¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers^(A) and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father^(B) and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(A) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(B) with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

⁶ And God raised us up with Christ^(A) and seated us with him^(B) in the heavenly realms^(C) in Christ Jesus,

¹⁰ His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God^(A) should be made known^(B) to the rulers and authorities^(C) in the heavenly realms,^(D)

¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,^(A) but against the rulers, against the authorities,^(B) against the powers^(C) of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.^(D)

²² who has gone into heaven^(A) and is at God’s right hand^(B)—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.^(C)