Is Ephesians chapter 1 a prayer Paul prayed for the Ephesian believers?
Yes. Ephesians chapter 1 is described as more or less a prayer that Paul prayed on behalf of the Ephesian believers. It contains prayer requests the Apostle petitions, including that God give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation and enlighten the eyes of their understanding.
Les teaches that Ephesians 1 is more or less a prayer Paul is praying on behalf of these Ephesian believers. He explains that Ephesians takes the reader into a deeper realm of teaching concerning the Body of Christ, containing truths not even found in Romans and 1 Corinthians. In Ephesians 1:17, Paul prays that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Les stresses that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened are prayer requests, petitions the Apostle is making, that they may know the hope of His calling and the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. He notes this inheritance in the saints is the opposite of the usual nomenclature of Christ as our inheritance and believers as co-heirs with Him, and he says it is past human understanding.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: