because of his love, not because of anything good in us. God chose us in Christ, so we no longer need feel left out! He chose you and me to be his own special people.Why? He wants us to become completely like Jesus: pure and flawless in his sight andleading lives of love.

<5>He took the initiativein his love and predestined us to be adopted as his sonsthroughJesus Christ. What an honour! What security! He marked us out in advance to enjoy the privileged position of being his sons because he takesgreat pleasure in fulfilling his special plan. <6>Praise God! He chose us because of his grace – his love and kindfavour that we don’t deserve – and his ultimate intention was that we should praise him for his radiant, magnificent grace that hegenerously showered on us intheOne that he loves most.

<7>In Christ, we have now been released from slavery to sin. The price Christ paid was the ultimate sacrifice: he poured out his