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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Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

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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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10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

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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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For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

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

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Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

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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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For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

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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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25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

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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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19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

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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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That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

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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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16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

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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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25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

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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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Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

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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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How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

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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

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

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