Bible Studies Level Start Here Warm-Up Bridge Deep
OIA Observation Interpretation Application
Q-Type WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY HOW
Section All Sections The Salutation (Ephesians 1:1-2) Praise for Redemption (Ephesians 1:3-14) Prayer for Revelation (Ephesians 1:15-23) By Grace Through Faith (Ephesians 2:1-22) The Mystery of Christ Revealed (Ephesians 3:1-13) Prayer for Realization (Ephesians 3:14-21) Unity in the Church (Ephesians 4:1-16) Put On the New Man (Ephesians 4:17-32) Walk in Love / Walk in Light (Ephesians 5:1-21) Household Relationships (Ephesians 5:22-6:9) The Armor of God / Final Greetings (Ephesians 6:10-24)
376 questions Copy 376 Questions
Who is the letter written to? ▼ What city are the recipients living in? ▼ What does Paul call himself in verse 1? ▼ What two words does Paul use to describe the people he is writing to? ▼ What two things does Paul wish for his readers in verse 2? ▼ According to verse 1, where does Paul say his authority to be an apostle comes from? ▼ Why do you think Paul introduces himself and identifies his readers before saying anything else? ▼ How would knowing who wrote a letter and who received it help you understand what the letter is about? ▼ Who is writing, and who is receiving this letter? ▼ Who is the letter written to? ▼ What city are the recipients living in? ▼ What does Paul call himself in verse 1? ▼ What two words does Paul use to describe the people he is writing to? ▼ What two things does Paul wish for his readers in verse 2? ▼ According to verse 1, where does Paul say his authority to be an apostle comes from? ▼ Why do you think Paul introduces himself and identifies his readers before saying anything else? ▼ How would knowing who wrote a letter and who received it help you understand what the letter is about? ▼ What simple details in verses 1-2 help you understand the relationship between Paul and his readers? ▼ Who is writing this letter, and what does he call himself? ▼ Paul uses the word 'apostle' (Greek: apostolos). What does that word literally mean, and why does it matter who sent Paul? ▼ Who are the recipients of this letter, and what two things does Paul say about them? ▼ What does the word 'saints' (Greek: hagioi) actually mean? Is Paul calling them morally perfect people, or is he using a specific theological term? ▼ What city is Ephesus, and why would knowing the historical-cultural background of Ephesus help us understand why Paul is writing this letter? ▼ Ephesians is a letter (epistle). What does the genre of 'letter' tell us about how we should read it — as a collection of random verses, or as a sustained argument from beginning to end? ▼ Paul opens with 'Grace and peace to you.' Is this just a polite greeting, or does it carry theological weight? What are grace and peace, and in what order do they come? ▼ Paul identifies the source of grace and peace as 'God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.' What does this pairing tell us about how Paul views the relationship between the Father and Jesus? ▼ Who is Paul praising and talking about in verses 3-14? ▼ What does Paul say God has given believers in verse 3? ▼ According to verse 4, when did God choose His people? ▼ What does Paul say believers have 'in Him' according to verse 7? ▼ What phrase does Paul repeat in verses 6, 12, and 14? Write it out exactly. ▼ Can you find all three persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) somewhere in verses 3-14? Where does each one appear? ▼ What does Paul say the Holy Spirit is a 'pledge' or guarantee of in verse 14? ▼ Why do you think Paul repeats 'to the praise of His glory' three times? What is he trying to make sure we understand? ▼ How does knowing that God chose you, redeemed you, and sealed you change the way you think about your relationship with Him? ▼ Who is the main subject of this passage, and what has He done? ▼ Who is Paul praising and talking about in verses 3-14? ▼ What does Paul say God has given believers in verse 3? ▼ According to verse 4, when did God choose His people? ▼ What does Paul say believers have 'in Him' according to verse 7? ▼ What phrase does Paul repeat in verses 6, 12, and 14? Write it out exactly. ▼ Can you find all three persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) somewhere in verses 3-14? Where does each one appear? ▼ What does Paul say the Holy Spirit is a 'pledge' or guarantee of in verse 14? ▼ Why do you think Paul repeats 'to the praise of His glory' three times? What is he trying to make sure we understand? ▼ How does knowing that God chose you, redeemed you, and sealed you change the way you think about your relationship with Him? ▼ What repeated words or phrases help you see Paul's main emphasis in these verses? ▼ In the original Greek, verses 3-14 are one long, continuous sentence. What does that literary structure tell us about how Paul wants us to read this passage? ▼ Paul says God 'has blessed us... with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.' What kind of blessings is he talking about — material prosperity, or something else? ▼ Paul says God 'chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.' What is the one clear thing Paul is saying here — and what is he not saying? ▼ Paul uses the word 'predestined' (Greek: proorizo) in verse 5. What does this word literally mean, and does it carry a negative or threatening tone in this context? ▼ Three times in verses 6, 12, and 14, Paul repeats a phrase. What is it, and why might he be repeating it? ▼ Paul says believers have 'redemption through His blood.' What does the word 'redemption' (Greek: apolutrosis) mean in its original context? ▼ Paul says God made known 'the mystery of His will... as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.' How does this connect to what God was doing in the Old Testament? ▼ In verses 12-13, Paul shifts from 'we' to 'you.' Who is 'we' and who is 'you'? Why does that pronoun shift matter? ▼ Paul says believers