For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Ephesians 1:15
What does Ephesians 1:15 mean?
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Ephesians 1:15
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Paul's expression "your faith in the Lord Jesus" (using a slightly different Greek phrasing than usual) and "love toward all the saints" reveals that faith and love are not just personal feelings but outward expressions that become public knowledge and a basis for thanksgiving. This highlights how our inward devotion has outward manifestations that can impact and encourage others, even those far away.
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul begins by expressing his gratitude for the Ephesians, having heard about their strong faith in Jesus and their love for fellow believers. This leads directly into his prayer for them, asking God to give them wisdom and revelation to truly know Him, as well as understanding of the incredible power God has shown in raising Jesus from the dead.
Paul doesn't just mention faith and love; he specifies where they are directed. What does this tell us about their true nature?
Paul highlights two foundational pillars of the Christian life: faith directed toward Jesus and love extended to all believers.
Faith in the Lord Jesus: This isn't just a general belief; it's a deep trust and reliance specifically on Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate object of our faith, the one in whom we find salvation and our relationship with God.
Love toward all the saints: This love isn't limited by background, status, or even personal preference. It's a God-given love that embraces every believer, recognizing them as part of God's holy people. This expansive love is a direct outflow of genuine faith in Christ.
Paul 'heard' about the Ephesians. What's the significance of this report, and how does it connect to the continuation of their faith?
The phrase 'after I heard' is more than just a casual observation; it signifies that reports of the Ephesians' spiritual growth reached Paul.
Intelligence and Encouragement: News about the flourishing faith and love of believers in distant places served as a significant encouragement to apostles like Paul. It validated their ministry and fueled their prayers.
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A Sign of Vitality: The fact that their faith and love were subjects of favorable reports suggests a public and impactful expression of their Christianity. Their lives were a testament that others could see and speak about, indicating a vibrant, living faith that wasn't hidden.
Foundation for Prayer: This received intelligence formed the basis for Paul's thanksgiving and prayer for them, showing how the spiritual condition of one community can impact and inform the ministry to others.
Understand the original words
pistis · Greek Noun
A firm conviction, trust, and reliance upon the truth of God’s word and the person of Jesus Christ; it is the fundamental response of a believer to the gospel.
agapē · Greek Noun
A sacrificial, self-giving commitment that seeks the best for others, reflecting the love that God has shown toward His people.
hagios · Greek Noun/Adjective
Those who have been set apart for God; it refers to the community of believers who are made holy through their union with Christ.
Paul, writing from Rome during his imprisonment, heard reports about the Ephesians' vibrant faith and love. This verse reflects his gratitude and eagerness to encourage them further, even from a distance.
c. AD 52-55
Paul's Ministry in Ephesus
Paul spent about three years in Ephesus, establishing a thriving church and significantly impacting the region with the Gospel. This period laid the foundation for the community he would later address in his letter.
c. AD 60-62— this verse
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
While imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote several letters, including Ephesians. His confinement provided an opportunity for reflection and for receiving reports about the churches he had ministered to.
c. AD 62
Paul's Letter to the Ephesians
During his Roman imprisonment, Paul penned the Epistle to the Ephesians, likely as a circular letter to various churches in the province of Asia, including Ephesus.
This passage echoes Ephesians 1:15 by mentioning hearing about the recipients' faith and love, highlighting these as key indicators of genuine Christian community.
1 Thessalonians 1:3Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonians' work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfast hope, mirroring the core graces of faith and love mentioned in Ephesians 1:15 as foundational to their spiritual standing.
2 Thessalonians 1:3This verse emphasizes the abundant faith and steadfast love of the Thessalonians, showing that these two virtues were consistently recognized and praised by Paul in various churches.
1 Timothy 1:5Paul speaks of the 'end of the charge' being love from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and sincere faith, linking faith and love as the essential components of genuine Christian living, just as he does in Ephesians 1:15.
Galatians 5:6This verse states that in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but rather faith working through love, directly connecting the two graces celebrated in Ephesians 1:15 as the active expression of Christian life.
calvinEphesians 1:15-19: "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,"
- Wherefore I also. This thanksgiving was not simply an expression of his ardent love to the Ephesians. He congratulated them before God, that the opinion which he had formed respecting them was highly favorable. Observe here, that under faith and love Paul includes generally the whole excellence of Christian character. He uses the expression, faith in the Lord Jesus, [117] beca…
gillEphesians 1:15: "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,"
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. And the grace of faith, which terminates on him, is a seeing him, a beholding the glory of his person, and the fulness of…
Paul's expression "your faith in the Lord Jesus" (using a slightly different Greek phrasing than usual) and "love toward all the saints" reveals that faith and love are not just personal feelings but outward expressions that become public knowledge and a basis for thanksgiving. This highlights how our inward devotion has outward manifestations that can impact and encourage others, even those far away.
Paul begins by expressing his gratitude for the Ephesians, having heard about their strong faith in Jesus and their love for fellow believers. This leads directly into his prayer for them, asking God to give them wisdom and revelation to truly know Him, as well as understanding of the incredible power God has shown in raising Jesus from the dead.
Paul begins by expressing his gratitude for the Ephesians, having heard about their strong faith in Jesus and their love for fellow believers. This leads directly into his prayer for them, asking God to give them wisdom and revelation to truly know Him, as well as understanding of the incredible power God has shown in raising Jesus from the dead.
"For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints," — Paul's expression "your faith in the Lord Jesus" (using a slightly different Greek phrasing than usual) and "love toward all the saints" reveals that faith and love are not just personal feelings but…
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Last reviewed October 2026