Efesios 3
Dios Habla Hoy
La misión de Pablo en la iglesia
3 Por esta razón yo, Pablo, estoy preso por causa de Cristo Jesús para bien de ustedes, los que no son judíos. 2 Pues ya sin duda sabrán que Dios me ha encargado anunciar a ustedes lo que él, en su bondad, ha dispuesto. 3 Por revelación he conocido el designio secreto de Dios, como ya les escribí brevemente. 4 Al leerlo, pueden darse cuenta de que conozco este designio secreto realizado en Cristo, 5 que no se dio a conocer a nadie en otros tiempos, pero que ahora Dios ha revelado a sus santos apóstoles y profetas por medio de su Espíritu. 6 El designio secreto es éste: que por el evangelio Dios llama a todas las naciones a participar, en Cristo Jesús, de la misma herencia, del mismo cuerpo y de la misma promesa que el pueblo de Israel. 7 Y yo he sido puesto al servicio de este mensaje por la bondad y la misericordia que Dios ha tenido conmigo, quien ha mostrado así su gran poder.
8 Yo soy menos que el más pequeño de todos los que pertenecen al pueblo santo; pero él me ha concedido este privilegio de anunciar a los no judíos la buena noticia de las incontables riquezas de Cristo. 9 Y me ha encargado hacerles ver a todos cuál es la realización de ese designio que Dios, creador de todas las cosas, había mantenido secreto desde la eternidad. 10 De esta manera ahora, por medio de la iglesia, todos los poderes y autoridades en el cielo podrán conocer la sabiduría de Dios, que se muestra en tan variadas formas. 11 Dios hizo esto de acuerdo con el plan eterno que llevó a cabo en Cristo Jesús nuestro Señor. 12 Y en Cristo tenemos libertad para acercarnos a Dios, con la confianza que nos da nuestra fe en él. 13 Por eso les ruego que no se desanimen a causa de lo que por ustedes estoy sufriendo, porque esto es más bien un honor para ustedes.
Oración y alabanza a Dios
14 Por esta razón me pongo de rodillas delante del Padre, 15 de quien recibe su nombre toda familia, tanto en el cielo como en la tierra. 16 Pido al Padre que de su gloriosa riqueza les dé a ustedes, interiormente, poder y fuerza por medio del Espíritu de Dios, 17 que Cristo viva en sus corazones por la fe, y que el amor sea la raíz y el fundamento de sus vidas. 18 Y que así puedan comprender con todo el pueblo santo cuán ancho, largo, alto y profundo es el amor de Cristo. 19 Pido, pues, que conozcan ese amor, que es mucho más grande que todo cuanto podemos conocer, para que lleguen a colmarse de la plenitud total de Dios.
20 Y ahora, gloria sea a Dios, que puede hacer muchísimo más de lo que nosotros pedimos o pensamos, gracias a su poder que actúa en nosotros. 21 ¡Gloria a Dios en la iglesia y en Cristo Jesús, por todos los siglos y para siempre! Amén.
Efeseni 3
Cornilescu 1924 - Revised 2010, 2014
3 Iată de ce eu, Pavel, întemniţatul(A) lui Isus Hristos pentru(B) voi, neamurilor… 2 (Dacă cel puţin aţi auzit de isprăvnicia(C) harului lui(D) Dumnezeu, care mi-a fost dată faţă de voi. 3 Prin(E) descoperire(F) dumnezeiască am(G) luat cunoştinţă de taina aceasta, despre care(H) vă scrisei în puţine cuvinte. 4 Citindu-le, vă puteţi închipui priceperea pe care o am eu despre(I) taina lui Hristos, 5 care(J) n-a fost făcută cunoscută fiilor oamenilor în celelalte veacuri, în felul cum(K) a fost descoperită acum sfinţilor apostoli şi proroci ai lui Hristos, prin Duhul. 6 Că adică neamurile sunt(L) împreună-moştenitoare cu noi, alcătuiesc(M) un singur trup cu noi şi iau parte(N) cu noi la aceeaşi făgăduinţă în Hristos Isus, prin Evanghelia aceea, 7 al cărei(O) slujitor am fost făcut eu, după(P) darul harului lui Dumnezeu, dat mie prin lucrarea(Q) puterii Lui. 8 Da, mie(R), care sunt cel mai neînsemnat dintre toţi sfinţii, mi-a fost dat harul acesta să(S) vestesc neamurilor bogăţiile(T) nepătrunse ale lui Hristos 9 şi să pun în lumină înaintea tuturor care este isprăvnicia acestei taine(U) ascunse(V) din veacuri în Dumnezeu, care(W) a făcut toate lucrurile, 10 pentru ca(X) domniile şi stăpânirile(Y) din locurile cereşti să(Z) cunoască azi, prin Biserică, înţelepciunea nespus de felurită a lui Dumnezeu, 11 după(AA) planul veşnic, pe care l-a făcut în Hristos Isus, Domnul nostru. 12 În El avem, prin credinţa în El, slobozenia şi apropierea(AB) de Dumnezeu cu(AC) încredere. 13 Vă rog iarăşi(AD) să nu vă pierdeţi cumpătul din pricina necazurilor mele pentru(AE) voi: aceasta este(AF) slava voastră). 14 …Iată de ce, zic, îmi plec genunchii înaintea Tatălui Domnului nostru Isus Hristos, 15 din care îşi trage numele orice(AG) familie, în ceruri şi pe pământ, 16 şi-L rog ca, potrivit cu(AH) bogăţia slavei Sale, să(AI) vă facă să vă întăriţi în putere, prin Duhul Lui, în omul(AJ) dinăuntru, 17 aşa încât(AK) Hristos să locuiască în inimile voastre prin credinţă; pentru ca(AL), având rădăcina şi temelia puse în dragoste, 18 să(AM) puteţi pricepe împreună cu toţi sfinţii care(AN) sunt lărgimea, lungimea, adâncimea şi înălţimea 19 şi să cunoaşteţi dragostea lui Hristos, care întrece orice cunoştinţă, ca să ajungeţi plini de(AO) toată plinătatea lui Dumnezeu. 20 Iar a Celui(AP) ce, prin(AQ) puterea care lucrează în noi, poate să facă nespus(AR) mai mult decât cerem sau gândim noi, 21 a Lui(AS) să fie slava în Biserică şi în Hristos Isus, din neam în neam, în vecii vecilor! Amin.