were 'sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.' What does a seal mean in the ancient world, and what does it communicate about the believer's security? ▼ Paul calls the Holy Spirit a 'pledge' (Greek: arrabōn) of our inheritance. What was an arrabōn in the ancient world? ▼ Looking at the entire passage (1:3-14), who are the three persons of the Trinity, and what specific role does each play in our salvation? ▼ Some people read verses 3-14 and ask: 'Does this mean God chose some people for salvation and not others?' Is that the question Paul is answering here, or is he making a different point? ▼ How does understanding the full sweep of 1:3-14 — election, redemption, the mystery of God's will, and the sealing of the Spirit — change how a believer might approach their daily life? What abiding principle does Paul want them to carry? ▼ Who is praying in this passage, and who is he praying for? ▼ What two things has Paul heard about the Ephesian believers that prompt his prayer? ▼ What does Paul ask God to give the believers in verse 17? ▼ In verse 18, what unusual body part does Paul say needs to be 'enlightened'? ▼ List the three things Paul wants the believers to know in verses 18-19. ▼ Where did God seat Christ after raising Him from the dead? ▼ What does Paul say God placed under Christ's feet in verse 22? ▼ Why do you think Paul prays for the believers to understand these things rather than just telling them the information directly? ▼ How would knowing that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in you change how you face a difficult situation this week? ▼ What is Paul praying for in this section? ▼ Who is praying in this passage, and who is he praying for? ▼ What two things has Paul heard about the Ephesian believers that prompt his prayer? ▼ What does Paul ask God to give the believers in verse 17? ▼ In verse 18, what unusual body part does Paul say needs to be 'enlightened'? ▼ List the three things Paul wants the believers to know in verses 18-19. ▼ Where did God seat Christ after raising Him from the dead? ▼ What does Paul say God placed under Christ's feet in verse 22? ▼ Why do you think Paul prays for the believers to understand these things rather than just telling them the information directly? ▼ How would knowing that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in you change how you face a difficult situation this week? ▼ Which specific things does Paul want the believers to know or understand? ▼ What causes Paul to pray for these believers? What two things has he heard about them? ▼ Paul says he has 'not stopped giving thanks' and 'remembering you in my prayers.' What does this tell us about Paul's posture toward this church — and what does it imply about the purpose of prayer? ▼ Paul prays for 'a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him.' What is the Greek word for 'knowledge' here (epignosis), and how is it different from ordinary knowledge? ▼ Paul prays for 'a spirit of wisdom and revelation.' Is he asking God to give them new Scripture, or something else? ▼ Paul asks that 'the eyes of your heart may be enlightened.' What is unusual about this phrase? What does it tell us about how Paul understands the relationship between understanding and the heart? ▼ Paul lists three things he wants the Ephesians to know (v. 18-19). What are they? Try to identify all three from the text. ▼ Paul says God's power toward believers is 'in accordance with the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.' Why does Paul connect the power available to believers to the resurrection? ▼ Paul strings together four Greek words for power in verses 19-20: dunamis, energeia, kratos, and ischus. Why might Paul pile up so many words for power here? ▼ Paul says Christ was seated 'at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion.' What does being seated at God's right hand signify? Where else in Scripture does this image appear? ▼ Paul says Christ is exalted 'not only in the present age but also in the one to come.' What does this tell us about the scope of Christ's authority, and how does it connect to the Old Testament expectation of the Messiah's reign? ▼ Paul says God 'put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church.' Who is the 'everything' that is under Christ's feet? And what is the relationship between Christ's cosmic authority and the church? ▼ Paul calls the church Christ's 'body' and 'the fullness of Him who fills all in all.' What does the word 'fullness' (Greek: pleroma) mean here, and what does it say about the relationship between Christ and His people? ▼ Compare Paul's prayer in 1:15-23 with what he just said in 1:3-14. What connection do you see between what God has already done (vv. 3-14) and what Paul is praying they will understand (vv. 15-23)? ▼ Paul closes this section by describing Christ as head over 'everything for the church.' Given that many of the Ephesian believers came from a background of fearing spiritual powers and idol worship, what does this passage mean for how they should live? What is the abiding principle? ▼ What does Paul say the Ephesians 'were' at the beginning of chapter 2? ▼ Who does Paul say was at work in the 'sons of disobedience' in verse 2? ▼ What are the two qualities Paul names in verse 4 that describe why God acted? ▼ What does Paul say we have been saved by, through, in verse 8? ▼ What does Paul say believers are created for in verse 10? ▼ In verse 13, Paul says the Gentiles who were 'once far away' have now been 'brought near.' What made that possible? ▼ Who does Paul say is the 'cornerstone' of the building he describes in verses 20-22? ▼ Why does Paul say no one can boast about being saved? What does that tell us about how salvation works? ▼ How should knowing you were 'dead' before God made you alive change the way you treat other people who don't yet know Christ? ▼ What were people like before God acted, and what did God do? ▼ What does Paul say the Ephesians 