Ephesians 3
Amplified Bible
Paul’s Stewardship
3 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— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was entrusted to me [to share with you] for your benefit; 3 and that by [divine] revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I have already written in brief.(A) 4 By referring to this, when you read it you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 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; 6 [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]. 7 Of this [gospel] I was made a minister by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of His power. 8 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], 9 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
- 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.
Ephesians 3
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
3 For this houtos reason charin I egō, Paul Paulos, a ho prisoner desmios of ho Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous for hyper the sake of you hymeis · ho Gentiles ethnos— 2 assuming that ei you have heard akouō about the ho stewardship oikonomia of the ho grace charis of ho God theos that ho was given didōmi to me egō for eis you hymeis, 3 that hoti by kata revelation apokalypsis the ho mystery mystērion was made known gnōrizō to me egō, as kathōs I have already written prographō briefly en oligos. 4 Accordingly pros, when you read anaginōskō this hos you will be able dynamai to understand noeō · ho my egō insight synesis into en the ho mystery mystērion of ho Christ Christos, 5 which hos was gnōrizō not ou made known gnōrizō to the ho sons hyios of ho men anthrōpos in other heteros generations genea as hōs it has now nyn been revealed apokalyptō to ho his autos holy hagios apostles apostolos and kai prophets prophētēs by en the Spirit pneuma, 6 namely, that the ho Gentiles ethnos are eimi joint heirs synklēronomos, · kai fellow syssōmos members of the body and kai sharers together symmetochos in the ho promise epangelia in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous through dia the ho gospel euangelion. 7 Of this hos gospel I became ginomai a servant diakonos according to kata the ho gift dōrea of ho God’ s theos grace charis, · ho which ho was given didōmi to me egō by kata the ho exercise energeia of ho his autos power dynamis. 8 To me egō, the ho very least elachistos of all pas the saints hagios, this houtos grace charis was given didōmi: · ho to preach euangelizō to the ho Gentiles ethnos the ho unsearchable anexichniastos riches ploutos of ho Christ Christos, 9 and kai to make it plain phōtizō to all pas what tis is the ho administration oikonomia of the ho mystery mystērion, which ho was kept hidden apokryptō for apo · ho ages aiōn in en · ho God theos who ho created ktizō · ho all pas things , 10 in order that hina now nyn, through dia the ho church ekklēsia, the ho manifold polypoikilos wisdom sophia of ho God theos should be made known gnōrizō to the ho rulers archē and kai · ho authorities exousia in en the ho heavenly epouranios realms , 11 according to kata the eternal aiōn purpose prothesis · ho that hos he accomplished poieō in en · ho Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous · ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios, 12 in en whom hos we have echō · ho boldness parrēsia and kai confident pepoithēsis access prosagōgē through dia · ho faith pistis in him autos.
13 I ask aiteō you, therefore dio, not mē to be discouraged because en of · ho my egō sufferings thlipsis on hyper your hymeis behalf, which hostis are eimi your hymeis glory doxa. 14 For this houtos reason charin I bow kamptō · ho my egō knees gony before pros the ho Father patēr, 15 from ek whom hos every pas family patria in en heaven ouranos and kai on epi earth gē derives its name onomazō, 16 in order hina that according to kata the ho riches ploutos of ho his autos glory doxa he may grant didōmi you hymeis to be strengthened krataioō with power dynamis through dia · ho his autos Spirit pneuma in eis your ho inner esō being anthrōpos, 17 that Christ Christos may dwell katoikeō · ho in en your hymeis hearts kardia through dia · ho faith pistis, · ho rooted rhizoō and kai grounded themelioō in en love agapē, 18 in order that hina you may be empowered exischuō to grasp katalambanō with syn all pas the ho saints hagios what tis is the ho breadth platos and kai length mēkos and kai height hypsos and kai depth bathos, 19 and te to know ginōskō the ho love agapē of ho Christ Christos which surpasses hyperballō · ho knowledge gnōsis, that hina you may be filled plēroō up to eis all pas the ho fullness plērōma of ho God theos. 20 Now de to the ho one who is able dynamai to do poieō far more abundantly hyperekperissou beyond hyper all pas that hos we ask aiteō or ē imagine noeō, according kata to the ho power dynamis that ho is working energeō within en us hēmeis, 21 to him autos be · ho glory doxa in en the ho church ekklēsia and kai in en Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous throughout eis all pas · ho generations genea, · ho forever aiōn and · ho ever aiōn! Amen amēn.
Ephesians 3
New International Reader's Version
God’s Wonderful Plan for the Gentiles
3 I, Paul, am a prisoner because of Christ Jesus. I am in prison because of my work among you who are Gentiles.
2 I am sure you have heard that God appointed me to share his grace with you. 3 I’m talking about the mystery God showed me. I have already written a little about it. 4 By reading about this mystery, you will be able to understand what I know. You will know about the mystery of Christ. 5 The mystery was not made known to people of other times. But now the Holy Spirit has made this mystery known to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 Here is the mystery. Because of the good news, God’s promises are for Gentiles as well as for Jews. Both groups are parts of one body. They share in the promise. It belongs to them because they belong to Christ Jesus.
7 I now serve the good news because God gave me his grace. His power is at work in me. 8 I am by far the least important of all the Lord’s holy people. But he gave me the grace to preach to the Gentiles about the unlimited riches that Christ gives. 9 God told me to make clear to everyone how the mystery came about. In times past it was kept hidden in the mind of God, who created all things. 10 He wanted the rulers and authorities in the heavenly world to come to know his great wisdom. The church would make it known to them. 11 That was God’s plan from the beginning. He has fulfilled his plan through Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Through him and through faith in him we can approach God. We can come to him freely. We can come without fear. 13 So here is what I’m asking you to do. Don’t lose hope because I am suffering for you. It will lead to the time when God will give you his glory.
Paul Prays for the Ephesians
14 I bow in prayer to the Father because of my work among you. 15 From the Father every family in heaven and on earth gets its name. 16 I pray that he will use his glorious riches to make you strong. May his Holy Spirit give you his power deep down inside you. 17 Then Christ will live in your hearts because you believe in him. And I pray that your love will have deep roots. I pray that it will have a strong foundation. 18 May you have power together with all the Lord’s holy people to understand Christ’s love. May you know how wide and long and high and deep it is. 19 And may you know his love, even though it can’t be known completely. Then you will be filled with everything God has for you.
20 God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. He does everything by his power that is working in us. 21 Give him glory in the church and in Christ Jesus. Give him glory through all time and for ever and ever. Amen.
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