So, I have been ploughing on – Acts, then Romans, then I and II Corinthians and Galatians. Making notes and exclamations and so on. But not uploading. I will try to get through the backlog while also keeping up the reading schedule for the rest of the New Testament.
Here’s yesterday’s reading
Ephesians
Fifteen years ago I read the Old Testament (King James Version) and blogged it as I went. I always meant to keep on trucking, but, well, I didn’t.
Now, in January and February of 2026 I am going to read all 27 books of the New Testament (I have a passing familiarity with the Gospels, thanks to secondary school, and I did read the Book of Revelations at some point (fever dream, innit?)
The plan is to read at most ten pages a day, with rest days more frequent than old “1-in-7” for the Gospels through Romans, but then, because it all gets somewhat shorter, one a day for most of February.
Crucially, am blogging as I go.
Oh, and I am going to read Gore Vidal’s 1992 “Live from Golgotha” as soon as I am done with John…
The Epistle to the Ephesians[a] is a Pauline epistle and the tenth book of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It stands among the canonical writings that shaped early Christian identity and is traditionally grouped with the letters attributed to Paul the Apostle.
The text is traditionally believed to have been written by Paul around AD 62 during his imprisonment in Rome. It closely resembles Colossians and is thought to have been addressed to the church in Ephesus (now in Turkey), another Pauline epistle whose authorship is debated. As such, many modern scholars dispute the attribution and date the work to AD 70–100 as a circular letter.[4][5]
Ephesians sets out a theological vision of God’s plan to unite all creation in Christ and exhorts the church to embody that unity through reconciliation across ethnic boundaries and holy conduct in everyday relationships.[6][7][8][9]
Most poetic bits
Ephesians 6: 14
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Ephesians 6: 16
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Most quotable bits
xxx
Most “wtaf” bit(s)
Good deeds won’t cut it
Ephesians 2: 8-9 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 5: 22 and 24
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
What it reminds me of (books/plays/jokes etc)
Corinthians. Various mishmash of stoic philosophy (on the anger stuff). Er, that’s it.
Further reading
Xx
Chapter 1
So it was the plan all along?
Ephesians 1: 4 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Poetic
Ephesians 1: 21
21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come
Chapter 2
You’ll get pie in the sky…
Ephesians 2: 6-7
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Good deeds won’t cut it
Ephesians 2: 8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2: 14
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Chapter 3
Paul bleating about his bona fides. Yawn.
Chapter 4
Keep it humble
Ephesians 4: 1-3
4 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eyes wide open
Ephesians 4: 14
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Nice – “the vanity of their mind”
Ephesians 4: 17
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Ephesians 4: 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:]
(cited in Thomas Fuller Of Anger, Oxford Book of Essays)
Ephesians 4: 29
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Ephesians 4: 31
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Ephesians 4: 32
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Chapter 5
“No sex please, we’re Paulites”
Ephesians 5: 3
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Ephesians 5: 5
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Ephesians 5: 6
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Truth will out!
Ephesians 5: 13
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Ephesians 5: 15
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Ephesians 5: 16
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Ephesians 5: 22 and 24
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Chapter 6
Typical shite
Ephesians 6: 5 5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Eyeservice, menpleasers!
Ephesians 6: 6
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
[6 Don’t obey them only to please them when they are watching. Do it because you are slaves of Christ. Be sure your heart does what God wants
6 You must get on with your work, not only when someone is watching you, as if you were just trying to please another human being, but as slaves of the Messiah. Do God’s will from your heart.”]
Ephesians 6: 8
8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Ephesians 6: 12
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the
(cited in Kingdom Come by James Ballard)
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (KJV)
Poetic!
Ephesians 6: 14
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Ephesians 6: 16
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
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