'were' at the beginning of chapter 2? ▼ Who does Paul say was at work in the 'sons of disobedience' in verse 2? ▼ What are the two qualities Paul names in verse 4 that describe why God acted? ▼ What does Paul say we have been saved by, through, in verse 8? ▼ What does Paul say believers are created for in verse 10? ▼ In verse 13, Paul says the Gentiles who were 'once far away' have now been 'brought near.' What made that possible? ▼ Who does Paul say is the 'cornerstone' of the building he describes in verses 20-22? ▼ Why does Paul say no one can boast about being saved? What does that tell us about how salvation works? ▼ How should knowing you were 'dead' before God made you alive change the way you treat other people who don't yet know Christ? ▼ How does Paul move from our old condition to our new condition in Christ? ▼ Paul opens chapter 2 with 'And you were dead...' The word 'And' connects this to what came before. What does this connection tell us about how to read chapter 2? ▼ Paul says they were 'dead' in trespasses and sins. Is this metaphorical or literal? What kind of death is he describing? ▼ Paul describes three forces that governed their former way of life in verses 2-3. What are those three forces? ▼ Paul says 'we were by nature children of wrath.' Does 'by nature' mean God created people to be objects of His wrath, or is Paul making a different point? ▼ Verse 4 begins with 'But God.' In the flow of Paul's argument, why are these two words among the most important in the entire letter? ▼ Paul names two motivations for God's action in verse 4: 'great love' and being 'rich in mercy.' What is the difference between love and mercy? Why does Paul name both? ▼ Paul says God 'made us alive with Christ, raised us up with Christ, and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms.' These are past-tense verbs. Has this already happened, or is it still future? ▼ Ephesians 2:8-9 is one of the most quoted passages in the Bible. What is the one thing Paul is actually arguing here, and what common misreading does the Exegetical Guardrail protect us from? ▼ Many people stop reading at verse 9. What does verse 10 add, and how does it complete Paul's thought about grace, faith, and works? ▼ Paul calls believers God's 'workmanship' (Greek: poiema). What does this word mean, and where else does it appear in the New Testament? ▼ In verses 11-12, Paul reminds the Gentile believers of their former status. What were they excluded from, and how many ways does Paul describe their separation from God? ▼ Paul says Gentiles were 'strangers to the covenants of the promise.' What covenants is he referring to, and why does it matter that Gentiles had no prior access to them? ▼ Paul says Christ 'is our peace' — not merely that He brings peace, but that He is peace. What is the difference, and what does Paul mean by it? ▼ Paul refers to 'the dividing wall of hostility' that Christ tore down. What was the literal wall he may be referencing, and what deeper reality is he describing? ▼ Paul says Christ abolished 'the law of commandments and decrees.' Does this mean the entire Old Testament law is irrelevant to Christians? What is Paul actually saying? ▼ Paul uses three building metaphors in verses 19-22: citizens, household members, and a temple. What does each metaphor add to his description of what the church is? ▼ Paul says Christ is the 'cornerstone' of the building. What was a cornerstone in ancient construction, and why is this the title Paul gives to Jesus? ▼ Paul says believers are 'being built together into a dwelling place for God in His Spirit.' The verb is present tense — ongoing. What does this tell us about the church? ▼ Chapter 2 moves from 'dead in sins' (v. 1) to 'a dwelling place for God' (v. 22). Trace that movement. What are the major steps Paul takes from one end to the other? ▼ What is the abiding principle of Ephesians 2:1-22 for a believer today? If a person truly understood what Paul has described here, how should it change the way they see themselves, others, and the church? ▼ Who is Paul describing himself as at the beginning of chapter 3? ▼ What word does Paul use to describe the truth God revealed to him in verse 3? ▼ In verse 6, Paul defines the mystery specifically. What is it? ▼ According to verse 5, when was this mystery hidden, and when was it revealed? ▼ Who does Paul say he is in verse 8 — what surprising thing does he say about himself? ▼ What does Paul say is his specific job or assignment in verses 8-9? ▼ In verse 10, who is watching as God's wisdom is displayed through the church? ▼ Why do you think Paul takes time to explain his own calling before continuing his prayer? What does he want the Ephesians to understand? ▼ How does it change the way you think about your church knowing that it is part of God's eternal plan — not an accident or a human idea? ▼ What does Paul say the 'mystery' is? ▼ Who is Paul describing himself as at the beginning of chapter 3? ▼ What word does Paul use to describe the truth God revealed to him in verse 3? ▼ In verse 6, Paul defines the mystery specifically. What is it? ▼ According to verse 5, when was this mystery hidden, and when was it revealed? ▼ Who does Paul say he is in verse 8 — what surprising thing does he say about himself? ▼ What does Paul say is his specific job or assignment in verses 8-9? ▼ In verse 10, who is watching as God's wisdom is displayed through the church? ▼ Why do you think Paul takes time to explain his own calling before continuing his prayer? What does he want the Ephesians to understand? ▼ How does it change the way you think about your church knowing that it is part of God's eternal plan — not an accident or a human idea? ▼ Why is this mystery important for Gentile believers and for the church as a whole? ▼ Paul begins verse 1 with 'For this reason, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus...' and then stops mid-sentence, resuming in verse 14. What does this literary structure tell