Ephesians 3
New King James Version
The Mystery Revealed
3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the [a]dispensation of the grace of God (A)which was given to me for you, 3 (B)how that by revelation (C)He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles (D)should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 (E)of which I became a minister (F)according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by (G)the effective working of His power.
Purpose of the Mystery
8 To me, (H)who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles (I)the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the [b]fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who (J)created all things [c]through Jesus Christ; 10 (K)to the intent that now (L)the [d]manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church (M)to the [e]principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 (N)according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access (O)with confidence through faith in Him. 13 (P)Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, (Q)which is your glory.
Appreciation of the Mystery
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the (R)Father [f]of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, (S)according to the riches of His glory, (T)to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in (U)the inner man, 17 (V)that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, (W)being rooted and grounded in love, 18 (X)may be able to comprehend with all the saints (Y)what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled (Z)with all the fullness of God.
20 Now (AA)to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly (AB)above all that we ask or think, (AC)according to the power that works in us, 21 (AD)to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 3:2 stewardship
- Ephesians 3:9 NU, M stewardship (dispensation)
- Ephesians 3:9 NU omits through Jesus Christ
- Ephesians 3:10 variegated or many-sided
- Ephesians 3:10 rulers
- Ephesians 3:14 NU omits of our Lord Jesus Christ
Ephesians 3
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
For This Reason, I Paul, a Prisoner of Christ For You Gentiles...
3 For this reason, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you the Gentiles—
For I Am a Steward of God’s Plan To Make Gentiles Partakers of His Promises
2 ... if indeed you heard-of the stewardship[a] of the grace of God having been given[b] to me for you, 3 that by way of revelation the mystery was made-known to me (just as I wrote-before in brief, 4 with reference to which you are able, while reading, to perceive my understanding in[c] the mystery of Christ) 5 which in other generations was not made-known to the sons of humans as it was now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit— 6 that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs and fellow-body-members and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the good-news, 7 of which I was made a minister[d] in-accordance-with the gift of the grace of God having been given[e] to me by-way-of the working of His power.
It Was Granted To Me To Enlighten Everyone To See The Creator’s Long Hidden Plan
8 This grace was given to me, the less-than-least of all saints, that I might announce-as-good-news to the Gentiles the untraceable riches of Christ, 9 and enlighten everyone to see what is the stewardship[f] of the mystery having been hidden from the past ages in God, the One having created all things, 10 so that now the multifaceted wisdom of God might be made-known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places through the church, 11 in-accordance-with the purpose of the ages[g] which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in Whom we have boldness and access in confidence through faith[h] in Him. 13 Therefore I ask that you not lose-heart in connection with my afflictions for-your-sake, which is your glory!
For This Reason I Pray For You To Know The Love of Christ And The Fullness of God
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from Whom the whole[i] family in the heavens and on earth is named, 16 asking that He might grant to you in accordance with the riches of His glory that you be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner person 17 so-that[j] Christ may dwell[k] in your hearts through faith, 18 in-order-that[l] you, having[m] been rooted and founded in love, might be strong-enough[n] to grasp[o] together-with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ surpassing knowledge, in-order-that[p] you might be filled to all the fullness of God.
To God Be The Glory
20 Now to the One being able to do super-abundantly beyond all of the things which we ask or think[q] according to the power being at-work[r] in us— 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations forever and ever, amen.
Footnotes
- Ephesians 3:2 That is, the position of management responsibility; or, the arrangement or mode of operation in which Paul served.
- Ephesians 3:2 That is, the grace... given.
- Ephesians 3:4 That is, in connection with the mystery concerning Christ.
- Ephesians 3:7 Or, servant.
- Ephesians 3:7 That is, the grace... given.
- Ephesians 3:9 That is, mode of operation, arrangement.
- Ephesians 3:11 the purpose of the ages. Or, the eternal purpose.
- Ephesians 3:12 through faith in Him. Or, through His faithfulness.
- Ephesians 3:15 the whole. Or, every.
- Ephesians 3:17 so that. Or, that, parallel with ‘that you be strengthened’.
- Ephesians 3:17 Or, reside, live, have His home.
- Ephesians 3:18 in order that. Or, that, making this a second main thing he is ‘asking that’.
- Ephesians 3:18 having been ... in love. In the Greek word order, this phrase precedes ‘in order that you’ (it is part of v 17), making it emphatic.
- Ephesians 3:18 Or, fully able.
- Ephesians 3:18 Or, comprehend, lay hold of. Paul may be referring to the dimensions of God’s plan and wisdom (v 10); or, the dimensions of Christ’s love.
- Ephesians 3:19 in order that. Or, that, making this a third main thing he is ‘asking that’.
- Ephesians 3:20 Or, understand, imagine, perceive.
- Ephesians 3:20 Or, in-operation.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
