Ephesians 1:18

I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Paul, writing to the Ephesians, is mid-prayer (vv. 17–19), asking God to grant them a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Verse 18 is the specific content of that request.

The words — πεφωτισμὸν (pephōtismos), perfect passive participle of φωτίζω, "having been enlightened," carries the verse; the completed-tense form implies a settled state, not a one-time flash. The phrase ὀφθαλμοὺς τῆς καρδίας ("eyes of the heart") is Paul's idiom for inner perception, distinct from physical sight.

The thread — The same divine illumination of inner perception appears in Acts 26:18 (open their eyes), 2 Corinthians 4:6 (light shine in our hearts), and Luke 24:45 (opened their minds to understand the Scriptures).

Why it lands — The verse asks for knowledge of two concrete things: the hope tied to God's calling and the riches of His inheritance in the saints. It is a request for corrected expectations, not for moral effort.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Cross-references

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Luke 24:45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.
Psalms 119:18 Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.
Ephesians 3:16 I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;
2 Thessalonians 1:11 To this end, we always pray for you, that our God will count you worthy of His calling, and that He will powerfully fulfill your every good desire and work of faith,