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Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles

This is the reason that I, Paul, am a prisoner for[a] Christ Jesus[b] for the sake of you gentiles, for surely[c] you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words,[d](A) a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.(B) In former generations this mystery[e] was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:(C) that is, the gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.(D)

Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ(E) and to make everyone see[f] what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in[g] God, who created all things,(F) 10 so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.[h](G) 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have access in boldness and confidence through faith in him.[i](H) 13 I pray, therefore, that you[j] may not lose heart over my sufferings for you; they are your glory.

Prayer for the Readers

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,[k] 15 from whom every family[l] in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit(I) 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth(J) 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.(K)

20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,(L) 21 to him be glory in the church and[m] in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 3.1 Or of
  2. 3.1 Other ancient authorities lack Jesus
  3. 3.2 Or if indeed
  4. 3.3 Or wrote before in brief
  5. 3.5 Gk it
  6. 3.9 Other ancient authorities read to bring to light
  7. 3.9 Or by
  8. 3.10 Gk heavenlies
  9. 3.12 Or the faith of him
  10. 3.13 Or I
  11. 3.14 Other ancient authorities add of our Lord Jesus Christ
  12. 3.15 Gk fatherhood
  13. 3.21 Other ancient authorities omit and

Τούτου χάριν ἐγὼ Παῦλος ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν— εἴ γε ἠκούσατε τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς· [a]κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν [b]ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον, καθὼς προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ, πρὸς ὃ δύνασθε ἀναγινώσκοντες νοῆσαι τὴν σύνεσίν μου ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃ ἑτέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὡς νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ προφήταις ἐν πνεύματι, εἶναι τὰ ἔθνη συγκληρονόμα καὶ σύσσωμα καὶ συμμέτοχα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας [c]ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, οὗ [d]ἐγενήθην διάκονος κατὰ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ [e]τῆς δοθείσης μοι κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ— ἐμοὶ τῷ ἐλαχιστοτέρῳ πάντων ἁγίων ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις αὕτη— [f]τοῖς ἔθνεσιν εὐαγγελίσασθαι [g]τὸ ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ φωτίσαι [h]πάντας τίς ἡ οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων ἐν τῷ θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα [i]κτίσαντι, 10 ἵνα γνωρισθῇ νῦν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ, 11 κατὰ πρόθεσιν τῶν αἰώνων ἣν ἐποίησεν ἐν [j]τῷ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, 12 ἐν ᾧ ἔχομεν τὴν παρρησίαν [k]καὶ προσαγωγὴν ἐν πεποιθήσει διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ. 13 διὸ αἰτοῦμαι μὴ [l]ἐγκακεῖν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσίν μου ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ἥτις ἐστὶν δόξα ὑμῶν.

14 Τούτου χάριν κάμπτω τὰ γόνατά μου πρὸς τὸν [m]πατέρα, 15 ἐξ οὗ πᾶσα πατριὰ ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὀνομάζεται, 16 ἵνα [n]δῷ ὑμῖν κατὰ [o]τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ δυνάμει κραταιωθῆναι διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον, 17 κατοικῆσαι τὸν Χριστὸν διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν ἐν ἀγάπῃ· ἐρριζωμένοι καὶ τεθεμελιωμένοι, 18 ἵνα ἐξισχύσητε καταλαβέσθαι σὺν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἁγίοις τί τὸ πλάτος καὶ μῆκος καὶ [p]ὕψος καὶ βάθος, 19 γνῶναί τε τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν τῆς γνώσεως ἀγάπην τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα πληρωθῆτε εἰς πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ θεοῦ.

20 Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν, 21 αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ [q]καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς πάσας τὰς γενεὰς τοῦ αἰῶνος τῶν αἰώνων· ἀμήν.

Footnotes

  1. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:3 κατὰ Holmes WHmarg ] ὅτι κατὰ WH Treg NIV RP
  2. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:3 ἐγνωρίσθη WH Treg NIV ] ἐγνώρισέν RP
  3. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:6 ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ WH Treg NIV ] αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ RP
  4. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:7 ἐγενήθην WH Treg NIV ] ἐγενόμην RP
  5. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:7 τῆς δοθείσης WH Treg NIV ] τὴν δοθεῖσάν RP
  6. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:8 τοῖς WH Treg NIV] ἐν τοῖς RP
  7. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:8 τὸ ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος WH Treg NIV ] τὸν ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτον RP
  8. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:9 πάντας Treg NIV RP ] – WH
  9. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:9 κτίσαντι WH Treg NIV ] + διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ RP
  10. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:11 τῷ WH Treg NIV ] – RP
  11. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:12 καὶ WH Treg NIV ] + τὴν RP
  12. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:13 ἐγκακεῖν WH Treg NIV ] ἐκκακεῖν RP
  13. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:14 πατέρα WH Treg NIV ] + τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ RP
  14. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:16 δῷ WH Treg NIV ] δῴη RP
  15. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:16 τὸ πλοῦτος WH Treg NIV ] τὸν πλοῦτον RP
  16. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:18 ὕψος καὶ βάθος WH Treg NIV ] βάθος καὶ ὕψος RP
  17. ΠΡΟΣ ΕΦΕΣΙΟΥΣ 3:21 καὶ WH Treg NIV ] – RP

God’s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner(A) of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me(B) for you, that is, the mystery(C) made known to me by revelation,(D) as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight(E) 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.(F) This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs(G) together with Israel, members together of one body,(H) and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.(I)

I became a servant of this gospel(J) by the gift of God’s grace given me(K) through the working of his power.(L) Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people,(M) this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles(N) the boundless riches of Christ,(O) and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,(P) which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God(Q) should be made known(R) to the rulers and authorities(S) in the heavenly realms,(T) 11 according to his eternal purpose(U) that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God(V) with freedom and confidence.(W) 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14 For this reason I kneel(X) before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches(Y) he may strengthen you with power(Z) through his Spirit in your inner being,(AA) 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts(AB) through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted(AC) and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,(AD) to grasp how wide and long and high and deep(AE) is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge(AF)—that you may be filled(AG) to the measure of all the fullness of God.(AH)

20 Now to him who is able(AI) to do immeasurably more than all we ask(AJ) or imagine, according to his power(AK) that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.(AL)

Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 3:15 The Greek for family (patria) is derived from the Greek for father (pater).