us about how to read chapter 3? ▼ Paul calls himself 'the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles.' He was actually imprisoned by Rome — so why does he describe his imprisonment this way? ▼ Paul uses the word 'mystery' (Greek: mysterion) four times in Ephesians. What does this word mean in Paul's usage — a spooky secret, or something more specific? ▼ Paul defines the mystery specifically in verse 6. What exactly is the mystery he has been entrusted with? ▼ In verse 6, Paul uses three compound Greek words all beginning with 'syn-' (co-/together-): synkleronoma (co-heirs), syssoma (co-body), symmetocha (co-partakers). What is the effect of stacking three 'together' words in a row? ▼ Paul says this mystery 'was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed.' Does this mean the Old Testament has nothing to say about Gentile inclusion? What did the Old Testament reveal and what did it conceal? ▼ Paul describes himself as 'less than the least of all the saints' when given the grace to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Why would Paul describe himself this way — is this false humility, or is there a specific reason? ▼ Paul uses the phrase 'unsearchable riches of Christ' (Greek: anexichniastos). What does this word mean, and what is Paul saying about the depth of what Christ offers? ▼ Paul says God's purpose was that 'through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.' Who are these rulers and authorities, and what is the church's role toward them? ▼ Paul describes God's wisdom as 'manifold' (Greek: polypoikilos). This is the only use of this word in the entire New Testament. What does it mean? ▼ Paul says this display of God's wisdom through the church is 'according to the eternal purpose that He accomplished in Christ Jesus.' What does the phrase 'eternal purpose' tell us about God's plan? ▼ Paul says 'in Him and through faith in Him we may enter God's presence with boldness and confidence.' What has made this boldness possible, and why would this be remarkable to a first-century Gentile believer? ▼ Paul ends this section by asking the Ephesians 'not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.' How does Paul's suffering serve the Ephesian believers, and what does he want their response to be? ▼ Looking at the whole of 3:1-13, what is the abiding principle? If Paul's task was to make everyone see the administration of this mystery, what does that mean for every believer's relationship to the church today? ▼ Who is Paul praying to in verse 14, and what posture is he in? ▼ What does Paul ask God to give believers in verse 16? ▼ Where does Paul say God's Spirit does His strengthening work in verse 16? ▼ In verse 17, what does Paul pray that Christ will do in the hearts of believers? ▼ What four dimensions does Paul use in verse 18 to describe what he wants believers to comprehend? ▼ What is the ultimate goal Paul names at the end of verse 19? ▼ What does Paul say God is able to do in verse 20? ▼ Why does Paul say glory belongs to God 'in the church'? What does that tell us about the church's purpose? ▼ How would your daily life look different if you genuinely believed God wanted to fill you with 'all the fullness of God'? ▼ What is Paul asking God to do in believers here? ▼ Who is Paul praying to in verse 14, and what posture is he in? ▼ What does Paul ask God to give believers in verse 16? ▼ Where does Paul say God's Spirit does His strengthening work in verse 16? ▼ In verse 17, what does Paul pray that Christ will do in the hearts of believers? ▼ What four dimensions does Paul use in verse 18 to describe what he wants believers to comprehend? ▼ What is the ultimate goal Paul names at the end of verse 19? ▼ What does Paul say God is able to do in verse 20? ▼ Why does Paul say glory belongs to God 'in the church'? What does that tell us about the church's purpose? ▼ How would your daily life look different if you genuinely believed God wanted to fill you with 'all the fullness of God'? ▼ How do Paul's requests move from inner strength to love to fullness? ▼ Paul opens with 'for this reason I bow my knees before the Father.' This is the same phrase he began in verse 1 before his parenthetical detour. What does this resumption tell us about the connection between 3:1-13 and this prayer? ▼ Paul bows his knees to pray. Why is this posture significant? What was the more common Jewish posture for prayer, and what does kneeling communicate? ▼ Paul says every family 'in heaven and on earth' derives its name from the Father. What is the wordplay in the Greek, and what point is Paul making about God's identity? ▼ Paul asks God to strengthen believers 'with power through His Spirit in your inner being.' What is the 'inner being,' and why does Paul locate the work of the Spirit there rather than in outward behavior? ▼ Paul prays 'that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.' But these are already believers — Christ already lives in them. What more is Paul asking for? ▼ Paul prays that believers would be 'rooted and grounded in love.' He mixes two metaphors — a botanical one and a construction one. What does each contribute to his point? ▼ Paul prays that believers would 'comprehend... the length and width and height and depth.' What is he referring to? Is this a description of the universe, or something more specific? ▼ Paul says he wants them to 'know this love that surpasses knowledge.' How can you know something that surpasses knowledge? Is Paul contradicting himself? ▼ Paul's ultimate goal in the prayer is that believers 'may be filled with all the fullness of God.' Is this achievable? What does Paul mean by this staggering request? ▼ Paul closes with a doxology (vv. 20-21). What is a doxology, and why does Paul insert one here rather than continuing his argument? ▼ Paul says God 'is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.' The Greek phrase is hyperekperissou — a triple-stacked superlative. What is Paul trying