Ephesians 3
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
III. World Mission of the Church
Chapter 3
Commission to Preach God’s Plan.[a] 1 Because of this,(A) I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ[b] [Jesus] for you Gentiles— 2 if, as I suppose, you have heard of the stewardship[c] of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit,(B) 3 [namely, that] the mystery[d] was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly earlier.(C) 4 When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to human beings in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit,(D) 6 that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.(E)
7 Of this I became a minister by the gift of God’s grace that was granted me in accord with the exercise of his power.(F) 8 To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ,(G) 9 and to bring to light [for all][e] what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things,(H) 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the principalities and authorities[f] in the heavens.(I) 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness of speech and confidence of access through faith in him.(J) 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over my afflictions for you; this is your glory.(K)
Prayer for the Readers.[g] 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[h] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self,(L) 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love,(M) 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth,(N) 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.(O)
20 Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us,(P) 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Footnotes
- 3:1–13 Paul reflects on his mission to the Gentiles. He alludes to his call and appointment to the apostolic office (Eph 3:2–3) and how his insight through revelation, as well as that of the other apostles and charismatic prophets in the church (Eph 3:4–5), has deepened understanding of God’s plan of salvation in Christ. Paul is the special herald (Eph 3:7) of a new promise to the Gentiles (Eph 3:6): that the divine plan includes them in the spiritual benefits promised to Israel. Not only is this unique apostolic role his; Paul also has been given the task of explaining to all the divine plan of salvation (Eph 3:8–9), once hidden. Through the church, God’s plan to save through Christ is becoming manifest to angelic beings (Eph 3:10; cf. Eph 1:21), in accord with God’s purpose (Eph 3:11). The fulfillment of the plan in Christ gives the whole church more confidence through faith in God (Eph 3:12). The readers of this letter are also thereby encouraged to greater confidence despite Paul’s imprisonment (Eph 3:13).
- 3:1 A prisoner of Christ: see Introduction. Paul abruptly departs from his train of thought at the end of Eph 3:1, leaving an incomplete sentence.
- 3:2 Stewardship: the Greek is the same term employed at Eph 1:10 for the plan that God administers (Col 1:25) and in which Paul plays a key role.
- 3:3–4 The mystery: God’s resolve to deliver Gentiles along with Israel through Christ; cf. notes on Eph 1:10; 3:9.
- 3:9 [For all]: while some think this phrase was added so as to yield the sense “to enlighten all about the plan…,” it is more likely that some manuscripts and Fathers omitted it accidentally or to avoid the idea that all conflicted with Paul’s assignment to preach to the Gentiles (Eph 3:8) specifically.
- 3:10 Principalities and authorities: see note on Eph 1:15–23 regarding Eph 3:21.
- 3:14–21 The apostle prays that those he is addressing may, like the rest of the church, deepen their understanding of God’s plan of salvation in Christ. It is a plan that affects the whole universe (Eph 3:15) with the breadth and length and height and depth of God’s love in Christ (Eph 3:18) or possibly the universe in all its dimensions. The apostle prays that they may perceive the redemptive love of Christ for them and be completely immersed in the fullness of God (Eph 3:19). The prayer concludes with a doxology to God (Eph 3:20–21).
- 3:14–15 Every family: in the Greek there is wordplay on the word for the Father (patria, patēr). The phrase could also mean “God’s whole family” (cf. Eph 2:21).
Ephesians 3
King James Version
3 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 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;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 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.
8 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;
9 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:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Dios habla hoy ®, © Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas, 1966, 1970, 1979, 1983, 1996.
Copyright of the Cornilescu Bible © 1924 belongs to British and Foreign Bible Society. Copyright © 2010, 2014 of the revised edition in Romanian language belongs to the Interconfessional Bible Society of Romania, with the approval of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
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