Ephesians 3
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus in behalf of you Gentiles, —
For this reason I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles--
2 if so be that ye have heard of the dispensation of that grace of God which was given me to you-ward;
if, that is, you have heard of the work which God has graciously entrusted to me for your benefit,
3 how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words,
and that by a revelation the truth hitherto kept secret was made known to me as I have already briefly explained it to you.
4 whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ;
By means of that explanation, as you read it, you can judge of my insight into the truth of Christ
5 which in other generations was not made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
which in earlier ages was not made known to the human race, as it has now been revealed to His holy Apostles and Prophets through the Spirit--
6 [to wit], that the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
I mean the truth that the Gentiles are joint heirs with us Jews, and that they form one body with us, and have the same interest as we have in the promise which has been made good in Christ Jesus through the Good News,
7 whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.
in which I have been appointed to serve, in virtue of the work which God, in the exercise of His power within me, has graciously entrusted to me.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
To me who am less than the least of all God's people has this work been graciously entrusted--to proclaim to the Gentiles the Good News of the exhaustless wealth of Christ,
9 and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which from all ages hath been hid in God who created all things; (aiōn g165)
and to show all men in a clear light what my stewardship is. It is the stewardship of the truth which from all the Ages lay concealed in the mind of God, the Creator of all things-- (aiōn g165)
10 to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly [places] might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,
concealed in order that the Church might now be used to display to the powers and authorities in the heavenly realms the innumerable aspects of God's wisdom.
Such was the eternal purpose which He had formed in Christ Jesus our Lord, (aiōn g165)
12 in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.
in whom we have this bold and confident access through our faith in Him.
13 Wherefore I ask that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which are your glory.
Therefore I entreat you not to lose heart in the midst of my sufferings on your behalf, for they bring you honour.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father,
For this reason, on bended knee I beseech the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
from whom the whole family in Heaven and on earth derives its name,
16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;
to grant you--in accordance with the wealth of His glorious perfections--to be strengthened by His Spirit with power penetrating to your inmost being.
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
I pray that Christ may make His home in your hearts through your faith; so that having your roots deep and your foundations strong, in love, you may become mighty to grasp the idea,
18 may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
as it is grasped by all God's people, of the breadth and length, the height and depth--
19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.
yes, to attain to a knowledge of the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ, so that you may be made complete in accordance with God's own standard of completeness.
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,
Now to Him who, in exercise of His power that is at work within us, is able to do infinitely beyond all our highest prayers or thoughts--
