The Mystery Revealed

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— if indeed you have heard of the [a]dispensation of the grace of God (A)which was given to me for you, (B)how that by revelation (C)He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles (D)should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, (E)of which I became a minister (F)according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by (G)the effective working of His power.

Purpose of the Mystery

To me, (H)who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles (I)the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the [b]fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who (J)created all things [c]through Jesus Christ; 10 (K)to the intent that now (L)the [d]manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church (M)to the [e]principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 (N)according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access (O)with confidence through faith in Him. 13 (P)Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, (Q)which is your glory.

Appreciation of the Mystery

14 For this reason I bow my knees to the (R)Father [f]of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, (S)according to the riches of His glory, (T)to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in (U)the inner man, 17 (V)that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, (W)being rooted and grounded in love, 18 (X)may be able to comprehend with all the saints (Y)what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled (Z)with all the fullness of God.

20 Now (AA)to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly (AB)above all that we ask or think, (AC)according to the power that works in us, 21 (AD)to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 3:2 stewardship
  2. Ephesians 3:9 NU, M stewardship (dispensation)
  3. Ephesians 3:9 NU omits through Jesus Christ
  4. Ephesians 3:10 variegated or many-sided
  5. Ephesians 3:10 rulers
  6. Ephesians 3:14 NU omits of our Lord Jesus Christ

Paul’s Stewardship

For this reason I, Paul, (A)the prisoner of (B)Christ Jesus (C)for the sake of you (D)Gentiles— if indeed you have heard of the (E)administration of God’s grace which was given to me for you; (F)that (G)by revelation there was (H)made known to me (I)the mystery, (J)as I wrote before briefly. [a]By referring to this, when you read you can understand (K)my insight [b]into the (L)mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to [c]mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy (M)apostles and prophets [d]in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are (N)fellow heirs and (O)fellow members of the body, and (P)fellow partakers of the promise in (Q)Christ Jesus through the gospel, (R)of which I was made a (S)minister, according to the gift of (T)God’s grace which was given to me (U)according to the working of His power. To me, (V)the very least of all [e]saints, this grace was given, to (W)preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable (X)riches of Christ, and to [f]enlighten all people as to what the plan of the (Y)mystery is which for ages has been (Z)hidden in God, (AA)who created all things; 10 so that the multifaceted (AB)wisdom of God might now be (AC)made known through the church to the (AD)rulers and the authorities in (AE)the heavenly places. 11 This was in (AF)accordance with the [g]eternal purpose which He [h]carried out in (AG)Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and [i](AH)confident (AI)access through faith [j]in Him. 13 Therefore I ask [k]you not (AJ)to become discouraged about my tribulations (AK)in your behalf, [l]since they are your glory.

14 For this reason I (AL)bend my knees before the Father, 15 from whom [m]every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to (AM)the riches of His glory, to be (AN)strengthened with power through His Spirit in (AO)the inner [n]self, 17 so that (AP)Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being (AQ)rooted and (AR)grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with (AS)all the [o]saints what is (AT)the width and length and height and depth, 19 and to know (AU)the love of Christ which (AV)surpasses knowledge, that you may be (AW)filled to all the (AX)fullness of God.

20 (AY)Now to Him who is (AZ)able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, (BA)according to the power that works within us, 21 (BB)to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations [p]forever and ever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 3:4 Lit To which, when you read
  2. Ephesians 3:4 Lit in
  3. Ephesians 3:5 Lit the sons of man
  4. Ephesians 3:5 Or by
  5. Ephesians 3:8 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  6. Ephesians 3:9 One early ms bring to light what
  7. Ephesians 3:11 Lit purpose of the ages
  8. Ephesians 3:11 Or formed
  9. Ephesians 3:12 Lit access in confidence
  10. Ephesians 3:12 Lit of Him
  11. Ephesians 3:13 Or that I may not lose
  12. Ephesians 3:13 Lit which are
  13. Ephesians 3:15 Or the whole
  14. Ephesians 3:16 Lit person
  15. Ephesians 3:18 See note v 8
  16. Ephesians 3:21 Lit of the age of the ages

Paul’s Stewardship

For this reason [because I preach that you and believing Jews are joint heirs] I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was entrusted to me [to share with you] for your benefit; and that by [divine] revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I have already written in brief.(A) By referring to this, when you read it you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not disclosed to mankind, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the [Holy] Spirit; [it is this:] that the Gentiles are now joint heirs [with the Jews] and members of the same body, and joint partakers [sharing] in the [same divine] promise in Christ Jesus through [their faith in] the good news [of salvation]. Of this [gospel] I was made a minister by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power. To me, [though I am] the very least of all the saints (God’s people), this grace [which is undeserved] was graciously given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the incomprehensible riches of Christ [that spiritual wealth which no one can fully understand], and to make plain [to everyone] the plan of the mystery [regarding the uniting of believing Jews and Gentiles into one body] which [until now] was kept hidden through the ages in [the mind of] God who created all things. 10 So now through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God [in all its countless aspects] might now be made known [revealing the mystery] to the [angelic] rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This is in accordance with [the terms of] the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him [that is, our faith gives us sufficient courage to freely and openly approach God through Christ]. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart at my sufferings on your behalf, for they are your glory and honor.

14 For this reason [grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ] I bow my knees [in reverence] before the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ], 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth [a]derives its name [God—the first and ultimate Father]. 16 May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, 18 be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; 19 and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

20 Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 3:15 In Greek, the word for family is patria, which is derived from pater, the word for “father.” The concept of family originates with God.