The Ministry of Apostles

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and (A)stewards of the mysteries of God.

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The Nature of True Apostleship

This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants(A) of Christ and as those entrusted(B) with the mysteries(C) God has revealed.

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10 (A)As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, (B)as good stewards of God's varied grace:

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10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,(A) as faithful(B) stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

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For an overseer,[a] (A)as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not (B)be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent (C)or greedy for gain,

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Footnotes

  1. Titus 1:7 Or bishop; Greek episkopos

Since an overseer(A) manages God’s household,(B) he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.(C)

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They must (A)hold the mystery of the faith with (B)a clear conscience.

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They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.(A)

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For what (A)we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with (B)ourselves as your servants[a] for Jesus' sake.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:5 Or slaves (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)

For what we preach is not ourselves,(A) but Jesus Christ as Lord,(B) and ourselves as your servants(C) for Jesus’ sake.

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25 (A)of which I became a minister according to (B)the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 (C)the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 (D)To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are (E)the riches of the glory of (F)this mystery, which is Christ in you, (G)the hope of glory.

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25 I have become its servant(A) by the commission God gave me(B) to present to you the word of God(C) in its fullness— 26 the mystery(D) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known(E) among the Gentiles the glorious riches(F) of this mystery, which is Christ in you,(G) the hope of glory.

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19 and (A)also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth (B)boldly to proclaim (C)the mystery of the gospel,

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19 Pray also for me,(A) that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly(B) make known the mystery(C) of the gospel,

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that (A)their hearts may be encouraged, being (B)knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of (C)God's mystery, which is Christ,

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My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart(A) and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery(B) of God, namely, Christ,

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16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For (A)necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with (B)a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching (C)I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

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16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach.(A) Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;(B) if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.(C) 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,(D) and so not make full use of my rights(E) as a preacher of the gospel.

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Doxology

25 (A)Now to him who is able to strengthen you (B)according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, (C)according to the revelation of the mystery (D)that was kept secret for (E)long ages

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25 Now to him who is able(A) to establish you in accordance with my gospel,(B) the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery(C) hidden for long ages past,

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At the same time, pray also for us, that God may (A)open to us a door for the word, (B)to declare the mystery of Christ, (C)on account of which I am in prison—

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And pray for us, too, that God may open a door(A) for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery(B) of Christ, for which I am in chains.(C)

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(A)how the mystery was made known to me (B)by revelation, (C)as I have written briefly. (D)When you read this, you can perceive my insight into (E)the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is[a] that the Gentiles are (F)fellow heirs, (G)members of the same body, and (H)partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

(I)Of this gospel I was made (J)a minister according to the gift of (K)God's grace, which was given me (L)by the working of his power. To me, (M)though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, (N)to preach to the Gentiles the (O)unsearchable (P)riches of Christ, and (Q)to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery (R)hidden for ages in[b] God, (S)who created all things,

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 3:6 The words This mystery is are inferred from verse 4
  2. Ephesians 3:9 Or by

that is, the mystery(A) made known to me by revelation,(B) as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight(C) into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.(D) This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs(E) together with Israel, members together of one body,(F) and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.(G)

I became a servant of this gospel(H) by the gift of God’s grace given me(I) through the working of his power.(J) Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people,(K) this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles(L) the boundless riches of Christ,(M) and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,(N) which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

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(A)making known[a] to us the mystery of his will, (B)according to his purpose, which he (C)set forth in Christ

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:9 Or he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known…

he[a] made known to us the mystery(A) of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed(B) in Christ,

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 1:9 Or us with all wisdom and understanding. And he