Ephesians 3
1 For this reason I Paul, prisoner of the Christ Jesus for you nations,
This is why, I, Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ for the sake of you foreigners,
2 (if indeed ye have heard of the administration of the grace of God which has been given to me towards you,
(well, I'm assuming you've heard that God gave me the specific responsibility of sharing God's grace with you),
3 that by revelation the mystery has been made known to me, (according as I have written before briefly,
how, by what God showed me, made clear the mystery that was previously hidden. I wrote to you briefly before about this,
4 by which, in reading it, ye can understand my intelligence in the mystery of the Christ, )
and when you read this you'll be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.
5 which in other generations has not been made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in [the power of the] Spirit,
In past generations this wasn't made clear to anyone, but now it's been revealed to God's holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit
6 that [they who are of] the nations should be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of [his] promise in Christ Jesus by the glad tidings;
that foreigners are joint heirs, part of the same body, and in Christ Jesus share together in the promise through the good news.
7 of which I am become minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me, according to the working of his power.
I became a minister of this good news through the gift of God's grace that I was given by his power that was at work in me.
8 To me, less than the least of all saints, has this grace been given, to announce among the nations the glad tidings of the unsearchable riches of the Christ,
This grace was given to me, the least important of all Christians, in order to share with the foreigners the incredible value of Christ,
9 and to enlighten all [with the knowledge of] what is the administration of the mystery hidden throughout the ages in God, who has created all things, (aiōn g165)
and to help everyone see the purpose of the mystery which from the very beginning was hidden in God who made everything. (aiōn g165)
10 in order that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies might be made known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God,
God's plan was that the various aspects of his wisdom would be revealed through the church to the rulers and authorities in heaven.
This was in accordance with God's eternal purpose that he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord. (aiōn g165)
12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence by the faith of him.
Because of him and our trust in him we can come to God in total freedom and confidence.
13 Wherefore I beseech [you] not to faint through my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
So I'm asking that you don't get discouraged that I'm suffering—it's for you and you should value that!
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ],
This is why I kneel before the Father
15 of whom every family in [the] heavens and on earth is named,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its nature and character,
16 in order that he may give you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man;
asking him that out of his wealth of glory he may strengthen you in your innermost being with power through his Spirit.
17 that the Christ may dwell, through faith, in your hearts, being rooted and founded in love,
May Christ live in you as you trust in him, so that as you are planted deep in love,
18 in order that ye may be fully able to apprehend with all the saints what [is] the breadth and length and depth and height;
you may have the power to comprehend with all God's people the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ's love.
19 and to know the love of the Christ which surpasses knowledge; that ye may be filled [even] to all the fulness of God.
May you know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you're made full and complete by the fullness of God.
20 But to him that is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think, according to the power which works in us,
Now may he who—through his power working in us—can do infinitely more than we ever ask for or even think about,