to communicate through this extreme language? ▼ Paul says glory belongs to God 'in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.' Why does Paul specify 'in the church'? What does it mean for the church to be a place where God receives glory? ▼ Compare Paul's two prayers in Ephesians: 1:15-23 and 3:14-21. What does each one ask for, and together, what kind of Christian does Paul envision these prayers producing? ▼ What is the abiding principle of Ephesians 3:14-21? If a believer genuinely prayed this prayer for themselves and their community, what would change? ▼ What word does Paul use to open chapter 4, and what does that word tell us this section is connected to? ▼ How does Paul say believers should walk in verse 1? ▼ List the four qualities Paul names in verse 2 for how believers should treat one another. ▼ How many 'ones' can you find in verses 4-6? List them all. ▼ Who does Paul say gave the gifts listed in verse 11? ▼ What four roles does Paul name as gifts to the church in verse 11? ▼ According to verse 12, why did Christ give these gifted people to the church? What is their main job? ▼ In verse 16, Paul says the body grows when what happens? ▼ How does Paul's picture of the church as a body change the way you think about your own role in your church? ▼ What kind of life does Paul call believers to live in this section? ▼ What word does Paul use to open chapter 4, and what does that word tell us this section is connected to? ▼ How does Paul say believers should walk in verse 1? ▼ List the four qualities Paul names in verse 2 for how believers should treat one another. ▼ How many 'ones' can you find in verses 4-6? List them all. ▼ Who does Paul say gave the gifts listed in verse 11? ▼ What four roles does Paul name as gifts to the church in verse 11? ▼ According to verse 12, why did Christ give these gifted people to the church? What is their main job? ▼ In verse 16, Paul says the body grows when what happens? ▼ How does Paul's picture of the church as a body change the way you think about your own role in your church? ▼ How does Paul connect Christian character, unity, and maturity in the body? ▼ Paul opens chapter 4 with 'therefore' and 'I urge you to walk worthy of your calling.' Why is 'therefore' such an important word here, and what is it pointing back to? ▼ Paul urges them to walk 'worthy' (Greek: axios) of their calling. What does axios mean, and what picture does it paint of the relationship between belief and behavior? ▼ Paul lists four virtues in verse 2: humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love. Why does Paul lead with humility? What would the Ephesian church have looked like without it? ▼ Paul urges them to 'make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.' Does he say to create unity or to keep it? What is the difference? ▼ Paul lists seven 'ones' in verses 4-6. List all seven. What is Paul's purpose in stacking them this way? ▼ Paul includes 'one baptism' in his list of unifying realities. What does this refer to — water baptism, Spirit baptism, or both? How does context help us decide? ▼ Paul describes God the Father as 'over all and through all and in all.' How does this triple description relate to the Trinity — and does it contradict the distinct roles Paul assigned to Father, Son, and Spirit in chapters 1 and 3? ▼ Paul quotes Psalm 68:18 in verse 8: 'When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.' How does Paul apply an Old Testament psalm about God to Jesus, and what does that tell us about how he reads the Old Testament? ▼ Paul says Christ descended before He ascended. What is the descending referring to, and why does Paul make this point? ▼ Paul lists gifted people Christ gave to the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. What is the stated purpose of these gifts — to do the ministry themselves, or something else? ▼ Paul describes the goal of equipping as reaching 'unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.' Is this an individual or a corporate goal? ▼ Paul warns against being 'infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching.' What makes a believer vulnerable to false teaching, and what is the antidote Paul prescribes? ▼ Paul describes the church as a body that 'grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.' What does this metaphor demand of every believer — not just the leaders? ▼ What is the abiding principle of Ephesians 4:1-16? How does this passage redefine what 'going to church' means for a believer who has understood Paul's vision? ▼ What does Paul say believers must no longer do in verse 17? ▼ How does Paul describe the thinking of people who don't know God in verse 17? ▼ In verses 22-24, what three actions does Paul tell believers to take? ▼ In verses 25-32, Paul gives six specific 'stop this, do that instead' instructions. Can you find and list all six? ▼ In verse 25, why does Paul say believers should speak truthfully to one another? What reason does he give? ▼ What does Paul say not to do in verse 30 regarding the Holy Spirit? ▼ According to verse 32, why should believers forgive each other? ▼ How does Paul's 'put off / put on' pattern give you a practical way to think about changing a sinful habit in your own life? ▼ What old ways of living does Paul say must go, and what new ways must replace them? ▼ What does Paul say believers must no longer do in verse 17? ▼ How does Paul describe the thinking of people who don't know God in verse 17? ▼ In verses 22-24, what three actions does Paul tell believers to take? ▼ In verses 25-32, Paul gives six specific 'stop this, do that instead' instructions. Can you find and list all six? ▼ In verse 25, why does Paul say believers should speak truthfully to one another? What reason does he give? ▼ What does Paul say not to do in verse 30 regarding the Holy Spirit? ▼ According to verse 32, why should believers forgive each other? ▼ How does Paul's 'put off / put on' pattern give you a practical way to