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.
Ephesians 3
New Catholic Bible
Paul’s Commission To Preach the Mystery[a]
Chapter 3
The Mystery Made Known. 1 This is the reason why I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—[b] 2 For you surely must have heard of the mystery of God’s grace that was entrusted to me on your behalf, 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by a revelation, as I have briefly written. 4 Reading this, you will be able to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.
5 It was not disclosed to human beings in previous generations, but now it has been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, 6 namely that the Gentiles have become coheirs, members of the same body, and sharers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Mission to the Gentiles. 7 I became its minister by God’s grace bestowed on me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ 9 and to enlighten all concerning the administration of the mystery that had been kept hidden throughout the ages in God, the creator of all things.
10 In this way, the wisdom of God in its infinite variety might be made known through the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavens. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have free access to God in boldness and confidence because of our faith in him. 13 Therefore, I beg you not to lose heart over my sufferings for you. Truly, they are your glory.
14 Prayer for a Deeper Faith. This is the reason why I kneel in prayer before the Father, 15 from whom every family[c] in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I ask that from the riches of his glory he may grant through his Spirit that you be strengthened with power in your inner being 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that, rooted and grounded in love, 18 you may have the power to comprehend with all the saints its breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and know Christ’s love even though it is beyond knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 To him who in all things is able
through the power
that is at work within us
to accomplish abundantly far more
than all we can ask or imagine,
21 to him be glory in the Church
and in Christ Jesus
through all generations,
forever and ever. Amen.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 3:1 No one could have foreseen the call and reconciliation of the Gentiles. It is now a fact in the fraternal life of communities and in the spread of the Gospel, announcing the joy of salvation to all peoples. It shows that the mystery of God is being revealed, for in Christ all human beings can now approach God. Since his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul has had no other desire but to proclaim and manifest this mystery.
The Apostle finally completes the prayer that he started several times previously. He asks that God himself may enable believers to comprehend the inexpressible riches of the mystery. This is true not only for the initiated but also for all the “saints,” i.e., all those who have been baptized and called. - Ephesians 3:1 The sentence breaks off and is continued in v. 14.
- Ephesians 3:15 Every family: in this case, the family of the human race.
Ephesians 3
Legacy Standard Bible
The Mystery of Christ Revealed
3 For this reason I, Paul, (A)the prisoner of (B)Christ Jesus (C)on behalf of you (D)Gentiles— 2 if indeed you heard of the (E)stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; 3 (F)that (G)by revelation there was (H)made known to me (I)the mystery, (J)as I wrote before in brief. 4 About which, when you read you can understand (K)my insight [a]into the (L)mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it was now revealed to His holy (M)apostles and prophets [b]in the Spirit: 6 that the Gentiles are (N)fellow heirs and (O)fellow members of the body, and (P)fellow partakers of the promise in (Q)Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 (R)of which I was made a (S)minister, according to the gift of (T)God’s grace which was given to me (U)according to the working of His power. 8 To me, (V)the very least of all [c]saints, this grace was given, to (W)proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the unfathomable (X)riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for all what is the administration of the (Y)mystery which for ages has been (Z)hidden in God (AA)who created all things; 10 so that the manifold (AB)wisdom of God might now be (AC)made known through the church to the (AD)rulers and the authorities in (AE)the heavenly places. 11 This was in (AF)accordance with the [d]eternal purpose which He [e]carried out in (AG)Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and [f](AH)confident (AI)access through faith [g]in Him. 13 Therefore I ask [h]you not (AJ)to lose heart at my afflictions (AK)on your behalf, which are your glory.
Prayer for Spiritual Power
14 For this reason I (AL)bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom [i]every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that He would give you, according to (AM)the riches of His glory, to be (AN)strengthened with power through His Spirit in (AO)the inner man, 17 so that (AP)Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being firmly (AQ)rooted and (AR)grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with (AS)all the [j]saints what is (AT)the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know (AU)the love of Christ which (AV)surpasses knowledge, that you may be (AW)filled up to all the (AX)fullness of God.
20 (AY)Now to Him who is (AZ)able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or understand, (BA)according to the power that works within us, 21 (BB)to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations [k]forever and ever. Amen.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 3:4 Lit in
- Ephesians 3:5 Or by
- Ephesians 3:8 Or holy ones
- Ephesians 3:11 Lit purpose of the ages
- Ephesians 3:11 Lit did
- Ephesians 3:12 Lit access in confidence
- Ephesians 3:12 Lit of Him
- Ephesians 3:13 Or that I may not lose
- Ephesians 3:15 Or the whole
- Ephesians 3:18 v 8, note 1
- Ephesians 3:21 Lit of the age of the ages
Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org For Permission to Quote Information visit https://www.LSBible.org.