A few days ago I posted about reading Ross Wright’s PhD dissertation in which he translates Karl Barth’s lectures from 1921-1922 on Ephesians. I wrote there about Barth’s affirmation of both Ephesians and Colossians’ Pauline authorship.
I’ve since finished reading these lectures, and wanted to share today Barth’s translations of Ephesians 1. I say translations (plural) because Barth translated Ephesians 1 twice, and both are given at the end of his lectures in Wright’s dissertation. The first is a transition given for sermons given on Ephesians 1, and the second is an academic translation for his lectures on Ephesians. Accordingly, the academic translation is more, well, academic, with verse numbers included, and the one prepared for the sermon is presented more simply without verse numbers.
Here I’ve reposted both for your enjoyment. First, Barth’s translation for a sermon by itself, and second, is Barth’s Academic translation run parallel next to the ESV version of this text. Enjoy!
(These come from this paper, translated by Ross Wright in 2007. Italics come from original source.)
Translation for a Sermon in 1921
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints in Ephesus and the believers in Christ Jesus. Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praised be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing of the heavenly world in Christ.
In him he chose us before the foundations of the world were laid that we might be holy and blameless in him. In love he chose so that we might be his children through Jesus Christ according to his good pleasure to the praise of the glory of his grace which he lavished upon us in his beloved.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the abundance of his grace, which is amply given to us as complete wisdom and insight. He has let us know the mystery of his will, to carry out according to his good pleasure the reuniting of all things in Christ in the fullness of time as he planned, things heavenly and things earthly in him.
In him we have become heirs and were chosen for this according to the purpose of the one who accomplishes everything according to the intention of his will, so that we might be the first to hope in Christ to the praise of his glory.
In him you also heard the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation and were sealed with the Spirit of promise through faith in him, who is the pledge of our inheritance until at last it becomes our possession to the praise of his glory.
Therefore, since I learned about the faith which exists among you in the Lord Jesus and about your love for all the saints, I have not ceased to give thanks for you and to remember you in my prayers, that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of God, the illumination of the eyes of your heart, that you may know how great the hope is that is given you through his call, the abundance of the glory of his inheritance for his saints, and the inestimable greatness of is power for us who believe in the exercise of the power of his strength.
He exercised this [power] upon Christ when he raised him from the dead and placed him at his right hand in the heavenly world over all origins and authorities and powers and dominions and over everything which can be named, not only in this world but also in the world to come; and he placed everything at his feet and made him the head of everything in the Church, for whose filling he fills all in all.
Barth’s Academic Translation
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ
10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,
16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might
20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God to the saints and believers in Christ Jesus.
2 Grace be with you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, in heaven, in Christ:
4 In him, he chose us before the creation of the world to be spotless and blameless before him.
5 In love he determined us through Jesus Christ his Son, according to his good pleasure, to exist
6 for the praise of the glory of his grace, which he lavished upon us in the Beloved.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace,
8 which he has generously given us in perfect wisdom and insight:
9 to make known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure
10 (to accomplish in the fullness of time according to his intention) to gather together everything in Christ, the heavenly and the earthly in him.
11 In him we have also become heirs, having been determined (according to the intention of him who accomplishes everything according to the purpose of his will)
12 to the praise of his glory to be the first to hope in Christ.
13 In him, you also, having heard the word of truth, the message of your salvation and believing in him, were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 the downpayment of our inheritance, until it becomes our own possession, to the praise of his glory.
15 Therefore, since I learned about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers –
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation to know him,
18 the illumination of the eyes of your heart so that you know what the hope is that is given to you through his call, what the abundance of the glory of his inheritance is for his saints,
19 and what the surpassing greatness of his power is for us who believe in the exercise of the power of his strength.
20 He exercised this in Christ when he raised him from the dead and placed him at his right hand in the heavenly world:
21 over all origins and authorities and powers and dominions and over everything which can be named, not only in this world but also in the world to come;
22 and he placed everything at his feet and made him the head of everything in the church,
23 which is his body, the fulfilling of which he fills all in all.