Ephesians 3 - Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Paul’s Work for the Non-Jewish People

3 So I, Paul, am a prisoner because I serve Christ Jesus for you who are not Jews. 2 Surely you know that God gave me this work through his grace to help you. 3 God let me know his secret plan by showing it to me. I have already written a little about this. 4 And if you read what I wrote, you can see that I understand the secret truth about Christ. 5 People who lived in other times were not told that secret truth. But now, through the Spirit, God has made it known to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 And this is the secret truth: that by hearing the Good News, those who are not Jews will share with the Jews in the blessings God has for his people. They are part of the same body, and they share in the promise God made through Christ Jesus.

7 By God’s special gift of grace, I became a servant to tell that Good News. He gave me that grace by using his power. 8 I am the least important of all God’s people. But he gave me this gift—to tell the non-Jewish people the Good News about the riches Christ has. These riches are too great to understand fully. 9 And God gave me the work of telling all people about the plan for his secret truth. That secret truth has been hidden in him since the beginning of time. He is the one who created everything. 10 His purpose was that all the rulers and powers in the heavenly places will now know the many different ways he shows his wisdom. They will know this because of the church. 11 This agrees with the plan God had since the beginning of time. He did what he planned, and he did it through Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In Christ we come before God with freedom and without fear. We can do this because of our faith in Christ. 13 So I ask you not to be discouraged because of what is happening to me. My sufferings are for your benefit—for your honor and glory.

The Love of Christ

14 So I bow in prayer before the Father. 15 Every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name from him. 16 I ask the Father with his great glory to give you the power to be strong in your spirits. He will give you that strength through his Spirit. 17 I pray that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. 18 And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. 19 Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you.

20 With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of. 21 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.

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Ephesians 3 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

3 For this cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you the nations, 2 if, indeed, ye did hear of the dispensation of the grace of God that was given to me in regard to you, 3 that by revelation He made known to me the secret, according as I wrote before in few [words] -- 4 in regard to which...
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Ephesians 3 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

3 For the grace of this thing I Paul, the bound of Christ Jesus [the bound of Jesus Christ], for you heathen men, 2 if nevertheless ye have heard the dispensation of God's grace, that is given to me in you. 3 For by revelation the sacrament is made known to me, as I above wrote in short thing, 4 ...
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Ephesians 3 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

3 That is why I, Paul, am a prisoner who belongs to Jesus Christ. It is for the sake of you people who are not Jews. 2 I am sure you have heard that God gave me work to do for you. 3 He showed me what his plan was. And I have already written a little about it to you. 4 When you read this, you can un...
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Ephesians 3 - World English Bible (WEB)

3 For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, 2 if it is so that you have heard of the administration of that grace of God which was given me toward you, 3 how that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before in few words, 4 by which, w...
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Ephesians 3 - The Voice (VOICE)

For Paul there are two kinds of people: Jews and Gentiles, or to put it another way, insiders and outsiders. The Prince of Peace is establishing peace where division and hostility once ruled unchallenged. In the Jerusalem temple, a stone wall separated Jewish from non-Jewish worshipers. According to...
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Ephesians 3 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

The Mystery of the Gentiles Revealed3 For this reason I, Paul, am a prisoner of Messiah Yeshua for the sake of you Gentiles. 2 Surely you have heard about the plan of God’s grace given to me for you— 3 that the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote before briefly. 4 When you read ...
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Ephesians 3 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles3 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery[a] was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 Whe...
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Ephesians 3 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles3 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When y...
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Ephesians 3 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

3 For this reason, I, Paul, am the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles. 2 If indeed you have heard of the stewardship of the grace of God, which is given to me toward you. 3 So that God, by revelation, has shown this mystery to me (as I briefly wrote before; 4 by which, when you read it, you m...
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Ephesians 3 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

God’s Secret Plan Unveiled at Last3 It’s because of all this that I, Paul, the prisoner of King Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles ... 2 I’m assuming, by the way, that you’ve heard about the plan of God’s grace that was given to me to pass on to you? 3 You know – the secret purpose that God revealed t...
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Ephesians 3 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles3 This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for[a] Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote ab...
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Ephesians 3 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles3 This is the reason that I, Paul, am a prisoner for[a] Christ Jesus[b] for the sake of you gentiles, 2 for surely[c] you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote ...
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Ephesians 3 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

He explains the cause of his imprisonment, and more of the revelation of the mystery of Christ. He desires them not to faint because of his trouble, and prays God to make them steadfast in his Spirit. 3 For this then I, Paul, am in the bonds of Jesus Christ, for the sake of you who are heathen – 2 ...
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Ephesians 3 - New Living Translation (NLT)

God’s Mysterious Plan Revealed3 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles[a] . . . 2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. 3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself reveal...
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Ephesians 3 - New Life Version (NLV)

3 I, Paul, am in prison because I am a missionary for Jesus Christ to you who are not Jews. 2 I am sure you have heard that God trusted me with His loving-favor. 3 I wrote a little about this to you before. In a special way, God showed me His secret plan. 4 When you read this, you will understand...
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Ephesians 3 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Mystery Revealed3 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, ...
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