think about changing a sinful habit in your own life? ▼ How does Paul show that real change involves both stopping sin and putting on a new pattern? ▼ Paul says 'I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord.' What does the phrase 'insist on it in the Lord' communicate about the weight of what Paul is about to say? Is this pastoral suggestion or apostolic command? ▼ Paul describes the Gentile mind as futile. What does 'futility of thinking' mean, and how does it connect to spiritual death described back in 2:1-3? ▼ Paul traces a progression in verses 18-19: darkened understanding → alienated from God → ignorance → hardness of heart → loss of shame → sensuality → impurity. What does this chain tell us about how moral decay actually works? ▼ Paul says those in moral decay have 'lost all sense of shame' (Greek: apalgeo). What does this word mean, and why is the loss of shame a significant spiritual warning sign? ▼ Paul says 'but this is not the way you came to know Christ.' What does it mean to 'know Christ' in this sense, and how does Paul's contrast challenge the idea that doctrine and behavior can be separated? ▼ Paul uses three infinitives in verses 22-24: 'put off,' 'be renewed,' 'put on.' What image does this clothing language create, and what does each action involve? ▼ Paul says the old self is 'being corrupted by its deceitful desires.' The Greek verb is present passive — ongoing corruption, not a one-time event. What does this tell us about the urgency of holiness? ▼ Paul says believers are to 'be renewed in the spirit of your minds.' How does this connect to Romans 12:2, and why does transformation begin in the mind rather than in behavior? ▼ Paul describes the new self as 'created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.' What does it mean that holiness is not something we achieve but something we were created for? ▼ In verses 25-32, Paul gives six specific applications of 'putting off' and 'putting on.' List the six pairs. What pattern do you notice in how Paul structures each one? ▼ Paul says 'speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one another.' Why does the reason he gives — membership in the body — make lying within the church particularly destructive? ▼ Paul says 'be angry, and yet do not sin.' He does not say 'never be angry.' What does this tell us about the nature of anger, and what is the difference between righteous anger and sinful anger? ▼ Paul tells former thieves to work with their own hands so they 'may have something to share with the one in need.' Why is the goal of working not personal security but generosity toward others? ▼ Paul says 'do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.' What does it mean to grieve the Spirit, and why does Paul place this warning in the middle of a list of relational sins? ▼ Paul closes this section commanding believers to forgive 'just as in Christ God forgave you.' How does the ground for forgiveness — God's prior forgiveness — change the nature of the command? ▼ Looking at the full passage (4:17-32), Paul moves from diagnosis (vv. 17-19) to identity (vv. 20-24) to application (vv. 25-32). How does this structure reflect the logic of the entire letter — and what does it reveal about how lasting behavioral change actually works? ▼ What does Paul command believers to be in verse 1? ▼ How does Paul say Christ loved us in verse 2? ▼ What three things does Paul say should not even be named among believers in verse 3? ▼ What does Paul say believers once were, and what are they now, in verse 8? ▼ What three qualities does Paul say are the fruit of the light in verse 9? ▼ In verse 16, what does Paul say believers should do with their time? ▼ What contrast does Paul make in verse 18 — what should believers not be filled with, and what should they be filled with? ▼ List the four results of being Spirit-filled that Paul describes in verses 19-21. ▼ Why does Paul say believers should 'redeem the time'? What is his reason in verse 16? ▼ How does Paul's picture of being 'filled with the Spirit' in verses 18-21 change what you might expect Spirit-filled life to look like? ▼ What three big commands does Paul give in this section? ▼ What does Paul command believers to be in verse 1? ▼ How does Paul say Christ loved us in verse 2? ▼ What three things does Paul say should not even be named among believers in verse 3? ▼ What does Paul say believers once were, and what are they now, in verse 8? ▼ What three qualities does Paul say are the fruit of the light in verse 9? ▼ In verse 16, what does Paul say believers should do with their time? ▼ What contrast does Paul make in verse 18 — what should believers not be filled with, and what should they be filled with? ▼ List the four results of being Spirit-filled that Paul describes in verses 19-21. ▼ Why does Paul say believers should 'redeem the time'? What is his reason in verse 16? ▼ How does Paul's picture of being 'filled with the Spirit' in verses 18-21 change what you might expect Spirit-filled life to look like? ▼ How do love, light, and Spirit-filling work together to describe a holy life? ▼ Paul opens with 'therefore, be imitators of God.' The 'therefore' connects this directly to 4:32. What is the logical flow — why does the command to imitate God follow immediately from the command to forgive? ▼ Paul says to imitate God 'as beloved children.' What does the phrase 'beloved children' add to the command? How does a child's imitation of a parent differ from an actor imitating a role? ▼ Paul commands believers to 'walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.' What specific kind of love is the model, and what does it demand of the believer? ▼ Paul says sexual immorality, impurity, and greed should 'not even be named among you.' What does 'not even be named' mean — is Paul saying believers should never discuss these topics, or something stronger? ▼ Paul groups greed alongside sexual immorality and impurity. Why? What is the connection