Ephesians 1:15
in Ephesians 1For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which ye show toward all the saints,
KJV
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
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This verse in Ephesians 1
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Wherefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus - This is one of the passages usually relied on by those who suppose that this Epistle was not written to the Ephesians. The argument is, that he writes to them as if they were strangers to him, and that it is not language such as would be used in addressing a people among whom he had spent three years; see the introduction, section 5. But this inference is not conclusive. Paul had been some years absent from Ephesus when this Epistle was written.
This site's exposition
your faith in the Lord Jesus
on Ephesians 1:15-16
For this reason ties the thanksgiving to everything just rehearsed. Paul has heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus and love for all the saints, the pair he looks for in a church.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
He now moves on to specific exhortations for the Ephesians, and at the same time he warns them not to entertain contrary ideas. He first expresses himself generously: "having heard," he says, "of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." For this is the sum …
Never was anything equal to the yearnings of the Apostle, never anything like the sympathy and the affectionateness of the blessed Paul, who made his every prayer in behalf of whole cities and peoples, and writes the same to all, "I thank my God for you, making mention of you in my prayers." Think how many he had in his mind, whom it were a labor so much as to remember; how many he made mention of in his prayers, giving thanks to God for them all as though he himself had received the greatest blessing. "Wherefore," he says, i.e., because of what is to come, because of the good things that are laid up in store for them who rightly believe and live. And it is meet then to give thanks to God both for all the things which mankind have received at His hands, both heretofore and hereafter; and meet to give Him thanks also for the faith of them that believe. "Having heard," saith he, "of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and which ye show toward all the saints." He on all occasions knits together and combines faith and love, a glorious pair; nor does he mention the saints of that country only, but all. "I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers."
The Medieval Church2 voices
After enumerating the blessings conferred on the Ephesians through Christ (1:13), the Apostle now reveals how his affection for them has grown. This section is divided into three parts: First, he begins by relating the good reports he has heard concerning them. Secondly, he gives …
"Having heard," he says, "of your faith in Christ Jesus." And not only of faith, but also of love, that is, a merciful and brotherly disposition, and even a philanthropic one, as extending to all and not only to the local saints, that is, to …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Faith in Christ, and love to the saints, will be attended with all other graces. Love to the saints, as such, and because they are such, must include love to God. Those who love saints, as such, love all saints, how weak in grace, how mean in the world, how fretful and peevish soever, some of them may be.
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Since I heard of your faith and love - That is, of their perseverance and increase therein.
Wherefore I also,.... As well as others: after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus; who is the immediate object of faith, and a very proper and suitable one; having every thing in him that is agreeable to the case and circumstances of those that trust in him.
He calls them the faithful in Christ Jesus, believers in him, and firm and constant in their adherence to him and to his truths and ways. Those are not saints who are not faithful, believing in Christ, firmly adhering to him, and true to the profession they make of relation to their Lord.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
So in the case of Philemon, his "beloved fellow laborer" (Phm 1), he uses the same words (Phm 4, 5). your faith--rather, as Greek, "the faith among you," that is, which many (not all) of you have. love unto all the saints--of whatever name, simply because they are saints. A distinguishing characteristic of true Christianity (Eph 6:24).
Faith in the Lord Jesus - Cordial reception of the Christian religion, amply proved by their love to all the saints - to all the Christians. Perhaps love here implies, not only the kind affection so called, but also all the fruits of love - benevolence, and kind offices of every description.
The words behind it
20 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Διὰ | dia | Because of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| κἀγὼ | kago | I myself also | G1473 →G2532 → | 839 times |
| ἀκούσας | akousas | having heard of | G191 → | 425 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καθ᾽ | kath᾽ | among | G2596 → | 468 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| πίστιν | pistin | faith | G4102 → | 242 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κυρίῳ | kurio | Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγάπην | agapen | love | G26 → | 114 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εἰς | eis | toward | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| πάντας | pantas | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁγίους | hagious | saints | G40 → | 220 times |
ΔιὰBecause of
diaG1223 →664 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
κἀγὼI myself also
ἀκούσαςhaving heard of
akousasG191 →425 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
καθ᾽among
kath᾽G2596 →468 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
πίστινfaith
pistinG4102 →242 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
κυρίῳLord
kurioG2962 →711 times
ἸησοῦJesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἀγάπηνlove
agapenG26 →114 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
εἰςtoward
eisG1519 →1755 times
πάνταςall
pantasG3956 →1235 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἁγίουςsaints
hagiousG40 →220 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 6:10For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:16
And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Matthew 10:42
And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”
- Galatians 6:10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3
and continually recalling before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love, and your enduring hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Acts 10:4
Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
- Hebrews 13:16
Through
1 John 4:21And we have this commandment from Him: Whoever loves God must love his brother as well.
it leads to
- Matthew 22:37–39
Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
- Leviticus 19:18
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
- 1 John 3:11
This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
- Matthew 22:37–39
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
About Ephesians
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gaius Marius Victorinus, EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS 1.1.15; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Ephesians 3; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Ephesians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Ephesians.