3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world.
4 That is, in Christ, he chose us before the world was made so that we would be his holy people—people without blame before him.
5 Because of his love, God had already decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. That was what he wanted and what pleased him,
6 and it brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely, in Christ, the One he loves.
7 In Christ we are set free by the blood of his death, and so we have forgiveness of sins. How rich is God’s grace,
8 which he has given to us so fully and freely. God, with full wisdom and understanding,
9 let us know his secret purpose. This was what God wanted, and he planned to do it through Christ.