between sexual sin and greed that makes Paul treat them as belonging in the same category? ▼ Paul warns that 'no immoral, impure, or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.' How does this warning fit with Paul's earlier teaching that salvation is entirely by grace through faith (2:8-9)? Is Paul contradicting himself? ▼ Paul warns against being deceived by 'empty words.' What makes words 'empty' in this context, and why is this warning placed immediately after the list of sins in verses 3-5? ▼ Paul declares 'you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.' He does not say you were 'in the dark' — he says you were darkness. What is the difference, and what does it mean to now be light rather than merely 'in the light'? ▼ Paul says the fruit of the light consists in 'all goodness, righteousness, and truth.' How do these three qualities connect to the three sins he warned against — immorality, impurity, and greed? ▼ Paul commands believers to 'expose' the fruitless deeds of darkness. What does it mean to expose them — is Paul calling for public shaming, confrontation, or something else? ▼ Paul quotes what appears to be an early Christian hymn in verse 14: 'Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.' How does this hymn echo the language of Isaiah and the resurrection, and what is Paul's purpose in quoting it here? ▼ Paul commands believers to 'redeem the time, because the days are evil.' What does it mean to redeem time, and what does Paul's awareness of evil days tell us about the posture Christians are to have toward their cultural moment? ▼ Paul contrasts being drunk with wine with being filled with the Spirit. What is the comparison Paul is drawing — and what does it tell us about what being Spirit-filled actually looks like? ▼ Being filled with the Spirit in verse 18 produces four results in verses 19-21: speaking, singing, giving thanks, and submitting. What does this list tell us about the communal and relational nature of Spirit-filled life? ▼ Verse 21 — 'submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ' — is the bridge sentence between the Spirit-filled life and the household codes that follow (5:22-6:9). What does this verse tell us about the relationship between Spirit-filling and voluntary submission? ▼ Looking at 5:1-21 as a whole, Paul moves through three commands: imitate God (v.1), walk as children of light (v.8), be filled with the Spirit (v.18). How do these three commands build on each other, and what does the cumulative picture tell us about the nature of holiness? ▼ Who are the three pairs of people Paul addresses in this section? ▼ What does Paul say is the model for a husband's love toward his wife in verse 25? ▼ What does Paul call a 'profound mystery' in verse 32? ▼ Why does Paul say children should obey their parents in verse 1? ▼ What promise does Paul attach to the command to honor your father and mother? ▼ What does Paul tell fathers NOT to do in verse 4, and what should they do instead? ▼ How does Paul say servants should work — who should they be thinking about as they do their job? ▼ Why does Paul tell masters to stop threatening their servants? What reason does he give in verse 9? ▼ How would treating your work, your family, or your relationships as service 'to the Lord' change how you approach them this week? ▼ Who are the different relationships Paul addresses in this section? ▼ Who are the three pairs of people Paul addresses in this section? ▼ What does Paul say is the model for a husband's love toward his wife in verse 25? ▼ What does Paul call a 'profound mystery' in verse 32? ▼ Why does Paul say children should obey their parents in verse 1? ▼ What promise does Paul attach to the command to honor your father and mother? ▼ What does Paul tell fathers NOT to do in verse 4, and what should they do instead? ▼ How does Paul say servants should work — who should they be thinking about as they do their job? ▼ Why does Paul tell masters to stop threatening their servants? What reason does he give in verse 9? ▼ How would treating your work, your family, or your relationships as service 'to the Lord' change how you approach them this week? ▼ What does Paul want each relationship to look like when Christ is Lord over it? ▼ Ephesians 5:22 ('Wives, submit to your husbands') has no verb in the original Greek — it borrows the verb 'submit' from verse 21. What does this tell us about how Paul intended verses 22-33 to be read in relation to verse 21? ▼ Paul uses Christ's headship over the church as the model for the husband's headship. What does Christ's headship actually look like according to the passage, and how does this redefine what 'headship' means for a husband? ▼ Paul says husbands are to love their wives 'just as Christ loved the church.' Given the standard of Christ's love described in 1:3-14 and 2:4-7, what specific dimensions of Christ's love is Paul asking husbands to model? ▼ Paul says Christ sanctifies the church 'by the washing with water through the word.' What does this phrase mean — is it referring to baptism, the preaching of the gospel, or the ongoing work of Scripture? ▼ Paul says husbands ought to love their wives 'as their own bodies.' He then says 'no one ever hated his own body, but nourishes and cherishes it.' What specific obligations does this body-care language place on a husband? ▼ Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 ('a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh') and then calls it a 'profound mystery' pointing to Christ and the church. How is Paul reading Genesis here, and what does it tell us about how the Old Testament relates to the New? ▼ Paul commands children to 'obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.' What does the phrase 'in the Lord' add to the command, and how does it differ from simple family loyalty or cultural respect for elders? ▼ Paul quotes the fifth commandment ('Honor your father and mother') and notes it is 'the first commandment with a promise.' Why does Paul cite a Mosaic commandment as still binding for New Covenant believers, and what does this tell us about the relationship between the Old and New Testaments? ▼ Paul tells fathers specifically 'do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.' Why does Paul single out fathers, and what is the difference between discipline and instruction? ▼ Paul tells servants to obey their masters 'as to Christ... doing the will of God from the heart.' How does this reframe the meaning of ordinary, repetitive work — and what is the abiding principle for believers in any workplace today? ▼ Paul addresses masters directly: 'do the same for your servants, giving up threatening, because you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.' What makes this command so radical in its first-century context? ▼ Looking at all three pairs in the household code (wives/husbands, children/fathers, servants/masters), what common pattern does Paul follow in addressing each relationship? ▼ What is the abiding principle of the entire household code (5:22-6:9)? How does Paul's vision for these relationships differ from both the cultural norms of his day and the spirit of radical individualism in our own? ▼ What does Paul tell believers to put on in verse 11? ▼ Who does Paul say the real enemy is — and who does he say the enemy is NOT in verse 12? ▼ List all six pieces of armor Paul names in verses 14-17. ▼ What word does Paul repeat four times in verses 11-14? Write it out each time you find it. ▼ What does Paul say to do after putting on the full armor, according to verse 18? ▼ Who does Paul ask the Ephesians to pray for in verses 19-20, and what specifically does he ask them to pray? ▼ Why does Paul say we need armor — what are the 'schemes' of the devil and how does the armor protect against them? ▼ How does the armor Paul describes connect back to everything God has already given believers in chapters 1-3? Can you find any connections? ▼ How would you explain to a friend what it means to 'put on the full armor of God' in a practical, everyday way? ▼ What does Paul tell believers to put on, and why? ▼ What does Paul tell believers to put on in verse 11? ▼ Who does Paul say the real enemy is — and who does he say the enemy is NOT in verse 12? ▼ List all six pieces of armor Paul names in verses 14-17. ▼ What word does Paul repeat four times in verses 11-14? Write it out each time you find it. ▼ What does Paul say to do after putting on the full armor, according to verse 18? ▼ Who does Paul ask the Ephesians to pray for in verses 19-20, and what specifically does he ask them to pray? ▼ Why does Paul say we need armor — what are the 'schemes' of the devil and how does the armor protect against them? ▼ How does the armor Paul describes connect back to everything God has already given believers in chapters 1-3? Can you find any connections? ▼ How would you explain to a friend what it means to 'put on the full armor of God' in a practical, everyday way? ▼ How does the armor help believers stand against the kind of enemy Paul describes? ▼ Paul opens with 'finally' — a signal that this is his closing argument. How does the armor of God passage function as the culmination of the entire letter, not just a standalone survival tip? ▼ Paul says 'be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.' The Greek verb (endunamoo) is passive — be strengthened. What does the passive voice tell us about the source of the strength Paul is describing? ▼ Paul says to 'put on the full armor of God so that you can make your stand against the devil's schemes.' What word does Paul use for the devil's strategies, and what does it tell us about the nature of spiritual opposition? ▼ Paul says 'our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this world's darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.' What does this reframe about who — or what — the real enemy is? ▼ Paul uses the image of a Roman soldier's armor. What would his first-century audience have immediately pictured, and how does that concrete image help communicate the nature of spiritual warfare? ▼ Paul lists six pieces of armor. For each one, identify what it is, what spiritual reality it corresponds to, and where else in Ephesians that spiritual reality has already appeared. ▼ The word 'stand' appears four times in verses 11-14. What is Paul's primary call in this passage — advance, attack, or stand? What does that emphasis tell us about the nature of this battle? ▼ Paul describes the 'sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.' What Greek word is used for 'word' here — logos or rhema — and why might that distinction matter? ▼ After listing all the armor, Paul says to pray 'in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition.' Why is prayer listed after the armor rather than as a piece of it — and what does its placement tell us about the relationship between armor and prayer? ▼ Paul asks the Ephesians to pray specifically 'that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel.' What is striking about this request from the man who wrote this letter? ▼ Paul calls himself 'an ambassador in chains.' What is the irony of this phrase, and what does it say about how Paul understands his imprisonment in relation to his calling? ▼ Paul mentions Tychicus as the one carrying this letter and says he is sending him specifically 'that you may know about us, and that he may encourage your hearts.' What does this closing detail tell us about Paul's pastoral heart and the relational nature of the early church? ▼ Paul closes with 'grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.' How does this closing benediction echo the opening of the letter and bring the whole argument to a fitting conclusion? ▼ Looking back across the entire letter — from the doxology of 1:3-14 to the armor of 6:10-18 — what is the one master argument Paul has been making, and how does every section contribute to it? ▼